Who Decides War: Americana Redefined

Founded in 2019, Who Decides War reimagines American reality through faith, culture and Blackness.

Words by Coraly Langué

Ev Bravado and Téla D'Amore. Image courtesy of CFDA

An exercise in creative construction, Who Decides War’s aesthetic is one that marries streetwear influences with immaculate detailing. Led by New York based design duo Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore, the pair have been redefining silhouettes since 2019, expertly blending the humble denim with an artful approach to surface work and appliqué.

Now, four years after their first Paris showcase, the two have garnered an impressive following. Endorsed by the likes of the late Virgil Abloh, the label has quickly become a cult favourite and prides itself on maintaining a grounded creative approach, rooted in faith and culture.

Tacitly introspective, Who Decides War is Americana through a different lens. Exploring Black culture in the US, Bravado and D’Amore weave a detailed tapestry that reflects the world around them while masterfully infusing this vision with the distressed silhouettes the label has come to be recognised for.

The son of a tailor, Bravado spent his early life surrounded by clothing, inadvertently absorbing the inner workings of the craft before he even knew he wanted to design. Several brands later, the designer stands atop an impressive and distinct offering, that mobilises each aspect of his life, in a body of work that blends the physicality of streetwear with distinct religious iconography and the delicate beauty of lace detailing.

WDW’s Fall 2023 collection turns its gaze towards the streets of New York, revealing yet another facet of the duo’s appreciation for their hometown. With distinct scrawls of graffiti-inspired embroidery, the technical prowess that the brand has become known for continues to make an appearance, establishing itself as a fil rouge across WDW’s collections.

The unmissable arche motif of a stained glass window finds its way across the collection; as a cut out feature on a moss green overcoat, and again in the bullet-like quilting of several puffer jackets. Meticulously embroidered, the label describes its outerwear offering as “merging [their] signature stained glass brand motifs with precise technical outerwear expertise”, and the result is a range of silhouettes that are as technically impressive as they are aesthetically intriguing.

While Fall 2023 brought about a focus on street-friendly styles, WDW’s portfolio also includes a foray into men’s suiting, although Bravado cleverly subverts this too in the Spring Summer 2023 collection, Underwater. With playfully tactile surface work Bravado pairs the traditional tailoring of his youth with elements of deconstruction, against the incandescent backdrop of aquatic hues and distressed finishes.

The birth of Ev and Téla’s son in 2018 triggered a natural shift in mentality. While previous projects focused on hype culture and media generation, today the question at the forefront of the duo’s mind is one of legacy and impact. Now, Bravado’s focus is on storytelling; how does Who Decides War go about telling the narrative of the world at large?

It’s an ongoing question that continues to inform the label’s creative output, and perhaps the reason behind part of its success. And while the team continues to draft answers, one thing is certain - there is more to come.