Tailor made addition to Soho as LFW 2024 designer LABRUM to bring experiential pop-up

Shaftesbury Capital has announced a new pop-up store in Soho for LABRUM, a British African menswear brand that hosted a successful show at London Fashion Week in February. LABRUM will occupy an 800 sq ft unit at Soho’s 35 Marshall Street, joining one of the UK’s most iconic neighbourhoods.

This year represents the 10th anniversary of LABRUM, which won last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, celebrated as a modern-day fashion retailer that looks to bridge the gap between Western society and West African culture. It 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. 

Events, live activations, and tailoring are the focus of the Soho space, creating a complete retail experience alongside the ready-to-wear collections. 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. 

Foday Dumbuya, Founder and 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 run.”

This announcement follows another recent initiative by Shaftesbury Capital to support innovative fashion entrepreneurs, with the awarding of 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.