Tokyo James melds Savile Row tailoring with Nigerian roots

Tokyo James, the Nigerian-British designer whose inspirations cross continents

For Iniye Tokyo James, the final two years have been a rollercoaster. ‘As a model we’ve been going for the proverbial scorching minute. It hasn’t been a straightforward trip, however we maintain pushing,’ he says of the interval, which peaked with a nomination for the 2022 LVMH Prize, and sees him function in our portfolio of rising menswear designers within the September 2022 Fashion Subject of Wallpaper*.

The Nigerian-British designer based his eponymous line in 2015; his intention was to make visible sense of his personal heritage and suggest a dialogue between two seemingly opposing places. ‘Garments have unwritten methods of speaking. After I initially began it was about illustration; giving a voice to a sector of creators who by no means actually had a voice.’

James is maybe finest recognized for his tailoring, which melds Savile Row precision with textiles, palettes, silhouettes, and motifs which might be rooted in Nigeria – suppose single-breasted blazers in corded lace and coats completed with intricate embroidery of reptiles, amphibians and bugs. ‘It’s these little nuances that all of us love and produce us collectively,’ he says.

New menswear: Tokyo James A/W 2022

Tokyo James is a part of ‘New Blooms’, a profile of ‘six budding menswear labels resowing the style panorama’ in Wallpaper’s September 2022 Fashion Subject (W*281)

A go to to James’ studio in Lagos additionally reveals an underground expertise incubator with next-generation designers, photographers, stylists and another modelling company, all working in varied capacities from the premises. ‘We’ve at all times been about community-building. For us, luxurious is an emotion however extra importantly, it’s about folks.’

This dedication to folks has seen James eschew the logistically simpler choice of transferring manufacturing to the UK, and merely gleaning inspiration from Nigeria. He takes his position as custodian inside the wider vogue ecosystem significantly, conscious of the mind drain that has not simply affected the style trade however different sectors within the nation. Having labored as a vogue stylist and vogue director earlier than turning his hand to design, James runs a studio that displays an appreciation for the corporate amid the cross-fertilisation of concepts and views.

‘Intersectionality performs an enormous position throughout the board,’ James says, including that he makes an attempt to unpack huge themes however at all times with a eager eye on creating items ‘with edge’. Moreover, he hopes to instil delight in his tradition, as illustrated by the cult ruched ‘Ato Rodo’ bag, his paean to the scotch bonnet pepper that seems in Nigerian delicacies and different places within the World South. 

Lengthy attuned to the chances of vegan leather-based, James has made attire and equipment in each animal hides and artificial choices from the offset. ‘It’s a crucial half for us as a result of we consider in selection,’ he explains. In regard to vogue’s adversarial impact on the surroundings, his response has been to embark on a collaboration with Nike, to create a particular line of upcycled baggage and footwear utilizing outdated trainers and soccer boots.

Supplies and their sourcing are important to the burgeoning label. ‘We commit at the very least 30 per cent of our assortment season on season to [being] created from deadstock, as a result of that is an trade that feeds hundreds of thousands and we additionally must do our half to make a gorgeous trade out there to future generations.’ §