Inky satin tailoring, lavishly draped dresses and hand-embroidered accessories make up the signature look of designer Feben. The Central Saint Martins graduate, who completed her MA in Fashion as an Isabella Blow scholar, is one of the brightest upcoming stars of the British Fashion Council’s Newgen cohort, already boasting a slew of high-profile fans: she’s dressed Erykah Badu and Janelle Monáe, while Beyoncé asked Feben to create costumes for Brown Skin Girl, her ode to the beauty of Black women.
Feben’s own introduction to the power of fashion came from her mother. ‘Looking back, I can see that she used clothes as a tool for expressing herself. I remember being quite embarrassed growing up because she didn’t dress like everyone else. But now that I’m older, I can see that being different is much cooler. I think the most interesting style comes from people who have nothing to do with fashion and are totally outside of that world.’
And that is the kind of woman Feben designs for. ‘Someone with an eclectic vibe, who likes mixing stuff and has been exposed to different cultures. I want people to feel like they’re wearing something special.’
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Her AW22 collection Sky is about ‘the pursuit of light amid darkness’ – a theme that reveals her desire to uplift those she encounters. ‘People forget how emotionally hard it can be in the industry. Sometimes you just need a person to say, “I believe in you.”’
Working closely with others is a way of doing this: the jewellery for Sky was created by Peruvian craftswomen, while the beaded bags are the result of an ongoing collaboration with artisans in Ghana. ‘It’s a way of giving back and helping these communities develop their work.’
Offering emerging designers placements in her studio is another: ‘People want to learn, and they’re helping at the same time – so why not help back? What mark are you going to make by not making someone’s life a bit nicer? Now that I’m in the industry, I’m going to change things if I can.’
Shop Feben Now
FEBEN Ruched Midi Skirt
£900.00
FEBEN Large Azebs Tote
FEBEN Ruched Maxi Dress
£1,595.00
FEBEN Bias Cut Slip Midi Skirt
£380.00
FEBEN Cut Out-Detail Roll Neck Knitted Top
£435.00
FEBEN Patterned Slip Dress
£1,060.00
FEBEN Bias-Cut Mini Skirt
£420.00
FEBEN Bias-Cut Mini Dress
£870.00
Her approach is no doubt partly a result of her own life, displaced between various countries. Feben is Ethiopian, but she was born in North Korea and grew up in Sweden, before moving to London. ‘I grew up in different refugee camps,' she says, 'so I think it’s important to always remember where you came from.’
This article appears in the June 2022 edition of ELLE UK.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
