Kingston, Jamaica-born, Brooklyn-based Edvin Thompson has much reason to celebrate. The Theophilio designer was just crowned American Emerging Designer of the Year at the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards, confirming that he is a talent primed for the future of American fashion.
“I feel blessed, and fortunate, to be chosen as this year’s American Emerging Designer of the Year,” he said.
Also a 2021 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, Thompson walks a very self-assured edge of pride in his freedom of expression, paying complete homage to his birthplace in his designs. He honed his style as a teen, which paved the way for him to make his official fashion debut in 2016.
Thompson was among the young Black designers at this year’s Met Gala in September, which he attended as a guest of Sir Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One Driver’s efforts to advance and endorse young Black designers. Olympic hopeful Sha’Carri Richardson and male model Alton Mason donned Theophilio, and Mason walked away as one of the best-dressed of the night!
Theophilio stands for and lives by a passion, love for community, family, his homeland, and a very strong credo. If you listen closely, the clothes summon the story he proudly purveys.
What sets you apart from other emerging designers? What is your distinctive point of view?
What makes me different is the authenticity behind my design story. The ideals that are really trending now in the fashion industry – i.e. diversity, inclusivity, and supporting community – have been a part of my brand’s ideology upon inception. It’s who I am as a person. I believe that’s what sets me apart. I champion who supports me – on the ground floor, not just in a social margin. I am committed to the work that I practice within my design stories.
What does fashion mean to you and for you?
Fashion is a means for me to amplify many parts of myself – and many parts for people who look like me. Fashion is a medium that I use to tell stories that the world fails to comprehend for people who look like me. It is a medium to cultivate many stories that the world fails to genuinely tell.
How would you define your personal style as a designer?
My personal style is a celebration of the past and the future. I think my cultural heritage being from Jamaica, allows me to bring the silhouettes, the celebration of colors, and the way that I dress, to the forefront as an extension of my personality.
IG: @theophilio
WEB: www.theophilio.com
