PRIYA AHLUWALIA

FOUNDER AND DESIGNER, AHLUWALIA

Priya’s self-named fashion label Ahluwalia makes modern menswear inspired by her Indian-Nigerian roots and love of music. Sustainable by design, she exclusively uses deadstock, pre-existing and vintage materials that make all of her pieces one-of-a-kind.

A common theme of Priya’s designs is nostalgia, which she puts down to having had a multi-ethnic London upbringing. One capsule collection nods to her Punjabi grandfather’s love of custom-made striped suits. Another collection, which she showcased to celebrate Black strength at GucciFest, is made up of garments customised with personal memorabilia from their wearers.

In only a short time since finishing her Menswear MA, Priya has won a H&M Design Award, a joint LVMH Prize, collaborated with Adidas for Paris Fashion Week, and made it into Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. She has also won the Queen Elizabeth II Award For British Design, secured funding that allowed her to make her first hires, and self-published two books: Jalebi and Sweet Lassi. Ahluwalia is now frequently covered by the global fashion press, giving Priya a platform to continue pushing boundaries.