'Don't compromise. Do what you want you feel you have to do. If you have flair and originality, eventually you’ll get the recognition you deserve,' is the advice Yamama label head Ray would give anyone wanting to start up on their own in the fashion world. Since he and his business partners bypassed the bank loans and pooled their own money together to fund their passion for original designs, orders have come flooding in for the Brighton based brand.

Proving that you don't need to re-mortgage your flatto be involved in the fashion game, their collection is produced in Bali to give their customers inexpensive, high quality pieces. Fashion conscious in a non-obvious way, Yamama’s latest line seescasual streetwear acknowledge the recent catwalk love for acid colour. Leggings, animal print and gloves in electric pink and midnight blue mix with nylon and muted shades of grey and black for the wearer that likes to merge their day and night time look. It’s hard to make streetwear interesting, but details like this help break Yamama away frombeing 'just another label'. It has also helped that over the past few years, design has undergone a shift in the way it is processed. 'Clothes design has again be deconstructed,' Ray explains. 'So each design was taken apart to see how it was structured and functioned. This meant that new processes for design and stitching were possible and more emphasis was given to detailing and graphics, which in itself was inspiring.'

Grabbing influences from the past, present and future, Yamama aims to insert some much needed individuality into a post-modern world. Their use of unusual materials and audacious graphics on their popular jersey waistcoats and cardigans for men has even attracted some major high street players. 'Design is customer led to a large degree so if something flies off the shelf we immediately re-order it changing maybe only the colour,' says Ray. 'Each season we get particular pieces that shine. Like good comedy it's all about the timing.'

But his future plans for Yamama are no joke. Hoping to open another store in Brighton this summer and one in Madrid at the end of the year, Ray's sights are firmly set on the brand becoming more 'out there' to 'everyone who takes pride in the way they look.' With an international store in the pipeline, is the ultimate goal world domination? 'Top Shop and Hennes are making good designs now and I've always seen them as my main competition,' admits Ray. 'So who knows...maybe a chain of Yamamas!'

Showing the diversity that goes into the label, Ray confesses that he would love to see wayward rocker Pete Doherty and award winning actress Cate Blanchett wearing his designs. Although he cites the reason as 'just so I could go for a cup of tea with them!' the two completely different personalities reveal how flexible he wants his clothing to be. 'In the beginning we just went with the flow and the business snowballed thanks to originality in our designs and the demand from consumers for our products,' he says. 'Now we take it more seriously, it's a tougher industry these days with a lot of talented competition.'

Check out the Yamama website for their latest key pieces, from mohair cardigans and soft wool trousers to biker jackets and zebra print jersey dresses. Each piece in the range is priced under £50.

WWW.YAMAMA.CO.UK


Words: Lauren Tones
Photography: Liam Gleeson