FASHION EAST: NUBA AW25 @ LONDON FASHION WEEK: This collection began with the concept of waking up from a figurative coma, a dream bound by our surroundings, developing into a deeper question of whether geography or people define a state of mind.
Once trapped in reality bound by environment and circumstance, we now wake up to the purer personal clinging within us. The collection shares a material exploration of functionality, environment and desire. A statement of timelessness and resourcefulness, featuring cross-seasonal, foundational pieces crafted for layering, and adapting to one’s environment, interpreting the relationship we have with clothing when ‘waking up’ to a more secure and confident self. Basics are thoughtfully layered, scarves wrapped overcoats, essentials transformed into protective armour, and bags created for multi-purpose use.
Textural juxtapositions were a key aspect of the initial imagining of this collection; soft material against muted glass buildings, rubber against concrete, loose skirts against tailored jackets. The muted greys and browns of the city against the blues and greens of nature. We find a material language of wools, and knitwear for the first time, along with mohair, leather, and crochet.
The recurring motif of cyan blue symbolically threads together this overarching theme. This striking hue, seen in whimsical voile, is paired with loose trousers and fitted light shirts, creating a fresh, dreamlike interpretation and a symbol of industrial coverings and protective casings. These elements, with their fluidity and lightness, embody a sense of freedom and escape. Throughout the collection this blue is a reminder of the purity of a dream, the freedom that comes with letting go of what bounds us, whether that be cultural or financial. This blue is also a nod to the plastic carrier bag used across the city by all, defying class, gender or any other constraints, a colour of hope and unity.
Obstructive tones of hospital scrubs and the cold, sterile machinery surround a person in a coma, reference to this grounds the collection in a clinical reality. This tension between the softness of the voile and the harshness of these environments creates a compelling visual dialogue, blurring the line between dreamlike fantasy and stark reality – inviting the viewer to reflect on the fragility of consciousness and the delicate balance between comfort and confinement.
—Cora Muir
Nuba Co-directed by Cameron Williams and Jebi Labembika, is a menswear brand defining the journey of youthful foreign bodies searching for their nuance between heritage and cities. Growing up in South London with Afro-Caribbean and West African heritage, their experiences inform a practice of design and storytelling for those searching for nuance between the multitude of influences growing up in cities, and their heritage.
NUBA_AW25
Cameron Williams – Designer Jebi Labembika – Creative Director
CASTING
Troy Casting @troycasting
HAIRSTYLIST
Clare Hurford using BEDHEAD @clare.on.hair
MAKEUP ARTIST
Romero Jennings MAC @romerojennings
SHOES Nike
MUSIC
Original Score by Covco @_covco
ATELIER & PATTERN CUTTING Emanuel Dawit
ACCESSORIES PRODUCTION Dimitris Karagiannakis
MOVEMENT
Joe Grey Adams @joegreyadams
PRODUCER Maya Lessof at CEBE
PR
Raven Agency, Sophie Jewes, Chloe Long, Rose Bradshaw, Tina Chatrizeh
SPONSORS
Fashion East, Truman Brewery, Nike, MAC, BEDHEAD
SPECIAL THANKS
Fashion East Panel, Lulu Kennedy, Raphaelle Moore, Emanuel Dawit, Joyce NG, Covco, Tylar Gardner, Ze Xiong, Weimin Li, Ben Harris, Dorota Paszkiewicz Godzik, Gladys Ndimuntoh, Ivy Paulo, Sharmaarke Adan, Tyler André Forbes, Ethan Mullings & Emma, Alice Otieno, Robin Douglas, Dina Ozorio Saldanha, Mikaela Musson-Sheeheed, Gary Shixin Ge, Nyota Blackwood, Nino Sichinava, Vincent Osborne, Takiyah Blaize, Harry Fisher, Willy Ndatira, Cameron Malik-Flynn, Jawara Alleyne, Sean Kim, Madison Hahn, Our loving Parents and Family.
