Thirty-four-year-old Jawara Alleyne is proud to count Rihanna as one of his eponymous brand’s biggest fans (she launched Alleyne into the spotlight by wearing his custom-made “joint-dress” for Dazed magazine in 2021).
“I’m always looking towards Rihanna to see how you cross over reggae into dancehall, into punk rock, into sort of pop — how you blend those genres,” Alleyne says from his east London studio, where he is making the finishing touches to his SS26 collection before his show on September 21. Other high-profile clients include South African singer Tyla, Londoner Joy Crookes and Shakira, whom he has designed outfits for on her ongoing world tour.
