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How would you introduce your latest collection?

My MA graduate collection was inspired by images of Body Horror in art and cinema that depict the ultimate loss of control. Forms breaking free of the body, creating new and unwanted shapes and selves; disorder emerging from order. My goal is to engineer chaos in the heart of the familiar.

The conversations around body positivity, gender, race and sexuality became very prominent in the mainstream media in the past couple of years. What role do you see yourself playing in the industry with respect to those conversations?

These conversations are helping to ground and educate an industry that would not have been so welcoming to someone who looks like me in the past. At the same time, I want to challenge ideas people might have of how Black women should design, purely on the basis of their race, gender, and background. Through my work, I want to show there is more than one way to own your identity. I do not have to live out preconceived notions of my identity to be heard – my identity reveals itself through various details in my work, from research to construction to end product.

Where do you find your own identity?

In me, all around me.

How has the past year shaped your work?

Everything and nothing.

If you had one wish to change about the industry, what would it be?

Everyone to be kinder to each other.

As consumers, how can we be more “sustainable” in our approach to fashion?

Buy less and actually pay attention to what you are buying and buying into. Sustainability is not just about the final product but the production that goes into making that product.

Gen Z has a completely different clothing and shopping habit compared to previous generations. Do you think young designers who focus on sustainability can change the norms of the industry thanks to this generation? What role do you see yourself playing in this process?

A lot of young designers have always focused on sustainability, it is not because of Gen Z that they are designing like this, it’s simply because they have always believed in making sustainable garments. And yes, they can and they will, eventually.

Fashion has a responsibility to bring people together as dreamers and thinkers and readers. Fashion’s purpose in doing this is to help us bridge the gaps between reality and fantasy, this is the role I see myself in, imbedding sustainability in these process as I grow my label.

How would you introduce your latest collection?

I would introduce it as a sort of spell to disarm any need of human understanding and control faced today. It’s called “Three theories of Evil” which is a manifesto on letting go of control, being comfortable in the realm of irrationality and the unknown. The garments are a sort of shambolic monuments created using a series of acts on respectful garments, cut them and shape them via process films made throughout the process where these theories are tested on film to subvert the garments towards irrationality. The law of nature is the only true concept.

Where do you find your own identity?

It’s a dreadful process isn’t it? There is a process of recognizing an origin or a core and then it’s like an ever-evolving flickering thing which develops on multitudinous conversations between your physical body and the physical environment around you. It’s affected by ideas, dynamics, situations and perceptions your senses create and build your reality in which your identity exists. I think I find it through challenging perceptions and assumptions, interactions with others and by knowing and practicing your value system. 

The conversations around body positivity, gender, race and sexuality became very prominent in the mainstream media in the past couple of years. What role do you see yourself playing in the industry with respect to those conversations?

I find it difficult to answer a question with such massive social topics that vary from each other quite a lot and I don’t like to give an answer that just sounds great without saying anything. But to put them in a category of topics that strongly question the existing state of the culture or society I exalt them. I think that questioning is great, practical actions are greater and evolving is the greatest. We have so much to unlearn. To me, it’s about the idea of ever-evolving, recognizing our ignorance, relearning and understanding that nothing is rigour.  

What were the most unexpected challenges and positive outcomes you experienced while creating a collection? Remote working. An unexpected challenge that turned into an autonomous decision to work remotely from Iceland. It shaped my collection immensely and to me in a very positive way. There is a massive challenge in creating something from a place with no existing fashion industry for a platform of extremely experienced industry people. It’s quite anti-disciplinary. The positive outcome was this resourceful practice which relied on creativity and an experimental way of presenting fashion, regardless of space. 

How has the past year shaped your work?

Just positively immensely. 

If you had one wish to change about the industry, what would it be?

The supply chain and the acceleration. The lack of integrity and creativity for the increase of capital. 

As consumers, how can we be more “sustainable” in our approach to fashion?

The tyranny of new that has been ruling fashion contradict the ideas of sustainability. I quite like contradictions, because you have to be active to contradict and it’s better to be active than to be passive. So I think a sustainable approach to fashion would be actively buying less, more consciously and thinking of a piece as an investment not a consumable item.

Gen Z has a completely different clothing and shopping habit compared to previous generations. Do you think young designers who focus on sustainability can change the norms of the industry thanks to this generation? What role do you see yourself playing in this process? 

There is a beautiful conversation happening between the new generation of fashion designers and new fashion “consumers” regarding the urgency to change the industry’s norms. And yes fashion “consumers” hold a great power and together with sustainably focused fashion designers there can be change. I think as a designer I’m quite sensitive regarding the immense acceleration of the supply chain and the idea of producing just to produce. There needs to be integrity and I think I question that supply chain with my practice.

How would you introduce your latest collection?

The last collection was an invitation to emphasise with nature. It celebrated the idea of a man, who somewhat exists and somewhat doesn’t, that cares. “Men who care” (the collection name) was about reflecting on the force of nature, and how we can commune with it.

Where do you find your own identity?

I don’t think I’ve found an identity. Identity comes from upbringing, parents, friends, siblings, schools and the opinions you developed around these things. I think l have found opinions and though frustrations growing up in England. These opinions I guess form my identity.

The conversations around body positivity, gender, race and sexuality became very prominent in the mainstream media in the past couple of years. What role do you see yourself playing in the industry with respect to those conversations?

Especially with men, we are taught an image of what is successful growing up. The guy who owns the most cars. Figures of superhero’s who are ripped being belief (and who are also usually all white). Action men who’s masculinity is defined by how much they can destroy and conquer. These images are reinforced constantly, in schools, when socialising, when getting told off, when getting praised. Constantly being told to be strong, wealthy and brutal, no wonder the world is fucked. The masculine form has been distorted, to something which is easy to process and churn out back into a system which values wealth over health. However for me this isn’t masculinity. For me masculinity cares, and nurtures, I will celebrate and present this man constantly, not just because I want to, but because the world can literally not survive any more with male leaders who have suffered an upbringing deprived of empathy.

What were the most unexpected challenges and positive outcomes you experienced while creating a collection?

My last collection was about men I guess. And when I look at all the things that are fucked with the outline of what a man is, there is a lot of looking at myself. Realising, at points I was not mentally healthy when I was displaying an image of a destructive man. Realising at certain points that I 100% am still doing certain things, as I have been taught that they are healthy coping mechanisms. These moments were challenging but I’m happy I had (and still have) the opportunity to discuss them.

How has the past year shaped your work?

I’ve been taking time with stuff. Really valuing the power that comes with time. I am a very impatient person, but I’ve learnt that if you rush something, you won’t be able to absorb the lessons that come with it. I’ve been working on this jacket and I’ve come to the point where I’m perfectly happy taking like 3 years to make it. Gathering the right tools, the right practical research and knowledge. I want to offer something that is considered and can be past down from generation to generation, and maybe a 3 year jacket will help in this offer. Not everyone really needs 2 shows a year, people make so much shit in these shows. Making collections for the sake of making collections, and then they’re presented with layers of money and endorsements just to make up for the fact that the collection itself was actually rushed and unnecessary. Time is something I’ve learnt is as useful as good research, or a good environment, or even a good sewing machine. 

If you had one wish to change about the industry, what would it be?

This occupation of fashion as some form of class/glamour/high society lifestyle. It isn’t. It’s grim, full of tears, and now more than ever most people are doing it in their PJ’s. The only people who endorse the idea of fashion as a high society lifestyle are people who either have enough money to not get into the grits of it, or people are are not involved with it but just show up at the end.

As consumers, how can we be more “sustainable” in our approach to fashion?

Buy to last. Consumers are often drawn to a sustainable product, but actually the lifespan of this product is often terrible. Sometimes something which is marketed as sustainable won’t last longer than a £2 Zara top. I think it’s so important to research and innovate when using fabrics and materials in designs, however at the same time understanding longevity of these fabrics as well. 

Gen Z has a completely different clothing and shopping habit compared to previous generations. Do you think young designers who focus on sustainability can change the norms of the industry thanks to this generation? What role do you see yourself playing in this process?

I think Gen Z does have different shopping habits but at the same time due to social media, and incredibly susceptible to the marketing strategies of companies and brands. I’m not too sure what the use is for a designer to focus on sustainability whilst still pressuring a consumer that they have to repeat but every season. For me I hope to produce pieces which are not seasonal, but have the care and empathy I put into them, continue to respond to the consumer out of a trend cycle.