Black British Fashion Brands You Need to Know

12 Black British Fashion Brands That Mix Innovative Design With Expert Tailoring

Jun 1 2020 by Kara Kia

London is one of the world's creative superpowers, all thanks to the city's incredibly rich cultural and ethnic diversity. And while London is home to exceptional fashion designers hailing from every inch of the globe, our Black and brown creatives are a major reason British style continues to be relevant, influential, and innovative.

You'd be surprised to know how many Black and brown Brits are behind the popularity of major brands like A-Cold-Wall* and Trapstar. Or perhaps you're familiar with the young millennial designer Grace Wales Bonner, whose eponymous label Wales Bonner was worn by Meghan Markle while showing the world a first glimpse of her and Prince Harry's son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

Currently, London's young Black designers — like Mowalola, Martine Rose, and Fortie — are pioneering a global aesthetic subculture, which the British Fashion Council refers to as Urban Luxe. And while we have some of the best millennial BAME designers in the world, we also have a few well-established luxury houses — like Casely-Hayford and Duro Olowu — who paved the way for the younger names to gain respect and recognition more quickly.

Ahead, see 12 Black British fashion designers who offer innovative designs with expert tailoring.

1. Loudbrand Studios

Loudbrand Studios is the Black British owned label that Kylie Jenner can't get enough of. The London-based boutique is curated and designed by Jedidiah Duyile, who wants to "produce pieces that reminded women of just how sexy they are". Designs aim for a "vintage casual" aesthetic, and reimagine early 2000s pieces through a modern lens.

2. Wales Bonner

Grace Wales Bonner is the pioneering British-Jamaican founder of Wales Bonner, which specialises in menswear and has recently expanded into womenswear. The brand was founded in 2014 after she graduated from Central Saint Martins, and the designer said in an interview with LexArt that Wales Bonner "addresses the politics of identity, sexuality, and race through projects that delicately balance multinationalism with a sense of personal subjectivity."

Famously, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, chose to wear a white Wales Bonner sleeveless trench dress for her and Prince Harry's first photo with baby Archie.

3. Mowalola

Mowalola Ogunlesi is a Nigerian-British designer who launched her eponymous brand upon graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2017. Mowalola's designs boast vibrant colours and strong silhouettes, inspired by Nigerian psychedelic rock. Solange Knowles is a huge fan.

4. Casely-Hayford

Casely-Hayford is known for expert suit tailoring. The London-based fashion label offers menswear and womenswear designs on a ready-to-wear and bespoke basis. The brand's smart suits have recently been worn on the red carpet by Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Poppy Delevingne, and Sam Smith.

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5. A-Cold-Wall*

Founded by London-based designer Samuel Ross in 2015, A-Cold-Wall* is a menswear brand inspired by the British class system. The ACW aesthetic is Ross's interpretation of working-class uniforms with tailoring akin to Savile Row.

6. Martine Rose

Martine Rose launched her namesake brand in 2007. Initially a menswear label, it's become a favourite of cool girls since the fashion industry embraced gender-neutral clothing. Martine has been nominated twice for the BFC's British Designer of the Year for menswear — in 2018 and 2019.

7. Bianca Saunders

Bianca Saunders founded her eponymous label in 2017 after graduating from the Royal College of Art for menswear design. Saunders is of British-Caribbean heritage, and through her designs, she aims to "push at gender, and investigate construction to propose fresh ideas for menswear." She's been named "One to Watch" by the British Fashion Council and is part of the BFC's NEWGEN initiative.

8. Tolu Coker

Tolu Coker is the British-Nigerian fashion designer behind this vibrant, unisex label. A 2017 graduate of CSM, Coker wants her brand to represent "the politics of identity and social climates" by exploring the complexities of diasporic Black communities. Fans of her work include Rihanna and Stefflon Don.

9. Fortie

Ghanaian-British designer Essie Buckman founded Fortie upon graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016. The womenswear brand touts an effortlessly cool aesthetic that combines influences of Black culture and the early noughties, while using special techniques of hand embroidery and hand-painted prints.

10. Nubian Skin

London-based lingerie company Nubian Skin offers a range of "nude" hosiery and swimwear to match a variety of brown skin tones.

11. Duro Olowu

Duro Olowu is a Nigerian-born British designer who is well-established in the fashion and art worlds. Known for richly patterned dresses, Olowu's patchwork "Duro" dress was named 2005's "Dress of the Year" by both British and American Vogue.

12. Trapstar

London brand Trapstar was founded by three friends — Mikey, Will, and Lee — and quickly gained the attention of celebrities like ASAP Rocky and Rihanna. The brand is more like a lifestyle, as it embodies the casual swag of hip-hop culture. Although it's been around since 2011, it's having a resurgence all over London's pavements.

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