Gravalot
An Afro-Contemporary menswear label rooted in the historical exploration and progression of black cultures. Garments are crafted with local artisans while modern and traditional materials are adapted into contemporary designs ready for the international stage.
Self-discovery. Purpose over consumption. No longevity in mediocrity. Dignity in labour. Good to nature. Break the constructs of habit. Learn & unlearn constantly. The greatest secrets are yet to be revealed. The greatest stories are yet to be told – Don’t change, transform.
Founded by Onye Anuna and Prince Comrie — London, 2014
Environment
Providing products and services that preserve and sustain the environment has always been and will always be a core driver of our business model as dictated by the affirmation Good to nature. Some of our ongoing efforts to reach net-zero emissions include removing plastics from all areas of our business, choosing suppliers with good environmental practices, and using fabrics and components with minimal environmental impact.
Localised production; Localised development; Local/regional sourcing; Widely used 100% natural materials; Absolutely minimal use of plastics based materials; Short production runs; No mass production; Almost zero use of toxic chemicals used during production; Re-use of sample materials; Unsold stock distributed to local clothing banks with branding removed to maintain brand integrity — This website runs on renewable energy.
Craft & Community
The community is core to everything we do as dictated by the affirmation Dignity in labour. We pay our partners, suppliers and artisans fairly in accordance with their local prices and abhor any practices such as the use of slave labour or the deprivation and displacement of local communities. The nature of our work means we are always in contact with a diverse array of peoples, tribes, cultures, communities and customs, and in all instances we work without discrimination.
The preservation of long held crafts passed through generations such as weaving, dying, embroidery, leather work, metal work, fabrication and many others is a key component of our business. Our affirmation No longevity in mediocrity is testament to this and we ensure that locally designed products are developed by skilled local craftsmanship with benefits to the local economy and the environment at large.
Ventures
Often we have a need for tools and services which are too costly, too clumsy, too slow or too difficult to use. We've created our own in-house tools and services that help simplify our business, and share services that support the brand's wider vision. This is backed by the affirmation Break the constructs of habit. Learn & unlearn constantly.
Pleatt — A free online platform for small fashion studios to easily manage their product and supplier database. We use it heavily to streamline our creation of techpacks, linesheets, costings and more · Visit Website ◳
Sub-Saharan Stories — An ongoing project that aims to collect a comprehensive set of traditional stories and folktales from Sub-Saharan Africa. It aims to provide a level of preservation for future generations by improving the accessibility and awareness of these increasingly rare stories. · Visit Website ◳
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