There is an immediacy to Urban Culture (2024) that feels rooted in lived experience rather than design theory. James Okunola, the CEO of House of Duke approaches the idea of “urban” not as an aesthetic borrowed from elsewhere, but as a daily reality shaped by movement, pressure, creativity, and survival. The collection reads like a response to the city as it is actually inhabited, dynamic, imperfect, and constantly evolving.
Dimeji Alara review that the collection explored the relationship between fashion, identity, and modern Black life. What stands out immediately in Urban Culture is its refusal to romanticise streetwear. James Okunola does not chase hype or surface-level references. Instead, he builds a collection that understands urban dress as functional language and clothing shaped by necessity as much as expression.
The shapes throughout the collection are intentionally easy, yet clearly controlled. Generous proportions are used with restraint, allowing garments to drape naturally without losing definition. There is a clear awareness of how the body moves within clothing, how fabric responds to pace, pause, and routine. These pieces feel made for everyday motion and real use, rather than for static presentation or visual effect.
The palette draws its strength from surroundings rather than seasonal direction. Muted shades and softened tones mirror the surfaces and atmospheres of the city, worn concrete, industrial textures, shifting light. When brighter hues appear, they act as deliberate interruptions, offering subtle expressions of individuality within a shared urban landscape. Nothing appears excessive or ornamental without reason.
Material choices further support this grounded approach. Fabrics are selected with longevity and comfort in mind, recognising the demands placed on clothing worn repeatedly in fast-paced environments. There is a clear focus on pieces that can endure daily wear while still maintaining refinement. This quiet balance between function and finish underpins the collection’s overall credibility.
What is most compelling is how the collection handles masculinity. Urban Culture does not present toughness as performance. Instead, it offers a softer, more flexible interpretation, one that allows room for vulnerability, self-definition, and adaptability. In doing so, the collection reflects broader shifts in how young men, particularly within African and diasporic contexts, negotiate identity through dress.
The coherence of the collection suggests clarity of vision. Each look feels connected to the same emotional and cultural terrain, rather than assembled from disconnected references. Okunola edits his ideas well, resisting excess and trusting the strength of the core concept. This discipline signals creative growth and confidence.
From a broader perspective, Urban Culture feels commercially aware without being compromised. These are clothes that could exist easily in real wardrobes, across casual, creative, and lifestyle contexts. The collection’s accessibility strengthens its relevance, allowing it to speak to both local and international audiences without losing its specificity.
The Urban Culture (2024) positions House of Duke as a brand paying attention to people, to place, and to the realities that shape how clothes are worn. James Okunola demonstrates an ability to translate the everyday into something considered and contemporary. The collection does not shout. It listens, observes, and responds, and that restraint gives it credibility.
