𧔠Threaded Roots: How Global Black Designers Are Reclaiming the Runway
From Kingston to Kinshasa, Black designers are not just influencing the fashion world â theyâre rewriting its blueprint.”
“We Wore the Culture First: How Global Black Designers Are Reclaiming the Runway”
From the streets of Kingston and the markets of Dakar to the studios of Paris and catwalks of New York, Black fashion is having more than a moment â itâs defining the movement. And this time, weâre not asking to be included. We are building, designing, styling, and storytelling on our own terms.
In this debut edition of Threaded Roots, Vision Newspaper’s new weekly fashion column, we explore how Black designers across the Caribbean, Africa, and the global diaspora are shaping a bold and unapologetic fashion economy rooted in heritage, defiance, and innovation.
đ„ The Global Runway Is Black-Led
While legacy brands scramble to diversify their catwalks, Black designers are creating their own lanes. Jamaican-born designers like Jeneil Williams and Meiling are redefining island elegance with fabrics that breathe sun and resistance. In South Africa, Thebe Magugu is pairing traditional silhouettes with political commentary. Across the Atlantic, Telfar Clemens continues to disrupt the handbag game â not just with accessible luxury, but with community-first ethos.
And on social media, upstart Black-owned labels from Toronto to Lagos are launching collections that sell out before Fashion Week even begins.
đ Diaspora Style Watch: Caribbean Couture on the Rise
Caribbean fashion is stepping into the spotlight with a strong sense of cultural authenticity. In Trinidad, Carnival couture continues to influence high fashion, while Barbadian and Jamaican designers are bringing madras and mesh to the forefront of global resort wear. The regionâs deep ties to music â from dancehall to soca â are also pushing performance wear as everyday fashion.
The Caribbean aesthetic is no longer a niche. Itâs a global influence.
đȘĄ Threaded Back: Kente, Madras, and the Politics of Pattern
Black fashion is not a trend â itâs a timeline. Centuries-old fabrics like Ghanaian kente cloth, Nigerian aso-oke, and Dominican madras have always told stories. Once dismissed or exoticized by the Western fashion elite, these textiles are now symbols of reclamation and cultural continuity.
In every stitch lies a reminder: before Black people were brands, we were creators.
đïž Whatâs Next: From Afro-Tech to Fashion Sovereignty
As we look ahead to the rest of 2025, all eyes are on innovation. African fashion weeks from Nairobi to Lagos are leveraging digital tech to stream their shows globally. Caribbean designers are launching collectives to support independent labels and reject exploitative partnerships. Diaspora-owned fashion houses are betting on Afrofuturism, gender-fluid design, and textile sovereignty â including growing their own fabrics and dyes.
Black fashion isnât waiting for a seat at the table. Weâre carving out entire kingdoms.
đ âThreaded Rootsâ is your weekly stitch into the fabric of global Black fashion. From Kingston to Kinshasa, Brooklyn to Brixtonâstyle lives here. Follow us @VisionNewspaper for more stories that move the culture. #ThreadedRoots #VisionNewspaper
