A Spencer Summer: An Interview With Designer Spencer Badu

Touching down in London, Spencer Badu is greeted by the open-armed htown family, a testament to his growing influence in the fashion world. The Toronto-born designer has gained attention for his provocative uniform and menswear collections, which blend his dual heritage with a streetwear flair and masterful use of colour. Badu's brand is a bold statement of identity and culture which earned him a dedicated following. During his two-week tour of the capital, we had the chance to dive deep into his creative journey. We discussed everything from the fashion week buzz to his London bucket list. Spencer Badu's time in London was as dynamic and inspiring as his designs. 

ELISE: Welcome back to London Spencer! Give us three of your travel essentials.

SPENCER: My travel essentials would be a comfy pair of shoes and a tripod. I’m trying to think what would be missed on a trip if I didn't have it in London. Vitamins! Oh my goodness, yes. Vitamins for sure. Definitely my vitamins, either tablets or AG1, not sponsored. 

ELISE: Why the tripod?

SPENCER: For content, I think just to get really nice content and to have stable footage, captured in interesting ways. Tripods really help with that. On the go, it feels more polished than just placing your phone onto a ledge. 

ELISE: Your brand identity surrounds the redefinition of uniform. What does the word ‘uniform’ mean to you?

SPENCER: I am trying to recontextualise what uniforms are. I have been surrounded by them my whole life, Whether it was at school, myself or through my parents. My work is very autobiographical. I think that I have an obsession with clothing that details uniforms. I have this sort of little rebellious spirit, I sort of always want to change things up and I like to look at things through a different lens. They are loaded with tradition and rules, and it's nice to play with those things. I like the reaction that you get when you play around with something recognisable and then switch it on its head. It’s about creating something that is durable and presents certain values. It's not really about everyone looking the same, it's about giving people the ability and autonomy to use what I do and incorporating that into their own lives.

ELISE: Spencer, you have been busy! How have your recent relationships with like-minded creatives in London encouraged you?

SPENCER: It’s similar to creatives all around, We are seeing a lot of people persevere through the current state of the World. I think it motivates me as well to keep doing the same thing and to keep working hard. It's always nice to see the evolution of these different people.

ELISE: So, who are you finding is inspiring you at the moment with your work?

SPENCER: One is a really good friend of mine, his name is Errolson Hugh and he runs the brand ‘Acronym’. He has been running his brand for a long time. I think there is something to be said about longevity, not only as just a fashion designer but also within the working industry. He has established himself, season after season, making me want to do this for a long time. I have two friends in London who are musicians: Rasharn Powell and CKTRL. They are both amazing musicians who are evolving and growing. They are always playing great music and have fascinating ideas and concepts. I am excited to see them get to the top, per se and for the World to hear their music. My friend Shivas Howard Brown (@friendly.pressure, @shivasonagoodday) runs a production company, producing speakers. I think I’m probably simplifying what he does. We met over Instagram I think; like most people. He is similar to me, he has a love for music, engineering and building things. He's doing something that I don't think a lot of people either are doing or have done or even know how to do. 

ELISE: You have mentioned culture - how do you strike a balance between your Ghanaian and Canadian influences while being creative?

SPENCER:  It's about being authentic. I wasn’t born in Ghana; I was born in Canada, and raised in a household that was very African. Growing up with cultural clashes, I am interested in juxtaposition. I think my offering would be that balance of opposition. I think it is important to not play into one side more than the other and instead create a nuanced perspective. From using colours to clothing that my parents wore, but also maybe the silhouettes are more 90s hip-hop or something like that, so it's very interesting.

ELISE: You use the word 'opposing'. Do you think that they act in opposition or is there a way that they can mesh together?

SPENCER: There are similarities, I think a lot of the culture that I do reference is rooted in Black culture. American culture is derivative of African American culture. I do think that at the root of it; culturally, there's always going to be opposing ideas as the world evolves. Generations are sometimes a bit more open-minded and lenient when it comes to malleable traditions. 

ELISE: We spoke about influences within the brand, Who is the Spencer Badu audience? Who are they and what are they about?

SPENCER: I think there's a lot of versatility within the Spencer Badu audience. I think I’m seeing myself as the foundation and am looking at my interests; the things I love like music, culture, crafts, architecture, art and hobbies. I love DJing, riding my bike and trying new food. I think I’m very curious, I’m always on the go and I like practicality. The people who relate to that can then find themselves within the brand too. I don't have a specific avatar of who the customer is.

ELISE: So you use your interests as the focal point and then find people who resonate with that? 

SPENCER: So my name is on the brand (Spencer Badu); so I think there is a responsibility to be honest about who it is that's making the clothes, Which is me. 

ELISE: Moving on to discussing the industry and with multi-brand destinations on the rise, how has this impacted your brand internationally?

SPENCER: I think having stores around the world allows an organic process of acquiring new customers. A lot of our press and exciting moments recently have been organic and through stores. This means people can see the clothes, feel the clothes, and wear the clothes. This makes it easier for us to stand out and show what it is that we do. 

ELISE: So you believe that in-person interaction is the way forward? 

SPENCER: I feel there's lots of detail and intricacies. I feel like you need to wear and see and feel to understand what it is that we do and understand our approach to clothing. I think that there are random occurrences where people are coming to see one brand and then might bump into our brand (Spencer Badu). I think for us it's about spreading the word.

ELISE: What was your favourite piece from your FW24 collection - 014

SPENCER: I would say it is the Spencer Badu 'Bomber Jacket'. It’s a bomber jacket that has a fabric drape, like a poncho or shawl. For me, it’s like a clash of cultures with a uniform template. It uses fabric to cover while depicting a uniform, so it’s similar to the ways African clothing fabrics for an event or celebration. Focussing on protection; It is a winter collection, so I want the customer to be warm. I’m still looking at the idea of abundance and wealth; I think Ghanaian fabric, can communicate one's wealth or one's importance in society. The more fabric one has is a sort of peacocking, if you will. Playing with those themes while considering function.

ELISE: Give an example of something pivotal that you uncovered while exploring new trends recently.

SPENCER: I think the obsession with the nostalgic way of dressing. Especially with me, everything is so rooted in culture, im looking to the past a lot. I think when I first started making clothes I was obsessed with the future, I think the future is made of the past. With a lot of trends now, we are seeing these old styles coming back in new ways.

ELISE: It’s your last few days in London, what are the top three things on your London bucket list that you are still yet to do? 

SPENCER: My friend Shivas Howard Brown, (@friendly.pressure, @shivasonagoodday) has an installation, he made speakers for The British Library's 'Beyond the Bassline: 50 Years of Black British Music' Im going to check that out. My friends told me to go to the Sir John Sloane Museum. I will probably go check out the new LN-CC store in Dalston. Also, seeing as many people as I can before I leave!

ELISE: What is next for Spencer Badu?

SPENCER: I think in the future, we want to play the fashion game. Maybe more traditional things like a Spencer Badu fashion show or maybe more collaborations. We would like to open a store. Do the things that feel authentic to us rather than following the formula. 

Shop Spencer Badu at htown store

Words - Elise-Mai Duffy (@elise.duffy)

Photography & Imagery - Spencer Badu