"London fashion week is always an exciting and vibrant time for the UK capital but this year, as far-right protesters sweep the streets, it felt more significant than ever as a visual counter against those images. And naturally, Black designers led the way in offering alternative visions of Britain.. I was lucky enough to attend the spring/summer 2026 show by Labrum, the label of British-Sierra Leonean designer Foday Dumbuya, which was titled Osmosis."
"Culture is often the best antidote in these times. Fashion in particular can be a powerful tonic against the rising tide of hate. And in the hall in Westminster, Dumbuya built a capsule that investigated and praised freedom of movement: how Black diasporic cultures come together and interact with their new homes, bringing tradition with them, and creating something wonderful."
London Fashion Week coincided with large far-right protests that mobilised more than 100,000 people under Tommy Robinson, featuring hate speech and anti-migrant rhetoric. Black designers presented alternative visions of Britain, positioning culture and fashion as antidotes to rising hate. Foday Dumbuya’s Labrum spring/summer 2026 collection, Osmosis, premiered at Central Hall Westminster and explored cultural osmosis and freedom of movement. The capsule examined how Black diasporic cultures interact with new homes, carrying tradition and generating hybrid identities. The show opened with an orchestra blending strings, brass, West African talking drums, djembes and digital riddims to create classical, traditional and futuristic hybrid sounds.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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