Jawara Alleyne Peeks Into the "Eye of the Storm" for FW24
The Jamaican designer recalls Hurricane Ivan, which swept through his family home and left mountains of rubble in its wake.
Fashion East alumni Jawara Alleyne has graduated onto larger grounds, going out independently over the last few seasons. Alleyne has made an impact across London and beyond, honoring his Jamaican roots and youthful migration to the Cayman Islands. The designer dictates a rigorous storyline for Fall/Winter 2024, holding an off-schedule runway show on the last day of London Fashion Week.
In the early hours of Monday morning, Alleyne opened the golden gates to St Mary Le Strand Church — a Westminster sanctuary of worship. The majestic venue was placed under a new light, with the designer’s FW24 collection recalling hurricane season on tropical islands.
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan swept through Alleyne’s family home, destroying their shelter while leaving mountains of rubble in its wake. “Eye of the Storm” explores the natural phenomenon across swirled silhouettes with Caribbean lightness. Alleyne’s signature draping techniques are set front and center, reflected in tumbled tops and bottoms with exposed skin pockets. Houndstooth patterns are drenched in bold orange hues, twisted into abstract garments frayed at the edges. Flannel hoodies and aproned trousers are pinned together with paper clips, while mesh shirting dons distressed character wrecked by nature.
Some models clung to thick-cut rope guiding them into nautical landscapes, while others wore double-layered denim and reconstructed outerwear torn apart by extreme winds. After 20 looks cascaded down the runway, Alleyne took his final bow, leaping joyfully at his significant accomplishments thus far.
Take a closer look at Jawara Alleyne’s FW24 collection in the gallery above, and stay tuned for more London Fashion Week content on Hypebeast.
