February 22, 2023 |
From Greener Pastures: it’s about loved ones divided by borders, separated in search of a better life but unified by an unbreakable bond that’s nurtured with missives. It explores the candid juxtaposition between the dream of arriving in a prosperous alien land and the reality of isolation often felt with migration.
Foday Dumbuya’s own experience of migration as a child (from Sierra Leone to London via Cyprus) moved him to explore the jarring realities of this exodus at his latest Labrum show. Samuel Selvon’s 1956 novel The Lonely Londoners and Danell Jones’ An African in Imperial London (2018) had a firm grip on Dumbuya’s mind too, both books exploring the trials and tribulations of assimilation as a Black migrant into English society. “With AW23 we wanted to showcase how the dialogue between new and old homes shape families as they are reunited, and how they combine both African and British cultures in their new environment, preserving traditions from the motherland for generations to come,” Dumbuya said in the show notes.
So, from the beautiful cultural tapestry of Brixton Village emerged bomber jackets, baggy trousers and a Maya Angelou-inspired trench coat. Taking cues from previous seasons, Dumbuya’s penchant for a well-made suit remained central to his design language, but the palette was much more muted. Custom fabrics were painted olive, brown, grape and navy, and elevated by lilac, mustard and ivory accents. Elsewhere jacquard suits were splattered with stamps; a badged varsity jacket with removable appliqués was anchored by the label’s signature Nomoli totem; raffia hats by Lucy Barlow doubled as drawstring bags; and one-of-a-kind quilted overcoats by Masha Guyard were part of a community project called Each One, Stitch One. Labrum’s ongoing exploration of migration was poignantly symbolised through the use of true travel documents – his mother and father’s old passports specifically – celebrating the countless forms of communication we have at hand to keep in touch with the ones we love. For Labrum, communication really is key.
Photograph courtesy of Labrum.
