Post Urban is a platform to showcase upcoming brands in London. Spearheaded by super ladies Victoria and Faban who seek to reclaim urban culture and give the people the recognition they deserve. With aspirations to be the next London Fashion week for urban culture, Post Urban is destined to be a big name on the scene.
The buzzing event was located in an industrial space in the back roads of Angel. Fitted with a makeshift bar serving free rum and coke, podiums exhibiting pieces from various brands and the chance to network with the creatives who designed them.
There was so much talent we would love to have covered but have somehow narrowed it down to the following:
Knots
Image owned by Knots
The first stall we approached belonged to a brand called Knots. Adorned in bold African prints, gold accessories and stills of women modelling striking headwraps, it was definitely up our ally. The owner, Sandra, was behind the stall, showcasing a fabulously tied headwrap. When we asked what inspired her to start her amazing line, she was more than willing to fill us in.
“Knots are headwraps and accessories for women by women. I started the business with a friend who had cancer and wanted to help others going through chemo. Since establishing Knots, I’ve been able to learn about the forgotten history of headwraps. For instance, slave owners forced African women to cover their hair when working on plantations. Ratty cloth was used as these women’s traditional materials were left back home,”
“Wow,” I thought not realising the history behind headwraps.
“Since starting Knots, I’ve been able to hold workshops on headwraps and teach women how to tie them. But Knots is more than just headwraps. It’s a way of connecting with women back in the day. By understanding the history of why women wrap their hair, it allows us to really pay homage to them.”
You can check out Knots’ instagram at @knots_uk and website at knots-uk.com.
Mojo Kojo
The second stall we approached belonged to Mojo Kojo. The fun stall took a spin on African print which was exhibited by rails of bold graphic tees, colourful ankara joggers and bum bags that were a marvel to see. Mojo Kojo was a mesh between the founder’s name, Koye, and ‘mojo’ which meant cool swag, alluding to the very cool nature of his brand.
“Mojo Kojo was born out of my desire to create an African street brand as a lot of our fabrics are used in formal ways, such as for weddings and church services. With print so interesting in terms of variety and style, I’ve merged African print and urban fashion for our people and our age range,”
“That’s amazing! How long has Mojo Kojo been running for?” I asked, marvelling his ‘Plantain Papi’ designs.
“We’ve been running for three years. We’re actually in stores in Urban Outfitters in the US and have collaborated with KSWISS. However, we’ll always keep in touch with our roots as that is why this all began.”
You can check out Mojo Kojo’s instagram at @mojokojouk and website at mojokojo.com.
Stolen Silver
We were drawn to the next stall, which at the forefront showcased an edgy pink tee and was owned by an inspiring lady called Miffy. If that doesn’t sum up Yes Gurl, then boy!
Miffy first set up Stolen Silver, an ethically sourced streetwear brand, in September 2018. She went on to uncover that her pieces are inspired from “being on the streets, being around the culture and a love for clothes. But before I started, there wasn’t anything ethical in terms of streetwear. I wanted to create something accessible as sustainable clothing can cost a lot. But it had to be ethical at the same time as we can all do our own little bit. Stolen Silver is not in your face, it doesn’t scream ‘I’M VEGAN’ and shows that you don’t need to be. If you want to do something right, just do it.”
You can check out Stolen Silver’s instagram at @stolensilverclothing and website at stolensilverclothing.bigcartel.com.
Anciela
Last but by far from least was Anciela. Jennifer, the founder, was originally from Columbia and took her country, roots and memories and tailored them into a folklore inspired brand.
She had rails of clothing that played around with boyish florals, muted tartans and asymmetric cuts, packaged in an androgynous fashion. She wanted her line to embellish “pops of colour, comfort and power” to encourage women to create their own idea of beauty outside of gender stereotypes.
Although her label is a homage to her heritage, everything is made in London and is locally sourced. This reduces the environmental impact and ensures good labour standards of her beautifully handcrafted designs.
You can check out Anciela’s instagram at @anciela_london.
FadxStyles, Embrace Apparel, Used To The Rain, and A Palette Not From Here.
The finale
The exhibition was accompanied by DJ Joey playing the latest music and singer Rai Elle’s live performance of ‘Always On My Mind’. In good style, the event was rounded off with a catwalk showcasing all the amazing brands that took part.
It was a truly inspirational night and one of many more to come. A big thank you to Post Urban for inviting the Yes Gurl team!
Check out Post Urban’s instagram @posturbanuk and blog at theposturbanblog.wordpress.com.
Written by Annette Christian
Photographed by Francesca Mariama
