Resolute to drive a post-gender revolution, Toronto-based Spencer Badu founded his eponymous label in 2015 during his freshman year of college. Experimenting with clothing design, Badu taught himself the art of patternmaking and needlework before enrolling in design school, a move that would galvanize the formation of his unisex ready-to-wear label. A devotee of the Bauhaus movement, Badu takes a less-is-more approach to design, crafting ultramodern with subtle yet salient intricacies. A nonconformist by nature, Badu’s creative force is driven by a need to express his point of view through tailoring the gender-free world he wants to inhabit.
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Which ’hood are you in?
Currently, I live in the West end of Toronto, but I’ve been all over the map. I grew up just outside of the city, in Brampton, and went to fashion school in Calgary before finally moving back here in 2017. Growing up, I remember commuting hours just to be downtown so that I could have a glance at all of the creativity that existed in the city, so I feel grateful to call Toronto my home and to be able to make a living doing something creative that I love.
What do you do?
I’m a fashion designer, influenced by my parents who are immigrants from Ghana, West Africa, with a dream to create an impact on the world. Fashion is something that I naturally gravitated towards growing up and I’ve been on a constant journey to put out unique designs ever since. A lot of my brand’s aesthetic is inspired by referencing historical uniforms while adding an elevated edge to turn them into something original.
What are you currently working on?
To start off the NBA season, I recently teamed up with Ruffles to create the Cut Different capsule collection, a limited-edition merch line for basketball fans of the North. This exclusive collaboration between Ruffles and the Raptors pays homage to the extraordinary traits that make both fan bases who they are and allow them to find power in uniqueness while representing their home team – a team that I am also a proud fan of, having grown up in the city.
Where can we find your work?
You can find it online on my website.
