Grace Wales Bonner is a new and innovative designer who boldly challenges the idea of the black male look as “street.” In her collections, she strives to shake up preconceived notions about blackness. She draws inspiration from Harlem all the way to Dakar and nothing escapes her eye for fashion. She executes her collections with such an innovative vision for the black male that makes her one of the most exciting menswear designers today.
Despite having graduated with a BA in fashion design at the age of 23, Bonner is much more than a designer. Each one of Bonner’s collections strives to dispel the fashion world’s stereotypes about the black male identity.
One of her recent collections, Ebonics, was shot in Dakar, Senegal and featured local wrestlers wearing her clothes. The photos were shot in and around Lake Retba or Lac Rose, named for its blush pink appearance, showcase the beauty of Dakar and Bonner’s new vision of black masculinity. In denim suits and velvet jackets encrusted with jewels, Bonner’s models are the epitome of black royalty.
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