Designer Tamil Robinson and AMIAT Luxury
By Diarra English
For the last 40 years, founder and designer Tamil Robinson has been pushing the boundaries of what once was fashion and art. By beautifully blending the two together, Tamil has created a collection that is sure to stand out amongst the crowd while effortlessly complimenting anyone who wears it.
The new AMIAT collection from House of AMIAT is a body colored, cross-functional, eye-catching arrangement of clothing and accessories. Robinson makes excellent use of his artistic background by incorporating fine details into AMIAT’s clothing, shoes, and bags. One thing that carries throughout the entire line is the AMIAT symbol: a triangular emblem of varying sizes. This symbol not only serves as the logo for AMIAT, but a larger reminder of what AMIAT means to Robinson.
Born and raised in Newark, NJ, Tamil Robinson came up during the 70s and 80s, a time when fashion was booming, but sports were still at the forefront for Robinson and his peers. He walked a fine line between the two, attending an arts high school where he was classically trained in visual arts while still keeping his interest in sports at the forefront. Later, he would go on to marry the two by designing professional sports uniforms for the National Football League and athlete lines such as Allen Iverson’s Reebok collab. As he began to pivot from sports licensing to streetwear fashion, Robinson began to focus more on taking the inspiration he got from his uncles and older cousins in Newark and applying that to his own original designs. Under his mentor, he learned to “use his talent to expand his future.”
Visual art remains at the forefront of AMIAT for Robinson: “Why should I copy a floral that’s already been used 1,000 times when I can create my own?” Instead of relying on pre-made prints, Robinson creates his own by resizing and replicating the AMIAT logo on shirts, pants, scarves, bags, shoes, and more. Robinson treats fabric like an artist’s canvas: a blank space that is to be filled with bold and original color, pattern, and texture. “I even have my own sequins!” What sets AMIAT apart from the rest is not just these hand-made, one-of-a-kind prints, but more so the meticulous attention to detail that is recognizable both near and far. Even the eyelets on the shoes are shaped in the AMIAT logo — another nod to the craftsmanship of Tamil Robinson.
When people wear AMIATt, Robinson says he wants people to feel like his clothing came straight from him to them, as if he’s designing specifically for them. Each piece of clothing, bag, and shoe is a work of art for each consumer, and that shines true through the intentionality of Robinson’s designs. When you see this collection coming down the runway, you will know art was in the room, and Robinson’s hands have been all over this collection breathing life into the designs. You truly could never fathom a collection like this.
You can shop AMIAT Luxury at amiatluxury.com.