Grace Wales Bonner
Born 1990 · Age 35
English fashion designer; founder of Wales Bonner (menswear-led label launched 2014). Work blends sportswear and tailoring and explores Black identity, history and culture across fashion, film, publishing and curatorial practice.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in South London
Born Grace Wales in South London to an English mother and Jamaican father; raised between Dulwich and Stockwell after parents' separation.
Began BA at Central Saint Martins
Started degree at Central Saint Martins (fashion pathway), developing research-led approach to fashion and art.
Assisted Camilla Nickerson (American Vogue) in New York
Worked with American Vogue fashion editor Camilla Nickerson while studying — part of international placement/experience.
Placement year at Meadham Kirchhoff
Completed placement year at London label Meadham Kirchhoff as part of Central Saint Martins degree (industry experience).
Won L'Oréal Professionnel Talent Award (BA collection)
Awarded the L'Oréal Professionnel Talent Award for her graduate collection 'Afrique'.
Graduated BA, Central Saint Martins
Graduated from Central Saint Martins fashion course, consolidating research-led practice.
Graduate collection ‘Afrique’
Presented BA collection 'Afrique' (graduate collection) exploring 1970s Black expression; began using black male cast.
Founded Wales Bonner label
Launched eponymous London-based label Wales Bonner, initially specialising in menswear.
Debuted 'Ebonics' A/W15 collection with Fashion East
Presented Autumn/Winter 2015 'Ebonics' collection at London Collections: Men with Fashion East; further established brand voice.
Showcase at Victoria & Albert Museum (Fashion in Motion)
Presented work at the V&A in 2015; early institutional recognition.
Transformation Marathon participation, Serpentine Galleries
Invited to take part in Serpentine Galleries' Transformation Marathon and created performances called 'Everythings for Real'.
Residency / month in remote northern Senegal (creative research)
Spent a month in a remote village in northern Senegal working on collage and research that informed later collections.
Published/Distributed zines (including 'Everythings for Real')
Produced zines as part of research-based practice; 'Everythings for Real' was presented to Serpentine and used as a research tool.
Emerging Menswear Designer, British Fashion Awards
Awarded 'Emerging Menswear Designer' at the 2015 British Fashion Awards.
Mentorship year with LVMH executives (as part of prize)
Undertook a year-long mentorship with LVMH as part of the LVMH Prize award package, accessing industry mentorship and networks.
Ambition and stated desire for own store and collaboration with tailoring houses
Publicly expressed ambitions to have a House with heritage and possibly a store, and to collaborate with tailoring houses like Hermès or Savile Row tailors.
Stockists include Dover Street Market, Selfridges, 10 Corso Como, Joyce
By mid-career, Wales Bonner collections were carried by major international stockists, signalling commercial growth.
Presented 'Malik' (Spring/Summer 2016) at ICA London
Explored history of Malik Ambar and cross-cultural links between Africa and India; show at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).
Listed in BoF 500 / recognized by Business of Fashion
Included in Business of Fashion's influential BoF 500 list (profiled as a rising talent).
Film project with Harley Weir on Senegalese wrestling
Produced a short documentary film with Harley Weir after the Ebonics collection, documenting Senegalese wrestling and related cultural practices.
Won LVMH Prize for Young Designers (€300,000 + mentorship)
Awarded the prestigious LVMH Prize (includes €300,000 and a year-long mentorship with LVMH executives).
First solo show 'Ezekiel' (SS17) — London Men's FW
Presented first solo show 'Ezekiel' (Spring/Summer 2017 collection) in London; marked step up to solo production.
Film with Harley Weir and dancer Leroy Mokgatle (South Africa)
Traveled to Johannesburg and Cape Town to film a project with Harley Weir featuring ballet dancer Leroy Mokgatle exploring dance in South Africa.
Commissioned text by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye
Commissioned artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye to write a text responding to the Spirituals II research and collection.
Spirituals II Autumn/Winter 2017 collection
Launched 'Spirituals II' AW17, expanding collaborative practice (commissioned Lynette Yiadom-Boakye for text; worked with Elysia Crampton and Sampha on soundtrack).
Collaboration with musician Sampha (soundtracks and publications)
Worked with Sampha on soundscapes and visual publications tied to collections and the 'Process' album response work.
Integrated archival photographic images into garments
Began explicitly integrating historic photographic images and archival materials (e.g., Carl Van Vechten, Jacob Lawrence) into clothing design and prints.
Blue Duets Spring/Summer 2018 collection
Presented 'Blue Duets' SS18 focusing on tenderness, homoerotic literature references, choreography by M.J. Harper and collaborative sound design.
Research trip to Freetown with Sampha
Travelled to Freetown, Sierra Leone with musician Sampha to create imagery and a publication responding to his album 'Process'.
References Gary Fisher notebooks for Blue Duets
Used the posthumous notebooks of Gary Fisher as a creative reference for SS18; explored themes of double life and secret inner lives.
Autumn/Winter 2018 'Des Hommes et des Dieux' (Jacob Lawrence imagery)
AW18 collection integrated archival imagery including works by Jacob Lawrence into clothing.
Serpentine exhibition: interdisciplinary collaborators included major artists
Curated exhibition featured works by Chino Amobi, Black Audio Film Collective, David Hammons, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Liz Johnson Artur, Rashid Johnson, Kapwani Kiwanga, Eric N. Mack and Paul Mpagi Sepuya.
Expanded interdisciplinary practice: exhibitions, zines, film and performances
By 2019, work had moved beyond traditional collections into curation, solo exhibitions, zines, films and performative pieces — broadening cultural influence.
Produced 'Mumbo Jumbo' A/W19 collection (title from Ishmael Reed)
Named AW19 collection after Ishmael Reed's novel 'Mumbo Jumbo' and incorporated magic-realist references into runway and exhibition contexts.
Invited to collaborate with Dior (Maria Grazia Chiuri) — Resort 2020 reinterpretation
Invited by Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri to reinterpret the house's New Look silhouette for Dior Resort 2020 (collaboration/invitation in 2019).
Winner of British Fashion Council / Vogue Designer Fashion Fund
Awarded the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund in 2019 (an industry prize supporting designers).
Ishmael Reed performed and recited poem at Serpentine show opening
At the Serpentine Sackler Gallery opening, Ishmael Reed performed on piano and Ben Okri recited a poem written for the occasion.
Curated 'A Time For New Dreams' — Serpentine Sackler Gallery opening
Debut solo-curated exhibition at Serpentine Sackler Gallery (19 Jan–17 Mar 2019), exploring altars, shrines and Black cultural practices; exhibition attracted 25,000 visitors.
Began formal collaboration with Adidas (partnership ongoing since 2020)
Started collaborative product projects with sportswear brand Adidas — ongoing collaboration spanning footwear and apparel.
Included in Powerlist 2021 (UK’s most influential people of African/African Caribbean heritage)
Recognised as one of the UK’s most influential people of African/African Caribbean heritage in the 2021 edition of the Powerlist (selection reported in 2020).
CFDA International Men's Designer of the Year
Awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) International Men's Designer of the Year 2021.
Increased international profile and commercial expansion
Following awards and collaborations, Wales Bonner's commercial profile expanded internationally (more stockists, collaborations and product drops).
Ongoing artist collaborations (Ben Okri, Ishmael Reed, Dev Hynes etc.)
Sustained collaborations with writers and musicians (Ben Okri, Ishmael Reed, Dev Hynes) across collections, performances and films.
Adidas collaboration milestone: 25 sold-out sneakers since 2020
By 2022, Wales Bonner and Adidas had collaborated on 25 sold-out sneaker drops since beginning the partnership in 2020.
Collaboration with Kerry James Marshall (limited-edition T‑shirt)
Released a limited-edition T-shirt in collaboration with American artist Kerry James Marshall (announced June 2022).
Appointed MBE in 2022 Birthday Honours
Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to fashion in the 2022 Birthday Honours (Gazette supplement published 1 June 2022).
Seen as leading voice in contemporary menswear and Black cultural practice
By 2023, repeatedly recognized by industry press as a key voice shaping menswear and dialogues around Black identity, culture and fashion.
Winner — British Fashion Council / GQ Designer Fashion Fund
Awarded the British Fashion Council / GQ Designer Fashion Fund in 2023.
Head of Department, Fashion Design — University of Applied Arts, Vienna (reported)
Reported as head of the Department of Fashion Design at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna (Wikipedia states she 'is' head; year not explicitly given in the source — listed here as current role with lower confidence).
Adidas x Wales Bonner Samba leather colourways released
Partnership introduced two new monochromatic leather colourways for the Adidas Samba (creamy white and black), available February 2024.
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