Presented to a live soundtrack by friends of Foday flown in from Freetown especially for the occasion – Freetown Uncut, Drizilik and DJ Rampage – it was a timely reminder of the importance of “the idea of a borderless society, where merging of cultures would coexist with constant migration,” Foday said – “ of different cultures living under one roof.” The exacting cut of dandyish suits and overcoats seemed to nod to the tailoring know-how for which these rainy isles are well known, while panels of richly woven textiles and wools in sunny hues nodded to Sierra Leone, where Labrum’s founder, Foday Dumbuya, was born. Rather than trumpet a political message for the sake of building noise that would later convert to sales, Labrum’s latest collection was a self-assured embodiment of the richness that comes from people moving between places, proving how it benefits us all. This, however, was an example of what that can look like when done well.
Now, just how well placed fashion is to comment on grave political circumstances has been an important topic of discussion of late.
