MFF 112: Grace Wales Bonner: «The fashion show at Pitti was both an arrival and a new start»

The spotlight was turned on her thanks to her participation as a guest designer at Pitti Immagine Uomo 102. Actually, it would be better to say it was turned on her once again since Grace Wales Bonner, though very young, boasts an impressive resume. Born in London to an English mother and a Jamaican father, she graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014. Her collections, which are anchored in traditional English tailoring and have expanded into womenswear, boast references to events such as the 1930 coronation of Haile Selassie as Emperor of Ethiopia or the book Black Oxford (which tells the story of Black scholars at Oxford University) and Caribbean poet Derek Walcott. Her graduate collection, titled Afrique, was presented in 2014 on a cast of Black models and won the L'Oréal Professional Talent Award.

The following year she founded her own brand, Wales Bonner, which has already walked the runway in London, Paris and Florence. It was shortly after that, 2016 to be exact, that she won the LVMH Prize, which opened up many opportunities for the designer. In 2019, for example, she curated an exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London and was invited by Maria Grazia Chiuri to collaborate with Dior on the 2020 Resort collection. The outlets and retailers of Wales Bonner, a brand that is still independent, include names such as Matchesfashion.com, Selfridges, Net-a-Porter, Mr. Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks 5th Avenue, Nordstrom and Dover Street Market.

The influence of different cultures is a key element in your work. It could also be found in the collection you presented in Florence...

On this occasion, I reflected on the black presence in the city. For me, it was especially important to make an intervention on history thinking about Alessandro de' Medici (who was the first black head of state of a Western kingdom, ed.), who was inextricably linked to Palazzo Medici Riccardi, where he spent his life. This place has hosted delegations from all over the world over the years in a spectacular mix of cultures and commerce, building the Renaissance of Italy. Elements that I wanted to mix with technology and, above all, with the present.

You involved Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama in setting up the show. What inspired you about his work?

I thought it was important to make an intervention on the building and balance the space. This installation of jute sacks from coffee crops in the African country and hand-sewn by local collaborators is connected to his work on the history of trade. Mahama uses symbolist infrastructure and old elements transforming them, in a sustainable way. This aspect of regeneration particularly appealed to me.

The collection is a mix of different elements. Does it represent your world?

There is a futuristic vision of sportswear mixed with a more sartorial part. There are collaborations with many artisans. For example, I spent time with my team in Ghana collaborating with people who work on recycled glass, which resulted in the jewelry worn on the runway. These are the first jewels I have made for the brand. The incipit celebrated the faces of Black characters painted on T-shirts, by artist Kerry James Marshall, in a mix of tailoring and sportswear. Among tuxedos and coats made by Savile Row tailor Anderson and Sheppard, and silver marathon wear or hand-painted leather football boots from the continued partnership with Adidas Originals. But also, the jacquards developed by Charvet in Paris.

What is the role of formal clothing in menswear today?

I really enjoy working on tailoring. It is an interesting process and an integral part of the way I create.

You debuted with menswear but there is also a significant presence of womenswear in the collection...

I would say the latter is more developed than usual in this collection.

Your fashion is precious and very artisanal. Do you produce in Italy? What value do you give to Made in Italy?

My collection is made in Italy, mostly near Rome but also in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. Every time I visit a factory, I learn so much from artisans. It is an immense pleasure for me to enter the actual factory.

You call yourself a designer who makes art. Where does this close connection with various creative expressions come from?

I think my inspiration comes mostly from outside fashion. From areas like music, literature, art... Fashion is a way of communicating all this. Making clothes is very important but collaborating with people is as important. I love dealing with other minds that can bring different inputs. For example, collaborating with Ibrahim allowed me to have other inspirations for the collection. The same happened with the musicians. During the show, there was the sound of James William Blades, who mixed the noise of a marketplace inside the palace garden, chamber music from the Malian kora and additional contributions from American composer Chino Amobi and South African sound artist Philip Miller.

You often talk about these collaborations also as a way to connect past and future...

In collaborations there is a spirit of sharing which is useful when elements from the past are projected into the future. I do not want to be nostalgic but try to do something useful in perspective.

What do you think fashion needs in order to be surrounded by this contextualization?

I would not talk about contextualization. According to me, it is important to make something beautiful, like clothes. My process is collaborative, and fashion is still something great anyway.

You also worked with Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Dior Maison. What do you remember about that experience?

Working with her was a great thrill. Just seeing Dior's atelier in Paris and getting to know their savoir faire was a life changing experience. We collaborated on the collection presented in Marrakech and I cherish that meeting. Maria Grazia Chiuri is a great designer and a very generous woman.

You designed a capsule collection for Adidas and the collaboration is continuing. Are you considering other co-labs?

My style always has its roots in meeting other creative talents. Whether it is in Jamaica, Africa or with established brands that I respect enormously. With Adidas, we are bringing an evening and sartorial sensibility. I am open to collaborations only if they are meaningful to me.

What is the next step for Wales Bonner?

For me, this show was both like an end point and a fresh start. Not having exhibited during the pandemic and having started again from a place other than where I was used to present represent a further step, also marked by the introduction of new product categories such as jewelry. The business is developing, and this is an end point for the brand.

Is being an independent brand today a plus or is it a difficulty?

I think it is very positive and I am embracing the freedom I have in the way I work with my team. I am grateful to have that freedom and for how the business is going.

Did winning the LVMH Prize change the way you work?

It did not necessarily change it, but it was very important because I was at an early stage in my career, only a year after my graduation. Maybe it gave me confidence in what I was doing. It was a validation of my work and a greater support.

What brought you to study fashion?

My starting point were Western and non-European cultures. I am passionate about Afro-Atlantic history, but not exclusively. I wanted to explore looks, clothes and image. That being said, if I had to name an icon, I would mention Coco Chanel and her work on women's appearance.

Are there any icons you would like to work with?

I love the singer André 3000 and I really appreciate the work of director Matti Diop, a real talent.

After this show in Florence, will you return to London Fashion Week?

I believe in the importance of traveling. London is a place of cultures and encounters. Fashion is a universal language. I have already exhibited in Paris. I am considering whether to return there with the January shows, but nothing has been decided yet. (All rights reserved)