014: Bridal Business & A Legend at Frieze

WELCOME BACK 🍂

…to another dispatch highlighting the best of diaspora creatives. While officially Fashion Month closed this week, our sights are now set on the upcoming shows and art fairs headed to London and Lagos this October.

Reflecting on the whole New York / London / Milan / Paris of it all, many of the emerging brands showed via showrooms or look books, as opposed to a dedicated runway presentation. This growing trend is even more likely to continue with the rising strain on young brands; with the rare exception in London, where broader industry support allays part of the costs for new talent.

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DISPATCH 014 —

This week, we meet a designer from Sierra Leone inspired by generational journeys, witness a caffeinated collaboration, and honor a legend with a solo booth in London. Plus: an invitation to eavesdrop on a very real conversation about black beauty and a teaser from our first ever Holiday Gift Guide. But first, a little detour into the bridal industry…

BOOMING BRIDAL BUSINESS

Weddings are big business, especially in diaspora cultures. Consider how traditional ceremonies can easily necessitate a multi-day extravaganza — full of outfit changes for the celebrating couple, bridal parties, and not to make mention of guests.

For the well-suited brand (no pun intended), the specificities of the wedding dress industry can support a highly lucrative channel, but it is certainly not for the faint of heart. Lengthy production lead times, fit/size nuances, and expensive fabrication requirements are just a few of the reasons that bridal gowns can start in the thousands.

Following recent news that Washington, D.C.-based brand Hanifa will launch their first bridal collection this month after building a formidable ready-to-wear business, we’re spotlighting three designers for your consideration. Take a look!

CHRISTOPHER JOHN ROGERS

Testing out the waters, Christopher John Rogers launched an exclusive bridal capsule earlier this year with Net-A-Porter. The dedicated collection features the brand’s best-selling silhouettes in a severely neutral palette that still packs a signature CJR punch in creme moire and ivory taffeta.

ALONUKO BRIDAL

British-born queen of illusion lace, founder Gbemi Okunlola (behind Alonuko Bridal) is masterful at designing for the female form. Given the multi-month process in an entirely bespoke business model, Alonuko has taken to its own world tour with stops in New York, Washington D.C., and Dallas to consult with adoring future brides in-person. By doing so, the brand has fostered a deeply personal connection with its global client base.

SAI SANKOH

Known for her breezy statement resort wear and oversized woven hats, Sai Sankoh brings that dramatic sensibility into specially-commissioned bridal gowns for her clients. While wedding dresses may not be the bread and butter of Sai Sankoh, the ability to develop a special occasion garment in the spirit of an existing aesthetic can open the door for custom creations.

“DESIGNED BY AN IMMIGRANT”

With cooling temperatures on the East Coast, outerwear has been on our mind. One way to layer in a touch of warmth without too much weight is this letterman jacket from London-based label Labrum. Made in Portugal out of supple leather and wool, the varsity bomber comes in two color ways and features numerous patches, including a travel stamp that ruminates on the rites of immigration for West Africans to the UK.

As part of the AW23 collection entitled From Greener Pastures, the piece takes its inspiration from the subconscious journey to ‘the other side,’ questioning what is truly greener — one’s birth place or one’s future home. Reimagining the physical ephemera of travel, the jacket takes on a whole new meaning for those embarking on a new life. www.labrumlondon.com

ON OUR RADAR

The Black Beauty Club is bound for London for an illuminating conversation on the creative class and image-making in this day and age. RSVP for the October 9 talk. (Link)

Check out Aisling Camps in Italian Vogue. This hand-woven hat on Isabella Rossellini is quite stunning. (Link)

[GIFT GUIDE TEASER] Estelle Colored Glass celebrates its four year anniversary with limited edition heirlooms to add to your collection. With over 300 stockists worldwide, including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Food 52 alongside bridal registry sites Zola and The Knot, Estelle Colored Glass is offering a rare discount on its own website now through October 10. (Link)

In Los Angeles, Kwame Adusei is partnering with a local barista on a weekend coffee service every Saturday and Sunday this month. Head on over to grab a latte and view the latest selection of very black and very versatile clothing made in West Hollywood. (Link)

Seven-decade career artist and poet Barbara Chase-Riboud will have a solo booth as part of Frieze London kicking off on October 11. Featuring three bronze sculptures from an existing series and six recent works, Chase-Riboud’s work touches on themes of power and transcultural histories. (Link)

Wanda Lephoto takes us on a little maximalism trip with their latest SS24 campaign featuring South African photographer Trevor Stuurman, in a bright pink plaid and floral car coat. (Link)