Graduating from Middlesex University in 1996, Andrew Ibi’s razor sharp, tailored collection inspired by the ‘Historical London Black Experience’ earned him the title of Graduate of the Year.

After moving to New York as a Trend Forecaster, he took up a design position at Joe Casely-Hayford, producing a boundary-pushing body of work with runway presentations at Paris and London fashion weeks. He then relocated to Toronto in 2000 where he set up his own labels.

Returning to the UK, in 2004 he began teaching at Kingston University, London College of Fashion, and Ravensbourne. Closing all his labels to pursue design consultancy, he soon after took on the role as Head of Menswear at Burlington, exhibiting the luxury heritage brand in Florence, Milan, Paris, Munich and London. He launched cult, insider retail space, The Convenience Store, in 2008, with some of fashion’s leading influential and avant-garde womenswear labels. He is credited with one of the first major pop-up spaces in collaboration with St Martin’s Lane Hotel.

In 2012, he went back into education to direct MA Fashion at Kingston, with part-time teaching also at the RCA and LCF. He moved to Manchester in 2012 to lead the Fashion Promotion programme as Principal Lecturer before going on to his current position directing the Fashion Department at Liverpool John Moores.

Andrew continues to practices Art & Design through his new brand, co-founded with his wife, E.Macbean, a maverick swimwear brand, promoting alternate and rebellious perspectives.

He is the co-founder of FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) and a founding member of the newly formed BOLD Agency – a Black collective of creative authorities, working to balance the fashion industry through creative progress.