Grace Wales Bonner was born in South East London in 1990 to an English mother and Jamaican father, a heritage that profoundly influences her design aesthetic and philosophy. She attended Central Saint Martins, graduating in 2014. There, her final collection, Afronauts, was lauded for its melding of tailoring and sportswear, enriched by a deep engagement with cultural narratives. Her work as a student anticipated the intersectional approach that would define her career.
Career Beginnings and Wales Bonner Label
Immediately after graduation, Wales Bonner established her own label, Wales Bonner, in London (2014). The brand swiftly garnered attention for its soulful menswear, which fused Afro-Atlantic history, British sartorial tradition, and innovative materiality. Within her first year, she presented Ebonics at Fashion East, earning the Emerging Menswear Designer award at the 2015 British Fashion Awards.
Her subsequent collections—such as Malik and Spirituals, deepened the label’s relationship with global Black identity and academic research, a thread running through all Wales Bonner’s work. Her signature has remained an elegant blend of intellectual rigor and emotive beauty.
Accolades and Expanding Influence
Wales Bonner quickly distinguished herself on the world stage. She won the LVMH Young Designer Prize in 2016, cementing her reputation for unapologetically personal work. She followed this with the British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund award in 2019 and the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year title in 2021.
Her academic curiosity led to a four-year research project at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna, and she has lectured at Parsons NYC. Her brand also expanded to womenswear in 2018, after formative years focused solely on menswear.
Major Collaborations
Bonner’s collaborations elevate her status as a modern cultural force. She is well-known for her ongoing partnership with Adidas Originals—the Grace Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba sneaker, in particular, has achieved cult status. Additional projects with Dior, Swarovski, Anderson & Sheppard, and Stüssy have showcased her ability to reinterpret luxury codes through a multicultural lens.
Appointment at Hermès
In October 2025, Hermès—the storied French luxury house—announced Bonner as its next Menswear Creative Director, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who retired after 37 years in the role. Bonner became the first woman of Black heritage to lead design for a major luxury fashion label. She will officially present her first Hermès menswear show in January 2027, as confirmed by Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès’s Artistic Director.
“I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with the role of creative director of Hermès men’s ready-to-wear. It is a dream realised to embark on this new chapter, following in a lineage of inspired craftspeople and designers. I wish to express my gratitude to Pierre-Alexis Dumas and Axel Dumas for the opportunity to bring my vision to this magical house,” Wales Bonner said.
Influence and Approach
Bonner is praised for a design process rooted in academic research, artistic collaboration, and personal storytelling. Her collections weave narratives of diaspora, identity, and intellectual curiosity with technical mastery and sartorial finesse. At Hermès, observers expect Bonner’s storytelling and tailoring skills to bring new energy while honouring the brand’s commitment to craft and timeless style.
Recent Achievements and News
Bonner continues to lead her namesake brand and regularly speaks at museums, universities, and industry events. While she has yet to publicly debut a collection for Hermès, anticipation is building for her inaugural show at Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2027. Her work has been displayed at the Serpentine Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and she received an MBE for services to fashion in 2022
Table: Milestones and Achievements
| Year | Milestone/Achievement |
| 2014 | Founded Wales Bonner label |
| 2015 | British Fashion Awards – Emerging Menswear Designer |
| 2016 | LVMH Young Designer Prize |
| 2018 | Expanded label to womenswear |
| 2019 | BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund |
| 2021 | CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year |
| 2022 | Appointed MBE for services to fashion |
| 2025 | Appointed Hermès Menswear Creative Director |
| 2027 | Scheduled debut of Hermès menswear collection in Paris |
Grace Wales Bonner’s leadership marks a transformative new chapter for Hermès and the future of luxury menswear, blending scholarly insight, multicultural perspective, and unrivaled craftsmanship.
