ACF x OZWALD BOATENG
OZWALD BOATENG
Two Decades of Creative Partnership.
From collection design and runway presentations to strategic consultancy and creative direction, Art Comes First has partnered with Ozwald Boateng across landmark fashion projects for more than a decade
Photographers:
Jamie Morgan
Oluwaseye Olusa
Jimmy Hansen
OVERVIEW
A Long-Term Creative Partnership Built on Trust.
Art Comes First has worked alongside Ozwald Boateng across multiple chapters of the brand's evolution, supporting creative direction, collection development, runway presentations and strategic projects.
The relationship began through hands-on experience inside the Ozwald Boateng studio on Savile Row before evolving into an ongoing consultancy, with ACF returning to lead projects across fashion shows, product development, editorial direction and brand storytelling.
Selected Highlights
• Long-term partnership spanning in-house design and independent consultancy
• Collection design across luxury tailoring
• Creative direction for international runway presentations
• Strategic consultancy across Europe, Africa and North America
• Editorial and campaign creative direction
• Trusted creative partner across multiple brand chapters
CLIENT
Ozwald Boateng
STATUS
Long-Term Creative Partnership
DURATION
2008–Present
INDUSTRY
Luxury Fashion & Tailoring
LOCATION
London • Paris • New York
SERVICES
Creative Strategy · Collection Design · Creative Direction · Fashion Shows · Product Development · Styling · Runway Production · Editorial · Campaigns · Special Projects
From Design Studio to Trusted Creative Partner
The relationship between Art Comes First founders Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh and Ozwald Boateng spans almost two decades.
Beginning inside Ozwald Boateng's Savile Row design studio, both worked within Ozwald Boateng's Savile Row design studio, contributing directly to the development of collections while gaining an in-depth understanding of the brand's philosophy, craftsmanship and creative process.
While Art Comes First was already developing as an independent creative practice, Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh continued to build their experience inside Ozwald Boateng's design studio before later returning as independent consultants through ACF. During this time they also held senior creative roles beyond Ozwald Boateng, including Spencer Hart, further expanding their experience within British luxury tailoring and later The Kooples in Paris.
As Art Comes First evolved into an independent creative consultancy, the relationship with Ozwald Boateng also evolved. Rather than remaining part of the in-house team, ACF became trusted strategic collaborators, regularly returning to lead projects spanning creative direction, collection development, runway presentations, editorial styling, product development and large-scale cultural events.
Today, that partnership continues on a project-by-project basis, with Art Comes First acting as creative advisors across initiatives requiring strategic thinking, cultural storytelling and contemporary luxury positioning.
Partnership Journey
Joined Ozwald Boateng's Savile Row design studio
↓
Collection Design
↓
Expanded experience across British and Parisian luxury fashion
↓
Returned as independent creative consultants
↓
Lead Creative Direction for Major Projects
↓
Runway Presentations
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Editorial & Cultural Projects
↓
Strategic Consultancy
↓
Ongoing Partnership
Scope of Consultancy
Across multiple engagements, Art Comes First contributed far beyond collection design, providing strategic and creative support across every stage of the brand experience.
Creative
Creative Direction
Collection Design
Fashion Shows
Strategic
Brand Storytelling
Strategic Consultancy
Cultural Narrative
Commercial
Product Development
Campaign Development
Special Projects
Creative Challenge
Ozwald Boateng had already established one of fashion's most distinctive identities.
The challenge was not to reinvent the brand, but to continually evolve it while preserving the craftsmanship, cultural heritage and tailoring language that had made it iconic.
Across multiple projects, Art Comes First introduced fresh creative perspectives while ensuring each project evolved the brand while remaining unmistakably Ozwald Boateng.
Landmark Projects
London Fashion Week — 100 Models (2010)
Context
To celebrate Ozwald Boateng's 25th anniversary in menswear, the brand staged one of the most ambitious presentations in London Fashion Week history, culminating in a procession of one hundred models from Leicester Square to Savile Row.
Objective
Create a landmark runway presentation that celebrated twenty-five years of Ozwald Boateng while reinforcing the brand's position as a modern force in British luxury tailoring.
ACF Role
Creative Development · Show Direction · Runway Production Support · Casting & Styling Direction
Outcome
The presentation became one of the defining moments of London Fashion Week, with one hundred models transforming the streets of London into a live extension of the runway and reaffirming Ozwald Boateng's influence on contemporary tailoring and fashion culture.
Project Highlights
100 Model Runway Presentation · 25th Anniversary Celebration · Leicester Square to Savile Row Procession · London Fashion Week·
Harlem Renaissance — Apollo Theater (2019)
Context
Presented at the iconic Apollo Theater in New York, The Harlem Renaissance marked the centenary of one of the most influential cultural movements of the twentieth century. The presentation celebrated African heritage, Black cultural identity and the dialogue between Africa and its global diaspora, while introducing Ozwald Boateng's first womenswear collection.
Objective
Create an immersive cultural presentation that honoured 100 years of the Harlem Renaissance while expanding Ozwald Boateng's creative vision through fashion, music and performance, introducing the brand's first womenswear collection to an international audience.
ACF Role
Strategic Creative Consultancy · Creative Direction · Show Concept · Creative Production · Art Direction · Brand Storytelling · Cultural Narrative Development · Styling Direction
Outcome
Presented at the Apollo Theater in New York, the production brought together fashion, music and live performance to create one of Ozwald Boateng's most ambitious cultural presentations. Featuring over sixty models, a live orchestra and an audience of internationally recognised cultural leaders, the show reinforced Ozwald Boateng's position at the intersection of luxury fashion, African heritage and contemporary Black culture.
Project Highlights
Apollo Theater, New York · 100 Years of Harlem Renaissance · First Womenswear Collection · Live Symphony Orchestra · Live Symphony Orchestra.
Cultural Significance
The presentation demonstrated how fashion could serve as a platform for cultural dialogue, connecting African heritage with the global diaspora through craftsmanship, performance and contemporary storytelling.
Homecoming — The Savoy Theatre (2022)
Context
Following a twelve-year absence from the official London Fashion Week schedule, Ozwald Boateng returned with an ambitious presentation at the Savoy Theatre. More than a runway show, the production celebrated Black British culture, craftsmanship and the evolution of contemporary tailoring through fashion, music and live performance.
Objective
Create an immersive cultural presentation that marked Ozwald Boateng's return to London Fashion Week while celebrating British tailoring through the lens of African heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary Black culture.
ACF Role
Strategic Creative Consultancy · Creative Direction · Show Development · Creative Production · Art Direction · Brand Storytelling · Cultural Narrative Development · Styling Direction .
Outcome
The presentation transformed a traditional runway into an immersive cultural experience, combining fashion, live music, spoken word and performance to celebrate Black British creativity and mark Ozwald Boateng's long-awaited return to London Fashion Week. The show reaffirmed the brand's position at the intersection of luxury tailoring, culture and contemporary storytelling.
Project Highlights
London Fashion Week Return · 1The Savoy Theatre · Black British Cultural Celebration · 100+ Look Collection · 100+ Look Collection · Immersive Runway Experience
Commercial Impact
Across multiple engagements, Art Comes First helped translate creative vision into internationally recognised runway presentations, product development, editorial campaigns and cultural events, providing continuity across more than a decade of Ozwald Boateng's evolution.
Press & Recognition
Supporting copy
The partnership between Art Comes First and Ozwald Boateng has been recognised by leading international fashion, business and cultural publications, highlighting its contribution to contemporary tailoring, runway innovation and Black cultural storytelling.
WWD
Savile Row, Harlem and the Evolution of Black Tailoring
Women's Wear Daily explored the cultural significance of Ozwald Boateng's work, recognising the relationship between Savile Row tailoring, African heritage and contemporary Black fashion while acknowledging Art Comes First within that evolving narrative
The Industry
Ozwald Boateng Returns to London Fashion Week
The Industry covered Ozwald Boateng's long-awaited return to London Fashion Week, recognising the presentation as a celebration of Black creative excellence and one of the defining runway moments of the season.
Vogue
Ozwald Boateng Celebrates Black Excellence With a Grand Homecoming Spectacle
Vogue documented Ozwald Boateng's return to London Fashion Week after a twelve-year absence, highlighting the immersive presentation that combined tailoring, music and performance to celebrate Black British creativity and cultural storytelling.
Forbes
Celebrating Africanism at the Apollo Theater
Forbes examined the Harlem Renaissance presentation through the lens of culture, business and identity, highlighting the Apollo Theater showcase as a landmark celebration of African heritage, fashion and the launch of Ozwald Boateng's first womenswear collection.
Hero Magazine
FW22 Runway Presentation
Hero Magazine documented the Autumn/Winter 2022 presentation, highlighting Ozwald Boateng's continued evolution of contemporary tailoring through performance, craftsmanship and cultural storytelling.
Philosophy
The partnership with Ozwald Boateng shaped Art Comes First's belief that tailoring can function as cultural storytelling. Rather than treating fashion as seasonal product, both practices approached clothing as a vehicle for identity, craftsmanship and dialogue between heritage and contemporary culture.
Legacy
Very few creative partnerships in fashion evolve from in-house collaboration into decades of independent strategic consultancy.
The relationship between Art Comes First and Ozwald Boateng demonstrates a shared commitment to craftsmanship, cultural storytelling and creative evolution, built on trust rather than individual projects.
Across collections, runway presentations, editorial direction and international cultural events, the partnership continues to shape contemporary luxury fashion while remaining rooted in Savile Row craftsmanship.
Explore More Project
CREATIVE AGENCY
THE KOOPLES
LAD/
