ANDREW IBI

Graduating from Middlesex University in 1996, Andrew’s tailored collection inspired by the ‘Historical London Black Experience’ earned him the title of Graduate of the Year. Upon this award he made a move to New York City as a trend forecaster while taking up a design position at Joe Casely-Hayford where he produced a boundary pushing, intelligent body of work that is a hit with both press and consumer with runway presentations in Paris and London fashion weeks. Andrew had then been tasked with setting up the CMX line for Club Monaco which was higly successful, laying the foundation for his own label concept. He then went on to establish his aspirational streetwear label Handpaintibi, selling globally to key independent stores with strongholds in Japan and the US. Andrew also established The Convenience Store, with some of fashion’s leading influential and avant-garde womenswear fashion labels.

He is credited with one of the first major pop-up spaces in collaboration with St Martins Lane Hotel and It finished runner up at Drapers Retail Awards in the Womenswear category, ahead of Browns and Selfridges. Now Andrew can be found leading E. MacBean a maverick swimwear brand, pedalling alternate and rebellious perspectives as an arthouse alternative to Fashion.

Andrew is the co-founder of FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) and a founding member of the newly formed BOLD Agency – a Black collective of creative authorities, working to balance the fashion industry through creative progress.