Mood board: Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2014, Wales Bonner’s rich, vampy take on black queerness has inspired a raft of fashion editorials and street style mise-en-scènes. In 2015 she was awarded Emerging Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards and the following June received the prestigious LVMH Prize. Her esoteric approach has crafted a signature style rooted in cultural identity and intellectual interrogation. For S/S 2018 Bonner makes a much leaner proposition, designing through a more minimalist lens: ‘I didn’t want to hide behind anything,’ she said, ‘I was interested in subtlety. Sensuality, not sexuality.’ The collection is sexy in its stark tailoring; queer flourishes are pushed and tucked into luxurious, modern cuts. Fabrics explore the patina of wear as soft lambskin is sun-bleached and cottons are crushed.
Finishing touches: Shoes were in collaboration for the second time with Manolo Blahnik. The models each wore a version of a square-toed backless loafer in either high-shine or interwoven leather. Another style came in a crocodile textured skin with bright orange or blue panels, mirroring the stripes on slim-fitting trousers.
Sound bite: ‘I was thinking about black queer perspectives and a lot of my inspiration came from looking at literature,’ said Bonner. ‘Looking at the world through that kind of lens and thinking about sexuality and thinking about male relationships in every way. Carl Van Vechten’s homoerotic photography and Chris Ofili’s Blue Biceps painting from 2005 were two brilliant representations of the themes I was thinking about. And I love Hilton Als’ work. His essay about James Baldwin captured a lot of what I was thinking about.’
Wales Bonner S/S 2018. Photography Jason-Lloyd Evans
-
What is the future for design in Africa? Designer Hicham Lahlou shares possibilities for the continent at largeThe Moroccan designer celebrates 30 years of his practice. Here he speaks from his studio in Rabat about his own career and the creative possibilities for design in Morocco and the rest of Africa
-
Philadelphia’s 'Grande Dame' reopens with a dazzling French twistThe Bellevue Hotel has been restored to its former glory through a stylish renovation by design studio Ward + Gray
-
Louis Vuitton’s duo of Osaka exhibitions celebrate the house’s deep-rooted relationship with JapanUnfolding in Osaka this summer, ‘Visionary Journeys’ is a transporting trip into the house’s history, while ‘Yayoi Kusama – Infinity’ promises an immersion into the works of the Japanese artist, who is a longstanding Louis Vuitton collaborator
-
Inside Louis Vuitton’s Murakami London pop-up, a colourful cartoon wonderland with one-of-a-kind caféWallpaper* takes a tour of the Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up in London’s Soho, which celebrates the launch of a new ‘re-edition’ accessories collection spanning the greatest hits from the Japanese artist’s long-running collaboration with the house
-
Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UKAs A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
-
Margaret Howell London Fashion Week Women's S/S 2019 -
London Fashion Week S/S 2023: Ahluwalia to Martine RoseThough slimmed-down, London Fashion Week nonetheless provided the moments of creative expression the city is known for – from Ahluwalia’s ode to Africa to Martine Rose’s much-anticipated runway return
-
Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital
-
Nicholas Daley's multicultural roots celebrated in London -
V&A spotlights the sartorial and social significance of the kimonoFor the latest endeavour of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk explores the evolution of the iconic Japanese garment
-
Erdem A/W 2020 London Fashion Week Women's
