Black-Founded Fashion Labels to Watch

With the recognition of Christopher John Rogers, Laquan Smith and Lauren Harwell Godfrey at the recent CFDA awards, it is no secret that the fashion industry is crammed with talented, black designers. In an attempt to maintain fashion’s long-standing tradition of looking for the next big thing, here are three upcoming, black-founded labels to have on your radar.

Bed on Water

Founded by Parsons grad, Shanel Campbell, Bed on Water finds its home in the intersection between fashion and art. Stating on their website that they are equally concerned with “making art media'' as they are with “creating Fashion”, Bed on Water is the perfect example of a young brand carving its own space in the industry. Often using glitching backdrops and apocalyptic imagery, Campbell’s branding offers the perfect space for her designs to come to life. Predominantly using messy, graphic prints as the main feature of a garment, the brand hints at the theme of destruction and chaos. Pairing this with their use of mannequins for models and a website format which references the ‘Choose Your Fighter’ function of vintage video games, Bed on Water does retrofuturism better than most. Campbell has also taken inspiration from African-American history to develop her designs. For example, her 2021 collection had prints that were “extracted from the last five seconds of a James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni interview”, after she repurposed a glitch in the programme to create a design. With retrofuturism becoming increasingly prevalent in the intersection between culture and fashion, with brands like Balenciaga taking it in their stride, it’s important to have brands like Bed on Water showcasing their perspective.

Bed on Water's most recent collection

Noid

Noid is a Los Angeles-based brand which released its AW22 collection in July of this year. Founded by Denzel Dion, each collection distinctly establishes its own identity. From the equestrian concepts of SS21 to the sleek and bold shapes of AW22, Noid is unconfined to one particular message. Where Bed on Water meticulously curates their brand to fit a consistent theme, Noid’s collections are diverse and unexpected, with both brands showcasing the breadth of black talent in the industry. Noid also places no importance on the gender constrictions often instituted in luxury fashion brands. With mesh insets, flared trousers and exaggerated shoulders being key features of the AW22 collection, Noid seems focused on how different bodies, irrespective of gender, can be used to inspire and showcase clothes. It’s timeless themes like this, paired with its consistent reinvention, which make Noid an exciting brand to keep an eye on.

Noid FW22

Feben

Feben is an eponymous brand based in London. Founded by Central Saint Martins graduate, Feben, who solely goes by her first name, the brand states that their designs explore “the visual codes of Black life from all corners of the globe”. This idea is implemented through a variety of means, one being their ongoing collaboration with Ghanaian artisans to produce several pieces in their collections. Debuting their first Fashion Week collection this year, Feben showcased her signature crinkle material warped into different silhouettes, showing her ability to be playful with shape and structure. Feben's success isn't restricted to the runway, with fans of the brand ranging from Michaela Coel, to Ashley Graham to Jorja Smith. Drawing such attention at this early stage is no easy feat and illustrates why Feben is one to watch.