Jawara Alleyne’s London Fashion Week Debut Marks a New Era in Building a Brand

LONDON — The London-based, Jamaican-born designer Jawara Alleyne, whose designs have been worn by Shakira, Rihanna, Charli XCX and Lewis Hamilton, is making his debut at London Fashion Week, and taking the business up a notch.

“This year we’re looking to expand the team and bring people on board. It’s one of the reasons why we’re showing this collection on schedule, so there’s a structure in place and we can move to the next step,” the designer said in an interview.

The show is a tactical plan to drive business. Alleyne’s designs are stocked at Machine-A and APOC Store. He wants to introduce more wholesale clients to the brand, and reach more women.

He said he wants current and future customers to feel like they can build a wardrobe. “It’s a for working artists and creatives, as well as those in the business sector, who want to express themselves,” said the designer.

Budgeting has been a priority. To fund the show, Alleyne has been using his savings from custom orders, styling jobs and tutoring at Central Saint Martins, from which he graduated in 2020 with an Master of Arts in design.

“The show is incredibly expensive,” Alleyne said, adding that he has not had any financial help from the British government or the British Fashion Council. He has been designing the collection by himself with help from a handful of interns.

Back home in the Cayman Islands, he receives some funding from the government for the various cultural projects he works on there.

Alleyne said his show on Saturday will be a nod to his childhood in Jamaica, where he learned to make kites from the age of 5. The show also pays homage to the greats who inspired him to get into fashion such as Issey Miyake, Valentino Garavani and Azzedine Alaïa.

He’s also returning to his themes of deconstruction, cutouts and layering. “The real focus is thinking about what a square piece of fabric can do — and the history of couture and making beautiful garments,” said Alleyne, who worked with wool, taffeta and heavyweight jersey.

Pieces include a sleeveless tartan top with pockets that could be mistaken for a gigantic scarf; delicate skirts in the style of a sarong wrap, and long-sleeve mesh T-shirts.

He also plans to show a few men’s pieces, although he’s saving his full menswear offer for a later date, and is planning a special production.