In the realm of streetwear and social media celebrity followings, the Adidas Samba has undeniably emerged as the most coveted shoe of the year. Countless collaborations with prominent labels like Kith, JJJound, and Sporty & Rich, almost every relevant streetwear label dared to release a pair of Sambas with their logo on it. However, one collaboration and designer got specific attention, and is now fetching prices north of $1000 in re-sale avenues: Grace Wales Bonner. I have to shamingly admit it was her collaboration with Adidas and their Samba shoe in Summer 2022, that first drew my attention to her and her designs. I only say shamingly, as it most definitely should have been earlier since, aside from the most sincerest Sambas out there, her brand and designs offer an incredibly unique and refreshing perspective on UK streetwear.
Beyond the Samba
Born in South East London to a Jamaican father and English mother, Wales Bonner draws on her mixed-race heritage as a foundational reference in her collections. Delving into representations of black male sexuality and identity, her work showcases exceptional craftsmanship and embellishments. Her journey through Central Saint Martins, a placement year at Meadham Kirchhoff in London, and assistance to American Vogue fashion editor Camilla Nickerson in New York paved the way for her distinctive approach to fashion.
The pivotal moment came with her graduate collection titled “Afrique” in 2014, displayed on a cast of black male models, earning her the L’Oréal Professional Talent Award. Her dissertation delved into black rhythmicality, exploring the artistry of Charlie Parker, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Kerry James Marshall. The subsequent debut of “Ebonics,” her Autumn/Winter 2015 collection, marked the beginning of accolades, with awards like Emerging Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards and the prestigious LVMH Prize in 2016.
The years that followed witnessed a continuous stream of recognition, from the British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund (2019) to the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year in 2021. In 2022, she clinched the title of Independent British Brand at the Fashion Awards, reinforcing her influence in the fashion industry.
Beyond her eponymous label, Wales Bonner collaborated with Dior, reinterpreting the house’s New Look silhouette for its Resort 2020 collection. She also curated the exhibition “A Time for New Dreams” at Serpentine Galleries, London, showcasing her broader engagement with the fashion world. Currently, as the Head of the Department of Fashion Design at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna, she continues to shape the future of fashion education.
Behind the brand
Her collections aren’t the equivalent of a radical uprising using bolts of fabric as weaponry; they are more like a civil debate. “I don’t feel like I’m combative,” she says. “I create space.” Wales Bonner’s clothes express a multitude of emotions that the designer can’t quite express in words (and I can’t neither). They embrace the precision of traditional British tailoring, the kind that made Savile Row synonymous with White male authority, and marry it with the vast aesthetic sensibilities of the African diaspora, from the continent to the Caribbean. She admires the reassuring rigor of her Britishness but finds a certain euphoria in pressing against its constraints. She launched her menswear brand in London seven years ago and with astonishing speed made a mark on the fashion industry thanks to her distinctive designs and the stories that accompany them.
“If you are looking for someone who has a very intelligent approach to design, who is really catering to someone that is intellectual, that’s creative, that’s in the art scene, that knows tailoring as well as they know athleisure, then that’s exactly why you should shop Grace’s brand,” says Libby Page, market director for Net-A-Porter. “Whilst the business is small, comparatively speaking, we’ve seen some really healthy pockets of opportunity.” Page adds, “She’s really one to watch in the next couple of years.”
Wales Bonner has created many memorable collections since then. Her business now includes womenswear, as well as a recent addition of accessories and jewelry. Her renown has spread beyond the small community of fashion insiders who were her early champions to a global community of shoppers. And since last week, finally giving in to the Samba hype, also I am part of this community of shoppers.
Earlier this year, in a historic brownstone in Harlem, Grace Wales Bonner and some of her collaborators gathered for a photo shoot.
