Reece Yeboah - ‘Your favourite rappers favourite designer, how Saint London designer, Reece Yeboah broke the American market and what he’s set to conqueror next’
“Design with a purpose! Make sure everything is understood and explained well through the garments you make”
Reece Yeboah wearing Saint London
If humility was a person then Reece Yeboah (@reeceyeboah) would be it. The British-Ghanaian designer behind Saint London whose accolades alone speak for themselves. Despite this, he remains grounded and focused on the mission he has set out to achieve. I had a catch up with him to talk about his journey so far and what's next for him.
For many designers, when asked about how their journey began, they usually start with when their personal relationship with fashion started, Reece however, recalled the influence of his mother, who would dress him distinctly in the likes of Moschino, Prada and GAP. Though he had no idea what these names meant, he does remember the number of compliments he would receive and how he felt in them.
His personal relationship began when he was in school and a conversation with a good friend which transpired into them wanting to start a brand. They wanted it to be a play on inspiration from Pharell’s Billionaires Boys Club and the NFL Pittsburgh Pirates. It wasn’t until he was sent to Ghana that he had the time to take things seriously.
Before he left for Ghana, he recalls the launch of infamous luxury streetwear brand Trapstar who brought pop-ups and exclusive drops to London giving us the Supreme feel with queues that went round the corner of the building they were hosting in.
Saint London was born in Ghana, whilst out there, he spent his time planning, sketching and designing in preparation for his return to London. That day finally came in 2009.
This was where his journey began.
Rapper Lil Durk Wearing Saint LDN Evil Eye & Core baseball caps!
Why start with streetwear?
Streetwear is in our blood. The streets are a blank canvas and offered me the opportunity to step into an industry with low costings in order for me to study the market and understand the customers. It was something I was comfortable in, having grown up in the environment. I started with t-shirts where I learnt the differences between using blanks and cut-and-sew alongside the ways in which to print using vinyl, screen printing and direct to garment.
What pushed you to launch?
Whilst working at Waitrose, Grenfell happened and I lived directly behind it so you can imagine what was going through my head mentally. I needed that time to try and process everything when everyone was in a panic and the local authority clueless. I quit my job, as they failed to understand what I was going through and this led me to put my all into Saint London.
How did you get stocked at Selfridges?
I gave myself a 6-month timeline to get into Selfridges. My t-shirts were seen by one of the buyers who invited me to the office. We spoke, and I had explained what I had started. He was so impressed that when I presented the collection, they brought everything exclusively. They saw that I came with a community and believed in me and the brand.
After his Selfridges stock sold out, it opened many doors that led to features in Forbes, Dazed, and the likes but he still felt he was not well received in the British market so he made the decision to focus on where he was receiving the most orders and great interest – America. The British Fashion Industry is one that’s known for innovation and rebelliousness where the undiscovered become known yet the consumers prefer heritage brands that have stood the test of changing times and trends which Reece discovered.
His journey took a twist as the NFL sent him a cease and desist letter as his brands’ name, Saint London, was a conflict of interest to one of their teams. To avoid further issues, he made the decision to withdraw and work on a rebrand.
How have you navigated the pandemic?
The pandemic has really been a blessing. It has given me the time I needed to really put in the work behind the scenes in time for the relaunch.
What are you planning next?
I have 8 years' experience in the industry and did everything by myself with no team. What I am building is more than me. I am drawing on my experiences in Ghana and being British to crossbreed cultures from 2 different worlds to create a synergy. I want to remind people to know their roots, embrace their heritage and go beyond borders. When I start, I won’t be stopping so I am doing all the preparation now. There is a difference between starting a brand a clothing line. I intend to retire early before passing things to the next generation of youth.
Future Wearing Good Die Young tee During High Off Life Tour 2019
What is one piece of advice you would give any young upcoming designers?
Design with a purpose! Make sure everything is understood and explained well through the garments you make, the visuals you create and the story you're telling.
What is one lesson you have learnt?
Preparation is key! Study the business you are going into and cover all the bases of building and running a brand. Make sure you do all the necessary work to set everything up from the legal to the and financial side. Create a 9 - 18-month plan on how you will go about building your brand and break it down into 3-month sections
Creating and running a brand isn't his only skill, he styles and dabbles into the graphics of every concept he puts out. It’s safe to say he is becoming a master of all understanding the fundamentals of a business and brand as well as the creative side of things. His work has been seen on your favourite artists from #Future and Gucci Mane to #Moneybaggyo and #lildurk. He’s styled alongside Jason Rembert and boasts a wealth of experience at such a young age. He continually puts in the work and I am certain that when he launches his new project, he will take the international markets by storm. You can check him out at @reeceyeboah on Instagram and @saint_london.