Award-winning Labrum to open pop-up in London’s Soho
Labrum, which last year won the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, is set to open an 800 sq ft pop-up store at 35 Marshall Street in Soho "in the coming weeks", as agreed with London landlord Shaftesbury Capital.
This is the 10th anniversary year of Labrum, a brand that "looks to bridge the gap between Western society and West Africa culture".
Labrum was founded by Foday Dumbuya, who spent his formative years in Sierra Leone, Cyprus, and London, and built his reputation in the industry working for the likes of DKNY and Nike.
Labrum’s tailoring blends traditional techniques with an African touch, in a nod to Dumbuya’s heritage and "ethos for creating thought provoking, expressive garments without limitations".
Dumbuya, who is also the Creative Director of Labrum, said: "Labrum translates from Latin as ‘having an edge’, and that’s what the brand brings to Soho. Following a fantastic run at London Fashion Week, we’ve been looking to expand our presence, and this gives us the perfect opportunity to do that.
"With some amazing collabs coming soon, this is a great time to be part of such an iconic fashion hub, and we’re excited for the pop-up."
Events, live activations, and tailoring will be the focus of the Soho space, "creating a complete retail experience" alongside the ready-to-wear collection. The duration of the pop-up is yet to be revealed, as is the exact opening date.
The announcement follows another recent initiative by Shaftesbury Capital to support innovative fashion entrepreneurs, having awarded studio space at 26 Kingly Street in Soho to two tailors from the London College of Fashion UAL.
The scheme has run since 2019, with the 2024 winners, streetwear designer Ceri Linehan and Khalil Khaliqar, who specialises in men’s knitwear, taking residence earlier this year.
