LONDON — Jawara Alleyne, a Fashion East alumni, staged his off-schedule show on the last day of London Fashion Week in a Whitechapel room that resembled a chapel, with wooden floors, burning oud and stained glass windows.
For spring, the designer tapped into his memories of growing up in the Cayman Islands and made a statement about the clash between formal dressing and comfort.
“I think it’s really important to start to tell stories that are kind of honest. Looking back I understood what it was like being this person who was rebellious in this place that didn’t allow for the rebellion,” Alleyne said backstage.
On the runway there was a mix of deconstruction and signature safety pinning to portray workwear for the heat, with standouts including a gray jersey minidress featuring cutouts; a maxi chiffon ochre skirt adorned with sparkly flower shapes, and the closing red sheer dress with peplum that cascaded on the wooden floor.
Jawara Alleyne spring 2024
The collection was made from deadstock materials.
“It’s a part of our culture to repurpose and remake things out of what has been around. For my business model as well, a lot of what I do actually requires just one-off things, a lot of custom orders, I do a lot of almost couture-like things,” Alleyne said.
Throughout the collection, there was a strong reflection of culture and brand values, whilst maintaining a commercial element.