“My grandma came from Jamaica, and my parents are third-generation Brits with a humorous Cockney background. The fusion of these two cultures grounds me to shape my identity as a designer.” London students make some noise for Bianca Saunders, a fresh name in the industry but already crowned as the most high-wattage star of British menswear.
Designer Bianca Saunders. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
With everyone now hailing her work, including Phoebe Philo, Saunders debuted in the fashion world without external funding just a few years ago. In 2018, she launched a collection “mainly [imagined] from my bedroom, which served as a studio,” as she said during an interview with Mohsin Ali to unveil her new role as an I’M mentor at Istituto Marangoni London.
Bianca Saunders at Istituto Marangoni London unveiling her new role as an I’M mentor
Enthusiasm filled the air as students crowded in to listen to her talk about her fascinating journey, sources of inspiration and keys to thriving as an up-and-coming fashion designer. She revealed the behind-the-scene magic, from crafting beautiful collections to fitting top celebrities for the red carpet and putting on stunning fashion shows.
One secret you still don’t know about the Bianca Saunders brand? Part of the designer’s success is about her family’s commitment. “My dad is my business manager,” she proudly shared.
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An incredibly talented creative, Saunders has come a long way from her London bedroom to the Parisian catwalks. She even designed the looks for eight-time Grammy winner and avant-garde R&B artist Usher at the Met Gala 2023 to celebrate the opening of ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’, inspired by the late superstar designer’s flair for fusing culture and luxury design throughout his career. Saunders was recently featured in the Business of Fashion (BoF) Top 500 for 2023.
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As we welcomed Bianca Saunders as a new mentor at Istituto Marangoni in London, she generously shared her valuable insights and advice from the industry. If you want to know more about how this emerging designer succeeded in launching her fashion brand, keep reading, as we’ve got all the details you need.
How (and why) to start your own brand
“When I started my master’s degree, I [already] knew I wanted to launch my own brand, so I asked my tutors, and they told me it would be very difficult. It was actually very hard,” said Bianca Saunders. “But I think I had something important to say, and then people started to be interested in what I was doing.”
“Launching your own brand is challenging but not impossible if you have something to say” – Bianca Saunders, designer and I’M Mentor at Istituto Marangoni London
In 2017, she launched the Bianca Saunders brand online. “When I started, everything was going the conventional way,” she said. When asked about her management plan, Saunders proudly replied: “My father is my business manager. My mum worked as a hairdresser with her own business: that helped me to understand how to deal with customers.”
Bianca Saunders at Istituto Marangoni London
Saunders also emphasised the value of external advice. “I get advice from outside on how to operate as a small business,” she said.
Moreover, choosing a good team is crucial to her business. “I work with a team of people who understand my vision and see where I am going,” she explained. “So, find people to converse with and who can inspire your vision.”
The way to become one of the most high-wattage stars of menswear
“I am more interested in menswear compared to womenswear. I really like tailoring and the intricate work involved in the construction process” – Bianca Saunders
Bianca Saunders made a significant impact with her debut menswear FW18 collection, titled ‘Personal Politics’. The collection was edgy and gender-bending, redefining masculinity.
For the AW18 collection 'Personal Politics', Bianca Saunders explored themes of black masculinity. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
“During my time at school, I explored my identity and my friends’ fashion choices through videos, aiming to create a sense of comfort,” stated Saunders. “As a woman, delving into menswear fascinated me, particularly the art of sculpting the body.”
Looks from the Bianca Saunders AW18 collection. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
Bianca Saunders’ designs navigate the tension between tradition and modernity, revitalising the evolution of menswear.
“In 2016, [when I was studying to became a designer], masculinity was already a prominent topic, and I realised it’s more nuanced than how my male friends like to be described,” she pointed out. “Sometimes, it exhibits a feminine edge, evident in body language that encapsulates a cause. I aim to convey this interesting dynamic through my collections.”
Designing by telling yourself
Inspired by her Jamaican-British heritage, Saunders employs a multidisciplinary approach, infusing cross-cultural details into her work.
“My heritage is a very rich part of my creativity - it influenced more in the sense of style, especially when I was going through research of design: most of the research is about ourselves” – Bianca Saunders
The London-based creative got into the spotlight soon after graduation, debuting a collection at London Fashion Week Men’s in 2018. Since then, anti-establishment masculinity has had one name: Bianca Saunders, whose fashion-forward tailoring and cross-cultural references have earned her critical acclaim from fashion tastemakers.
Looks from the Bianca Saunders AW18 collection. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
Since then, she has accomplished a series of notable achievements. In 2018, she was selected as ‘One To Watch’ by the British Fashion Council; she was announced as one of the Dazed 100, a yearly list of creatives pushing the conversation forward; additionally, she secured a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2020. In a nutshell, Saunders has gained recognition as a global fashion designer in a relatively short amount of time.
“The pandemic was one of my favourite periods,” admitted Saunders. “I was able to operate as a student again, closed in my house, I was able to do more pattern cutting and work”.
Jamaican roots, a London studio and runway shows in Paris
Those days must have been productive, as Bianca Saunders was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize and took home the Andam Grand Prix Fashion Award in 2021, becoming the first black woman to win that prize – while having the opportunity for a year of coaching from Balenciaga CEO Cédric Charbit. In the same year, former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele selected her to be one of the new designers whose collections will be sold on Gucci Vault.
Bianca Saunders with Mohsin Ali at Istituto Marangoni London
With so many awards and a menswear collection that is “flexible by nature and feminine by essence,” as AnOther magazine once wrote, Saunders demonstrated that her talent trascends nationalities and genders.
Bianca Saunders is no stranger to difficult but rewarding challenges. In January 2022, despite the new wave of Covid-19, the designer brought her London crew to the Palais de Tokyo for her debut fashion show.
Bianca Saunders presented her first solo catwalk show in Paris, with the AW22 collection. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
“According to Paris regulations, she was permitted an audience of only 60, masked and seated one meter apart, but no matter,” reported Vogue’s Sarah Mower about her FW22 collection titled ‘A Stretch’.
“I can’t believe I’m doing my first runway show – and it’s in Paris! It’s a milestone for me!”. This is what Bianca Saunders said when she presented her creations in the round after four seasons of fashion shows on video.
Looks from the Bianca Saunders AW22 collection. Courtesy of Bianca Saunders
“Did you get enough support?” asked Mohisin Ali, a Fashion Design professor at Istituto Marangoni London, interviewing Saunders. “At the time of my first show, we were still in the pandemic, but I received a lot of support,” she commented.
Independence, multi-hyphenate attitude and a lot of research
Bianca Saunders also described how they are now working on the new collection. “I’m still doing the pattern design. I like the draping because it’s part of my design process.”
“In my studio, we are very independent; I am doing so much as well” – Bianca Saunders
They are definitely still a small studio but with great creative energy. When the students asked about their research process, Bianca Saunders replied that their work “starts each time in a different way, from a conversation to watching films to going to London galleries to refresh my mind and start working on some designs”.
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Referring to the work done in her past collections, Saunders went on: “At an early stage, it is good to move on to something that represents a signature for your brand, stepping back to some technique that has worked before.”
What an I’M Mentor
What’s next? The best is yet to come as Bianca Saunders enthusiastically accepted Istituto Marangoni London’s request to become their mentor for the 2023/24 academic year. She can’t wait to bring her experience, innovative aesthetics, and commitment to pushing the boundaries of contemporary fashion to the school’s young generation.
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“During my studying experience, I was always the only black woman in my group,” she told IM London students. “It is nice to inspire the next generation even if it is hard sometimes.”
Bianca Saunders will be mentoring Istituto Marangoni London students
Students will receive guidance from Saunders in masterclasses, covering creative and technical aspects of fashion design and getting her feedback through industry insights.
“I look forward to sharing my experiences, knowledge and passion for the industry with the students so that they can progress as the next generation of designers” – Bianca Saunders
Last but not least, Bianca Saunders inspired the whole audience with her valuable recommendation: “Try to see your university experience as a starting point on what you want to explore, don’t put pressure on yourself asking where this period might lead, it is not the end of your journey. Keep learning. Make the most of this path; try different approaches.”
Silvia De Vecchi
University Librarian, London