April 9, 2025 |
Bianca Saunders is back – not with a runway show this time but with something a little closer to home. 38 Love Lane, her latest project launching this spring, is a soulful zine that explores heritage, community and the power of storytelling. Created in collaboration with Amsterdam-based photographer Kwabena Sekyi Appiah-Nti, it’s everything we’ve come to expect from the boundary-pushing British designer: rich, layered and emotionally charged.
At its core, 38 Love Lane is a love letter – to Jamaica, to family, to identity and to the quiet beauty of seeing people as they truly are. Shot on the very street that gives the zine its name, this isn’t your standard fashion publication. Clothes may set the stage but the people, their stories and the spirit of the island take the spotlight.
“It started with a conversation,” Saunders recalls. “I was showing Kwabena family photos, telling him stories. He was already planning a trip to Jamaica for a photo series and it just clicked.”
What followed was a collaboration rooted in shared vision and deep connection. Kwabena’s portraits, all the more tender, unfiltered, alive – capture the rhythm of everyday life. They reflect what Saunders describes as a more nuanced view of Jamaica: one grounded in reality, not romanticised from afar. “So often, the narratives we see feel removed,” she says. “This was about inviting people in.”
The zine also features an interview with Saunders’ mother and writing by Jordan Anderson, whose own diasporic journey – from Jamaica to Milan – adds another layer of depth. “Working with radical creatives like Kwabena and Jordan keeps me inspired,” Saunders says. “It’s about building a shared vision while letting everyone bring their own truth.”
While fashion is present, 38 Love Lane stretches far beyond fabric and silhouette. “I’ve always seen my brand as a world,” Saunders says. “Clothing is just one piece – it’s about time, memory, connection. Projects like this remind me why I started.”
38 Love Lane launches April 10 at Reference Point in London followed by a special event at Amsterdam’s Foam Gallery. This is Bianca Saunders at her most open, grounded and creatively unbound – come for the visuals, stay for the storytelling.
Photography courtesy of Bianca Saunders.
