Wales Bonner

Summary

Wales Bonner’s design aesthetic combines the rigor of British tailoring with the design sensibilities of the African diaspora. And, she is making her mark on global fashion with admirable speed, winning just about all the prestigious awards en route.

History

British fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner “proposes a distinct notion of cultural luxury that infuses European heritage with an Afro Atlantic spirit”. Her designs are characterised by a blend of sportswear and tailoring although the focus is on wardrobe essentials with a refined elegance.

She has quite an interesting, prolific history. Wales Bonner studied at Central Saint Martins art school, graduating in 2014, and winning the L’Oréal Professionnel Talent award for her BA collection “Afrique”. In 2014, she founded the London-based label Wales Bonner, originally specialising in menswear. In no time she caught the eye of the fashion elite and won “Emerging Talent – Menswear” at the 2015 British Fashion Awards and the 2016 LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. That year, she curated her debut show, “A Time For New Dreams”, for Serpentine Sackler Gallery, which was an exploration of magical resonances within black cultural and aesthetic practices. The exhibition, which attracted 25,000 visitors, took its name from a collection of essays by Nigerian writer Ben Okri, and included work by several artists.

Per Hans-Ulrich Obrist, artistic director, Serpentine Gallery: “Grace is a fashion designer, but she’s also a thinker, a writer, an editor. She makes connections between different fields, from music to art.”

So, it didn’t come as a surprise when she was awarded the British Fashion Council/ Vogue Designer Fashion Fund (2019) and the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year (2021). Grace was also invited by Maria Grazia Chiuri to collaborate with Dior to re-interpret the house’s New Look silhouette for its Resort 2020 collection. The following year, in 2020, she was recognized as one of the United Kingdom’s most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage by being included in the 2021 edition of the annual Powerlist. Wales Bonner has also collaborated with sportswear brand Adidas Originals: ‘Adidas Originals by Wales Bonner’—Sambas with crocheted details—were sold out in no time and declared by GQ as “2021’s Sneaker of the Year”. This year, she collaborated with American artist Kerry James Marshall on a limited-edition T-shirt.

Her Spring 2023 menswear has been described by Vogue as,” The macramé womenswear dresses were set with hand-made glass beads by Ghanaian artisans, and the heat- dryed hand-dyed jersey had been fashioned in Burkina Faso… In menswear there was genre-busting back and forth between futuristic sportswear (which included a hand-made adidas shoe whose trefoil looked lacily artisanal) and Wales Bonner-directed, Anderson and Sheppard-cut tailoring in cashmere and camel hair that was de-conventionalised through emphasised shoulders and small sly acts of sartorial ‘wrongness’ that looked incontrovertibly right.”

Stockists include Matchesfashion.com, Selfridges, Net-a-Porter, Mr. Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks 5th Avenue, Nordstrom, Dover Street Market International and Boon the Shop. Natalie Kingham, Buying Director of Matches Fashion, tells Elle: “Her collection isn’t about dressing androgynously or in a masculine way. It’s cross-dressing in the same way women borrow from men’s wardrobes, but with a luxury twist. It’s been resized and cut for women; good-quality clothing works for everyone regardless of gender.’

And, her star continues to rise. Wales Bonner was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to fashion and she currently serves as Head of the Department of Fashion Design at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna.

Vision

Grace Wales Bonner’s vision for her eponymous brand, Wales Bonner, is deeply rooted in exploring the intersections of cultural identity, history, and fashion. Her work often draws inspiration from her mixed heritage, blending European and Afro-Atlantic influences to create collections that tell stories of diasporic experience and black identity. Wales Bonner’s designs challenge traditional fashion narratives by infusing them with rich historical references, while maintaining a refined, minimalist aesthetic. Her vision is one that celebrates diversity, not just in terms of representation but in the way she redefines elegance through the lens of multiculturalism.

A key component of Wales Bonner’s vision is her intellectual approach to fashion. She sees her collections as a form of cultural commentary, where garments become vessels for historical and philosophical exploration. Her work often incorporates academic research, referencing everything from 19th-century colonial history to African spirituality. This scholarly influence allows her to create collections that are more than just clothing—they are narratives that challenge viewers to think critically about the intersections of race, gender, and culture in a global context. Wales Bonner’s vision is to bridge the gap between fashion and art, making her collections as thought-provoking as they are wearable.

Wales Bonner’s vision extends beyond the runway, as she continues to collaborate with artists, writers, and cultural institutions to further explore these themes. Her work is often showcased in galleries and museums, reflecting her belief that fashion can serve as a platform for broader cultural discourse. Through these collaborations, she seeks to elevate fashion to an intellectual and artistic level, while fostering a deeper understanding of heritage and identity. Her vision is not only about creating beautiful garments but about pushing the boundaries of what fashion can represent in contemporary society.

Mission Statement

Wales Bonner’s mission is to create fashion that serves as a bridge between cultural histories and contemporary aesthetics, while challenging traditional notions of beauty and identity. Her brand seeks to elevate underrepresented narratives, particularly those rooted in the Afro-Atlantic diaspora, through a thoughtful and intellectual design process.

By combining craftsmanship with historical and cultural research, Wales Bonner’s mission is to offer garments that resonate beyond mere style, allowing wearers to engage with fashion as a form of storytelling. Her mission emphasizes diversity, inclusivity, and the idea that clothing can foster deeper connections to personal and collective identity.

Additionally, Wales Bonner aims to use fashion as a platform for broader cultural conversations. Through collaborations with artists, writers, and scholars, her brand extends beyond the runway, contributing to the dialogue around race, gender, and heritage. Her mission is to push fashion into a space where it intersects with art, philosophy, and history, ensuring that her collections not only appeal aesthetically but also challenge societal norms. By doing so, Wales Bonner strives to redefine luxury fashion as something that is not just exclusive or decorative, but intellectually and culturally significant.

Key Team

Founder designer Wales Bonner

Products and Services

Wales Bonner’s products are known for their intricate craftsmanship and thoughtful design, combining elements of both European tailoring and Afro-Atlantic cultural aesthetics. Her collections feature a mix of luxury fabrics, fine tailoring, and hand-crafted details, often drawing inspiration from history, literature, and philosophy. The brand is particularly known for its elevated menswear, which challenges traditional notions of masculinity through its use of delicate fabrics, fluid silhouettes, and subtle embellishments. Wales Bonner’s pieces are both wearable and conceptual, encouraging individuals to engage with the deeper cultural and historical narratives embedded within the garments.

In addition to her collections, Wales Bonner also offers services that extend beyond typical fashion offerings. Her collaborations with cultural institutions, artists, and musicians contribute to her broader mission of exploring identity and heritage. These projects often result in unique, limited-edition pieces that reflect her commitment to using fashion as a platform for artistic and intellectual dialogue. Furthermore, her brand offers bespoke tailoring services for clients seeking personalized luxury, ensuring that each garment is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. By combining high-quality craftsmanship with cultural depth, Wales Bonner’s products and services create a unique space in the luxury fashion market that resonates on both aesthetic and intellectual levels.

Awards and Recognition

The fashion designer has won a number of prestigious awards including Emerging Menswear Designer at British Fashion Awards (2015), LVMH Young Designer Prize (2016), Winner of the British Fashion Council/ Vogue Designer Fashion Fund (2019) and CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year (2021). In June 2022 she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to fashion.

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Wales_Bonner
• https://www.vogue.com/article/wales-bonner-adidas-restock
• https://thegentlewoman.co.uk/library/grace-wales-bonner
• https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/trends/articles/a30234/grace-wales-bonner-the-designer-tearing-down-gender/
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/11/14/grace-wales-bonner/
• https://www.gq.com/story/wales-bonner-pitti-uomo-fall-23
• https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2023-menswear/wales-bonner
• https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2022-menswear/wales-bonner
• https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat
• https://walesbonner.net