Warning: The following project contains research material that is offensive. Please note that all these examples have been used to highlight the social landscape of the UK from 1950-1980 and do not reflect the views of myself or the FAD team.
It is important to me as a black woman that people, both in the industry and wider society, understand how far we have come in the UK and how much further we still have to go. In 2020, black creatives are still a minority in the fashion industry and are still marginalised and abused in our fields. We yearn to be acknowledged and celebrated for our contributions, not just in stereotypical areas like sport and music. We have a rich and a unique perspective and through my work, I aspire to show that.
This project, entitled “Keep Britain White”, explores my heritage as a 2nd generation Black British woman and the struggles and triumphs of my grandparents when they first came to the UK in the 1950s. From being ostracized and openly racially abused to developing a unique identity and community that has continued to impact and inspire mainstream popular culture to this day.
I hope that anyone viewing this project can appreciate the tenacity of Generation Windrush and the beauty of the life they have made here in the UK. To learn more about the lives of my grandparents and others, be sure to read “Homecoming” by Colin Grant and “Black and British” by David Olusoga.
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