Sep 30

Sep 30 10 Black British Fashion Designers to Watch

Can we just take a moment to celebrate the creativity and trendsetting power of Black style and Black designers. You can’t help but see inspirations from African/Caribbean heritage and urban lifestyle which has seamlessly embedded mainstream culture. And we love it!

As much as Black people heavily influence the world of fashion, it’s widely known that racial issues run right throughout the industry, but finally it is making a change to better address racial equality. This September marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of the British Fashion Council's Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee, which aims to fight against the industry’s discrimination. There are also some encouraging signs for the future of the industry: according to a 2018 report by University of the Arts London, 47% of the students across their five universities come from BAME backgrounds. Whilst we look forward to their amazing designs, we’ve listed 10 Black British designers you can immediately add to your closet, from vibrant African print designs to earthy toned uber comfy sweats.

1. Priya Ahluwali

Taking the old and making it new, all while flawlessly infusing her dual Indian and Nigerian heritage into the clothes is what Priya Ahluwali does. Her designs integrate delicate patchwork into sleek cut garments that bring bold prints to the forefront.

2. Saul Nash

Saul Nash is a choreographer and it shows. His activewear pieces’ futuristic lines facilitate and accentuate movement without ever hindering comfort. His puffy scarves may be the perfect winter post-workout accessory.

3. Tolu Coker

Tolu Coker is not afraid to speak her mind. Her support for the #EndSARS protest was emphatic on her Instagram, which translated to a piece on her latest collection. It also shows through her commitment to sustainability and her unisex designs. This British-Nigerian designer has brought together the best of her African heritage and of her experiences at fashion houses such as Maison Margiela or Céline.

4. Jehu-Cal

You may know him as Jehu-cal, Jehu-cal Emmanuel Enemokwu, or even Emay4k. He is constantly evolving and growing his artistic and designer skill set. Lately, he’s been focused on making sure his designs don’t contribute to the mass pollution caused by the fashion industry.

5. Essie Buckman

She may have been born in America but her clothes show her London upbringing with their mix of luxurious fabrics and asymmetrical, gender-defying designs. She makes clothes for strong women so it's no surprise that she has been working for Nike.

6. John Tchoudi

John Tchoudi wants to make sure your wardrobe is diverse and that you can enjoy non-Western fashion in a responsible, respectful way. His designs are love letters to the colourful richness of African prints.

7. Thandi Ojeer

Tandi fashion is a sustainable brand that uses Tanzanian sourced fabric ‘kanga’, a lightweight cloth lined with Swahili words of wisdom printed on the bottom. Inspired by Ojeer's mother’s style, the gorgeous classically feminine designs are quite literally the ultimate statement pieces.

8. Foday Dumbuya

The word Labrum is latin for ‘having an edge’, and it's a perfect definition of Dumbuya's line. He designs clothes for the confidently multicultural and bridges the gap between genders.

9. Yvonne Telford

Joyous, long patterned skirts and dresses, slogan T-shirts made for all ages and sizes: those are the characteristics of Telford’s brand Kemi Telford. Her garments’ country charm cuts are ideal vehicles for boldAfrican prints.

10. Ola & Cerise Alabi

The husband and wife duo have grown and built the brand to what it is today. The brand, Cold Laundry, seems ironically named. Everything about their clothes is clean, warm and appeasing to the eye. The monochrome vibe steers you away from the ever-growing maximalist aesthetic of our urban lifestyles and lure you into slowing down and being present here and now.