In the Cayman Islands, where Jawara Alleyne is from, the fall season brings torrential rain that can lead to significant destruction. Locals are accustomed to preparing for these challenges, and the designer’s latest collection draws inspiration from the necessity for adaptation and resilience in the aftermath of a hurricane. “Every year, an island gets destroyed—when you grow up understanding that your entire life is under threat from natural circumstances, it makes you value everything in a different kind of way,” he shared in a preview. “I wanted to reinterpret this survival instinct and resourcefulness that I grew up with—portraying fall and winter weather through a Caymanian lens.”
On this rainy Monday morning, on the final day of London’s official schedule, Alleyne took us all to church at St. Mary Le Strand Chapel in Holborn—a deliberate choice. “On islands, there are three institutions that are used as hurricane shelters: hospitals, schools, and churches,” he shared.
The show opened with a striped hooded crop top in stretch jersey matched with a low-slung peach maxi skirt adorned with numerous hand-twisted details, echoing the hurried dressing of someone on the move. This sense of spontaneity permeated the collection, but paired alongside the designer’s ongoing evolution toward an elegant spin on his anarchic aesthetic. Drape has remained a cornerstone of his design ethos, yet this time, he shifted from fluid jersey to denser fabrics, resulting in more pronounced silhouettes. Corduroy, waxed cotton, denim, and wool checks are artfully scrunched and twisted to form architectural tops, maxi skirts, and deconstructed hooded jackets.
Recently, the designer served as a visiting mentor at Ark Burlington Danes Academy in West London, challenging art students with a brief that resulted in contributions from three students to the collection. Notably, Konstantinos Slouzi s textile work found its place in the line-up through a frayed ivory-hued short-sleeved shirt. The final look—a striking white netted dress worn with a matching headband—captured the effortless cool vibe of a pirate bride. Jawara Alleyne s growing creative universe is both distinct and compelling.
