4 BLACK DESIGNERS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2021

February is Black History Month. I celebrate 4 black designers whose designs promote and show the best of international black design. I shouldn't have to write specifically about black designers, however, this is reality. Since, the summer of 2020, the movement for racial equality has finally been moved to the forefront. The Black Lives Matter movement has focused on the need for equality in all aspects of life, and this includes fashion.

The fashion world is often given a free ride in being diverse. However, racial minorities have not always found the industry welcoming. There are many talented black designers, but they have not always received the acclaim they deserve. Therefore, I would like to do my part to promote black designers and their brands.

Here are links to some of my other posts supporting black designers.

• BLACK HISTORY MONTH, TIME TO CELEBRATE BLACK DESIGNERS
• BLACK LGBTQ+ FASHION DESIGNERS WE SHOULD CELEBRATE

HONORING BLACK DESIGNERS

I love fashion. I read everything fashion; I watch every fashion show I can; I am a lifelong student of fashion history. Fashion history is not any different from history. Fashion, reflects the times in which we live. There is a Chinese curse that says “May he live in interesting times.” Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty, but they are also the most creative of any time in the history of mankind.

What I find most interesting about the times we live in is the move toward equality. In my lifetime I have firsthand experience in the liberation of the gay community. At the same time on a parallel course is the liberation of the black community. I would like to take this time to focus on honoring the black designers who are making history today. I have chosen 4 black fashion designers to honor and promote their brands.

4 BLACK DESIGNERS

4 BLACK DESIGNERS

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu is one of the black designers that excites me for our future. Magugu is the first African and one of the youngest designers to win the prestigious LVMH Prize.

South African designer Thebe Magugu creates clothes that prioritize cut and color, all the time infusing them with the history of his culture. Magugu is a womenswear designer whose work continually seeks new ways of presenting women and their role within South African society.

Magugu was born in a small mining town called Kimberley in South Africa’s Northern Cape. He studied fashion at the LISOF in Johannesburg, where he won an award for his graduate collection. After two years, having gained experience in the local fashion industry, Magugu then launched his own eponymous brand THEBE MAGUGU in Johannesburg.

The LVMH Prize-winner's latest collection took inspiration from the female spies of South Africa's apartheid. Unlike many designers who move to the fashion capitals, Magugu remains in his home country, where he continues to produce his collections and build his brand.

SHOP

THEBE MAGUGU

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu

Thebe Magugu

4 BLACK DESIGNERS

VICTOR GLEMAUD

Haitian-American designer Victor Glemaud launched his leisurewear collection of statement knitwear in 2006. Glemaud designs for all people, genders, races, sizes, and personalities, marrying comfort and style. Victor Glemaud was a finalist in the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and was honored for his achievements by the Ambassador of Haiti to the United States. Raised in Queens, New York, Victor began his career as a design assistant to Patrick Robinson while studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. After working as a publicist at KCD, he returned to design in 2005, first as Womenswear Design Advisor and later as Studio Director at Paco Rabanne, followed by Style Director at Tommy Hilfiger.

In June 2020, Glemaud founded,  In the Blk, a professional network dedicated to helping Black designers and other creatives in the fashion industry all over the world to achieve economic independence. The organization, whose members so far include Virgil Abloh, Jason Rembert, Fe Noel, Omoyemi Akerele, and Stella Jean, aims to pool resources — such as tools for legal help and logistics support — for fashion companies of any size.

The following shots are from Glemaud's F/W 2020 collection. This collection is a perfect example of how Glemaud creates knitwear that is infused with his culture. The strong close fitting silhouettes and use of bold are signatures of this label.

Victor Glemaud

Victor Glemaud

Victor Glemaud

Victor Glemaud

Victor Glemaud

4 BLACK DESIGNERS

WALES BONNER

Grace Wales Bonner launched her eponymous label in 2014, following her graduation from Central Saint Martins. Established as a menswear brand, Wales Bonner’s soulful tailoring soon expanded to womenswear. Wales Bonner explores a distinctive notion of luxury via a hybrid of European, Caribbean, and African influences.

If any designer is renowned for the depth of their research, it is Grace Wales Bonner. Her seasonal meditations on race and identity are accompanied by page-long reading lists of academic texts or literature.

Born in South East London to a Jamaican father and English mother, Wales Bonner uses her mixed-race heritage as a reference in her collections. Wales Bonner takes the high-end tailoring of Saville Row and British traditions and infuses them with Afro-Caribbean influences. The Spring 2021 collection is inspired by what happens to British clothes in the Caribbean. Grace Wales Bonner shows both her menswear and womenswear together. Moreover, this is a strength because the collections are unified and go hand in hand.

Wales Bonner

Wales Bonner

Wales Bonner

Wales Bonner

4 BLACK DESIGNERS

STELLA JEAN

Stella Jean is an Italian fashion designer of partial Haitian origin. She is a member of the Italian Chamber of Fashion and the only member of Afro-European background. Jean was born and raised in Rome to a Haitian mother,  and an Italian father. Stella Jean has spoken out about the racism she has witnessed when working as a black fashion designer in Italy.

This label is the perfect example of diversity. With Italian and Haitian heritage, her work merges classical Italian tailoring with style from other cultures. Stella Jean's designs reflect her Creole heritage, and she often works with Haitian and African artisans, incorporating their work into her fashions.

Stella Jean's 2021 Spring/Summer collection is inline with her cultural inspirations. Moreover this collection celebrates the classical striped shirt dresses of Rome and the rich prints of her Haitian background. Jean used dead stock to create this collection. While this was beneficial financially during these difficult times, it also allowed her to incorporate her vast array of internationally sourced fabrics. In fact followers of Stella Jean might recognize handmade fabrics from Benin, Bolivia, Pakistan and of course Haiti.

Stella Jean

Stella Jean

Stella Jean

Stella Jean

IN CONCLUSION

The 4 black designers I featured in this post are only the tip of the iceberg. Certainly there are many black designers who have yet to find international success. While I chose designers who have established brands , I also encourage and promote a wide range of up and coming black designers. Therefore I also hope you will follow me in this endeavor. Furthermore I believe it is up to all of us to boost black designers not only during black history month. I encourage all of to shop black  designers and put funds into brands that support black designers and the Black Lives Matter movement.

CIAO FOR NOW J.ANDREW