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Yaku Stapletons Debut at London Fashion Week

posted by Marcroy September 17, 2024

London Fashion Week is an event eagerly anticipated by many. For us, it was an extra exciting occasion as our manager Kelsea was invited to view the debut of Yaku Stapletons collection.

The imPossible Family Reunion in RPG Space series explores themes of hope and belonging through the lens of Afrofuturism. Yaku uses this framework to reimagine his family as characters inhabiting limitless realms, influenced by the fantasy worlds that captivated him during his youth.

Since the series’ debut 18 months ago, Yaku has increasingly focused on dissolving the line between its hopeful narrative and the darker histories that often give rise to such hope. By incorporating more of his personal experiences and his family’s shared history, he aimed to provide a deeper, more authentic reflection of reality.

This series has evolved from a simple exploration of fantasy and futurism into a profound investigation into the origins of these themes—revealing the pain, desire for escape, and lingering scars, alongside the enduring hope for healing. It is this blend of past and future, reality and fantasy, pain and hope that defines the essence of this collection, offering both a vision and grounding reflection.

In the earlier stages of The imPossible Family Reunion in RPG Space, Yaku presented the character Elliot for the Challenge the Fabric Award in May, inspired by his older brother. Elliot had just returned from a journey through time, bloodied and worn, having confronted and reconciled with his past self. The collection now shifts its focus to the rest of the family, all prepared to face their histories and embark on their own paths of self-discovery and reconciliation.

Throughout the evolution of this collection, Yaku’s visual inspirations have broadened to include influences from both prehistoric and contemporary natural life. This is evident in the fabric choices, with garments adopting a more natural and fluid feel compared to previous collections. Though white deadstock fabric remains a primary material, it has been revived through in-house manipulation and dyeing.

Despite the darker tone of the narrative, the resulting pieces often carry a strange yet humorous quality, with improved pattern cutting allowing for more realistic character-to-garment translations. This season also marks the introduction of womenswear, which emphasises freedom of movement and expression while remaining in harmony with the menswear world Yaku has established.

“We wanted this presentation to be an immersive experience, carefully crafting every detail to bring our fantasy world to life,” Yaku explains. “It’s like RuneScape — it may seem like just a game with dragons and shields on the surface, but once you dive in, there’s an entire world waiting to be explored. We wanted that same depth in our presentation, far beyond just the clothes you see. Every aspect, from the floors to the ceilings, was made with textiles we developed in-house using deadstock fabrics that were hand-dyed, sewn, and distressed by our team. These textiles will later be repurposed into garments. The sets were also created in-house, with details like toucan fish in the Forest set, mythical creature hides in the Learning set, and weapons crafted from studio waste in Combat. Accessories and footwear were designed specifically for each character, while the sound design was carefully composed to reflect the atmosphere of each set and the overall story. We also worked with talented actors and an incredible theatre director to bring these characters, inspired by real people, to life.”

YAKU was founded in 2023 by St Albans-born and London-based designer, Yaku Stapleton, a graduate of Leeds Beckett and Central Saint Martins. Following the success of his MA collection, which won the L’Oréal Creative Award as judged by Ib Kamara, Yaku launched his namesake label and debuted the ‘The ImPossible Family Reunion in RPG Space’ series, inspired by the exploration of perception and sculptural form, rich with elements of fantasy, and viewed through the lens of Afro-Futurism.