May 18, 2023 |
There were tears of joy erupting on the Strand earlier today as London-based brand Labrum, founded in 2014 by Foday Dumbuya, was announced as the recipient of this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Hailing from Sierra Leone, Dumbuya’s menswear label lavishes in cultural hybridity and is lauded for its ability to bridge the gap between Western and African culture – looking to the designer’s own transnational youth across Freetown, Sierra Leone, London and Cyprus to inform his collections. And who better to hand Dumbaya his gong than his Majesty King Charles III at the brand’s home base, 180 Studios – where the British Fashion Council (BFC) also welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to launch the award in 2018.
Dumbuya’s own experience of migration as a child moved him to explore the jarring realities of this exodus at his latest Labrum shows, exploring the trials and tribulations of assimilation as a Black migrant into English society. Also a NEWGEN recipient, Dumbuya is recognised for his innovative take on design; his strong design aesthetic and point of difference weaves politics, music and community into its collections, bringing West African culture to the fore. Labrum’s collections pride themselves on British tailoring cut with West African accents, whether it be exaggerated collars, flared sleeves or cultural prints, it creates directional and purposeful pieces that narrate untold stories of the diaspore. Channelling Labrum’s tagline, “Designed by an immigrant”, its ethos and the learnings of journeys past, its collections explore the beauty of migration, aiming to uplift those who face the societal limitations, complexities and nuances of the unresolved label, “immigrant”. Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the BFC praised Dumbuya for his designs that she says “beautifully bridge the story of his West African heritage with his life in London and the history of British tailoring. His works speak to what is so unique and compelling about the U.K. as a leader in creative and fashion talent.”
The designer holds a menswear design certificate from the London College of Fashion, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Information System & Design: African Caribbean Society from Nottingham Trent University, and in 2013 through 2016, he worked as a bespoke design specialist at Nike.
First set in motion in February 2018 by the British Fashion Council and Royal Household, the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was initiated in recognition of the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy, championing fashion innovators and designers who undertake sustainable, socially responsible practices and value community, all while demonstrating exceptional talent and originality. Previous recipients include Richard Quinn, Bethany Williams, Rosh Mahtani (founder of Alighieri), Priya Ahluwalia and Saul Nash. This year, the trophy was inspired by the Queen Elizabeth rose and hand-produced by Lucy Price at Bauhinia Studios and in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
The award is always presented by a senior member of the Royal Family, but so soon after his coronation, it was rather surprising that the King took part. Yet, having launched London’s inaugural menswear fashion week in June 2012 at St James’ Palace and maintaining longstanding ties with the Campaign for Wool and launched the Terra Carta to place sustainability at the heart of the private sector, he has long been involved with the British fashion industry – unlike his mother Queen Elizabeth II who hadn’t attended a fashion show until 2018.
Don’t sleep on Labrum London, you’re about to see a lot more of this burgeoning brand. Cheers to the win!
Photography courtesy of the British Fashion Council.
