Labrum London is no stranger to epic runway venues, having staged previous shows at the Four Seasons and the Tate. But the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design winner’s spring 2025 location, the colossal Emirates Stadium, might just take the prize — or Football Association cup.
Titled “Designed by an Immigrant: Journey of Triumphs,” the collection also built on Labrum’s partnership with football club Arsenal and Adidas following the trio’s July collaboration on Arsenal’s 2024/25 away kit.
“We wanted to celebrate where cultures collide and the beautiful stories that are born out of that,” designer Foday Dumbuya said in a preview, adding that the collection was a melting pot of West African, Indian, and English influences.
Tactile fabrics and prints shone: a passport visa print stamped a silvery pantsuit and gowns, tufted cowrie shells on burnt yellow suit, and two icy blue sets — a miniskirt-blazer combo for women and a suit for men — featured frayed fabric stripes.
Arsenal jerseys were upcycled and deconstructed, draped and wrapped. Models also sported Labrum’s Adidas sneakers collaboration, which feature a chunkier, reworked sole.
Dumbuya saved the best for last: a flowing garment recalling a Yoruban agbada, made from fabric offcuts and embellished with cowrie shells and raffia trim. Capping it off was a beautifully beaded headpiece.