As Black History Month draws to a close in the UK, we aim to shine a spotlight on the people who are moving things forward. #DazedBlackFutures pays tribute to the artists, activists, designers and key voices shaping the next generation of black British culture.
Be optimistic. Diversity in fashion has come a long way over the past few years, with active discussions calling for brands to feature models of different ages, races and gender identities in their runway shows and advertising campaigns. Still, there are problems. These conversations seem to be stopping at the end of the runway.
Think of notable black designers working in the industry today. That list is embarrassingly short. This is not limited to design, but also includes stylists, photographers, writers, and art directors. If you work at an established fashion house, you’d be hard-pressed to think of anyone other than Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing. That doesn’t mean there aren’t talented and successful contemporary black designers. Martin Rhodes, Grace Wales Bonner, Virgil Abloh, Samuel Ross, and Telfar Clemens are just a few that immediately come to mind. Still, why aren’t there more?
Patrick Lee Yeo, director of the fashion folio course at Central Saint Martins, blames rising student loans and unpaid rent in London, but ultimately the education system is the biggest problem. In particular, there is the fact that schools and universities are not training black students. Study properly at a creative university.
As a black course director, Lee You is himself one of the minorities at CSM. He is right to be angry about this, as last year’s diversity report showed that BAME people make up just 17 per cent of UAL’s overall staff and just 10 per cent of its more than 3,000 academic staff. “I can’t tell you how many dark-skinned course directors there are at Central Saint Martins,” he says. “There’s a lot of brown-skinned people in the office, probably cleaning.” When describing the struggle black students have to get into college, he calls them “elitist.” Bernie Yates also used the same phrase. Berni Yates is an Outreach Officer at CSM and has worked on Insights projects focused on BAME acquisition for over 15 years. Students applying for a design course.
“Many young black students say they don’t want to come to CSM. They feel that CSM is more elitist and perhaps less welcoming to people from similar backgrounds,” she says. Yates believes there is little diversity in design and other creative courses as well. Also, while the number of BAME students is currently 43 per cent, compared to students of color in the UK who are economically disadvantaged, students from overseas (and who can consequently afford to pay £18,000 a year tuition fees) It is unknown how many students there are.
That’s not to say Insights isn’t making changes; two alumni Yates worked with, Eve Camara and Campbell Addy, are now carving their own paths in the industry. Camara’s versatile styling has seen him reimagine 16th-century art with black models, pay homage to Caribbean fishermen, and has also worked for brands such as Kenzo and Stella McCartney. Photographer Adi has also found success, diversifying her stock images for Getty and launching Niijournal, a magazine whose latest issue focuses on Black mental health. “Through their black identity, they developed their own style and carved out their own path,” Yates said, reflecting on how the two found success.
“Many young black students say they don’t want to come to CSM. They feel that CSM is more elitist and perhaps less suitable for people from the same background.” – Berni・Yates
Among a small list of contemporary black designers, Samuel Ross grew up in a deprived area of Northamptonshire and has gone on to have successful projects with Nike and Barneys. Last week he was nominated for Emerging Talent in British Menswear at the 2017 Fashion Awards. Ross also focuses on heritage and background through the designs of his label A-COLD-WALL*, but it’s more about working-class culture than family tradition. He believes black parents need to be more accepting of creative careers and encourage their children to pursue them. “Past generations have often had to lay the foundations and footprints for their children and extended family, but this has come at a cost, with key demands such as keeping the lights on and food on the table. “Art and expression are usually sidelined or suppressed, except in rare cases,” he said.
Fortunately, his own father studied art at CSM and graduated at the top of his class, so Ross was able to pursue a creative path and was one of five black students out of 240 in his class. I chose to study Graphic Design and Illustration at the University of Ft. . After earning his degree, Ross worked as a creative assistant to Virgil Abloh at Off-White, which he credits with helping him find his way into fashion. Overall, education remains key. “Change will occur if more people of color decide to study in design-related fields. As it stands now, it won’t guarantee success, but it will level the playing field. .”
One of the emerging black British designers is Mowalola Ogunlesi, who presented her graduation collection at CSM’s BA show earlier this year. Paying homage to her Nigerian heritage, she sent Lagos petrolheads down the runway to the sounds of 80s Nigerian psychedelic rock. She was constantly pushed to explore her background, but as one of four black students in her grade, she felt like she was in the minority.
Like Ross, Ogunlesi believes the problem stems from differences in how black families view creative careers. “Because there are so few successful black creators in the industry, black parents often don’t understand that it’s possible to be successful in an unconventional career,” the young designer explained. Ogunlesi also praised the appointment of Edward Enninful as editor-in-chief of British Vogue, along with design role models like Wales Bonner. She believes this will “further increase visibility for black designers and create more opportunities for mentoring and coaching.”
It’s hard to say what the future holds for black designers. Clearly change is needed, but the way to achieve it is not so simple. Lee Yow was less optimistic, saying finding ways to attract and include more BAME students requires asking uncomfortable questions and taking drastic action. “It’s going to be very boring because it doesn’t reflect London,” Yates agreed. “We need kids from London to come and do exciting and cool things.”
“If more people of color decide to study in design-related fields, change will occur. As it stands now, success is not guaranteed, but it does level the playing field.” – Samuel Ross
Ross was more hopeful. “I can say with confidence that the dialogue is taking place and we are acting on it. It takes time for talent to go through the pilgrimage and reach the surface level,” he explains, adding that his mentor Abloh and named Kanye West as a design icon. They serve as role models for young Black people who want to be just as successful.
This year, Dior celebrated change by hiring its first female creative director in its 70-year history. Givenchy won’t be too far away. That’s a separate discussion in itself, but it begs the question: Will it take another 70 years for a well-established brand to hire its first black creative director?
