Labrum London AW22: The Poetics of Movement

A simple but loaded concept, Labrum London anchors their show based around movement with music by Julianknxx featuring Thabo and choir who perform Black Corporeal (Breathe). The composition, recently featured in an exhibition of digital art at 180 strand, is a timely examination of what it means to breathe and how personal and political factors continuously challenge the physical act. 

Founder Foday Dumbuya returns to his hometown, Sierra Leone, to source the fabrics for the collection and work with local craftspeople to develop the garments. 

The results of his journey are striking asymmetric flowers hand-embroidered on tailored suits, screen prints of hand-drawn Nomoli figures from the Mende and Kissi tribes of Sierra Leone on denim, and lovely orange hues reminiscent of African Fanta. Another signature motif is an oval pattern that takes the form of woven leather, a print on a shirt and jacket, and stands out most as a cut-out overlay on a black, white and ocean green jacket. The arrangement and iteration of the oval shape seem to reference artist Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration Series, one of Dumbuya’s inspirations for The Poetics of Movement. 

Labrum collaborates with luxury leather goods brand Nosakhari to create three bag shapes for AW22; a heavy-duty tote, a crossbody and a folio. Combining their design sensibilities and passion for detail, Nosakhari has used deadstock, leather off-cuts and off-cuts of fabrics used in the Labrum design studio. 

Labrum’s AW22 collection excels in what it set out to do. Movement is explored from the start to the end of its creation, celebrating the idea that movement is core to the brand designed by an immigrant as a means for survival and expression. 

View photos of the collection by Joe Maher below:

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