Linrico Humphries: Embracing meaningful and sustainable fashion

Although fairly new to the Namibian fashion scene, Linrico Humphries is already in a league of his own with his unique and forward-thinking take on fashion.

The young design star had barely graduated from fashion school when the industry started to take notice of his work. Since he completed his studies at the College of the Arts in Windhoek in 2019, Linrico has showcased at the MTC Windhoek Fashion Week and dressed some of Namibia’s biggest celebs. In 2020, he was one of the seven Namibians to receive an award at the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Fashion Awards which honoured Africa’s newest designers in the Fashion With a Purpose community. Not slowing down on his accomplishments, Linrico once again showcased at Namibia’s premier fashion event in 2021 as one of a handful of designers who created garments for mobile giant MTC’s soon-to-bereleased Blue Tick clothing label.

I caught up with this creator of the edgy, high fashion garments that are not only beautiful to look at, but are a statement of what sustainable fashion in Namibia looks like.

AN EARLY INTRODUCTION TO FASHION

Like many Africans, Linrico did not become acquainted with the concept of sustainable fashion by following the recent trends around the world. He grew up in a society of people who stretched the lifespan of garments over generations.

“I remember attempting to stitch my first bralette top for my twin sister. I made it out of upcycled denim. My sister was usually my muse for all attempts at making clothing in order to sharpen my skills as an aspiring designer,” he says. But while his sister inspired him to think out of the box by creating repurposed clothing in a design process that results in less waste, it was his mother’s love for luxury clothing that birthed Linrico’s taste for vintage, high fashion looks.

His love for creating garments out of sketches from a very young age eventually prompted his parents to encourage him to follow his passion and study fashion.

GROWING A BRAND

Since launching his brand, Linrico has had the opportunity to collaborate with companies and brands across Namibia. He has made sure to continue elevating his brand by improving features such as labelling, switching up its logo and generally refining all garments that he produces. After four years of growing and learning, he now describes his brand as one that is androgynous, multi-disciplinary and swanky.

12His vision is to ultimately have the brand become globally recognised. He wants to represent Namibia and its cultures, to tell its stories on the global stage. He wants to get there by being authentic and unapologetic in creating unique capsules that stand out.

“Other than that, I would also love to contribute to the sustainable development of our society and that of the environment with which we interact and in which we live.”

THE FASHION DESIGNER’S ROLE IN SOCIETY

So what inspires Linrico’s creativity? He says that “family, love and a passion for the gift God has given me” are right up there as his biggest reasons to keep going.

“Each day has its own inspiration that drives me to create androgynous high fashion,” he says. His design process can be influenced by many things on any given day. From content that he sees in a magazine, something that pops up in the streets, or a random incident at home. Any and all of these things can translate into a piece of clothing for this talented designer who sees fashion as a way of expressing his view of the world.

Each day has its own inspiration that drives me to create androgynous high fashion.

As a designer who is literally contributing to the conversation on fashion’s contribution to communities, Linrico says that the conscious Namibian fashion designer is one who creates opportunities for individuals to express themselves through what they wear.

His dream for Namibian fashion is to see designers switch things up and experiment with different design methods and styles and to “really embrace Namibian culture.”

GETTING INTO THE 2022 PATCH COLLECTION

As a designer who is big on sustainability, Linrico obviously continues his preference for regenerative and restorative production with his 2022 PATCH Upcycle resort collection. The collection is all denim. All reused fabric. All very experimental with a great outcome.

“The PATCHED capsule collection is a unisex resort campaign uniquely crafted from deadstock denim by Linrico Humphries and a community of individuals who believe in saving the environment by upcycling the closet items they no longer wear,” Linrico says. The collection consists of denim shirts, jackets, corsets, tops, bucket hats, jeans and accessories. But as experimental as his designs are, Linrico’s ultimate goal is to have clients feel luxurious when wearing his clothes.

His work, as seen in this bold new collection, continues to reflect his consistency as designer. It reflects his unique take on authentic, future-facing fashion that is ahead of its time – especially in Namibia.

Follow Linrico on Instagram @linricohumphries_.

Photography: @shy_guys_photography

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Communications Specialist, Blogger and Freelance Fashion Writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and on Instagram @rukeekaakunga.