Sum London’s Menswear Stitches Together Asian and British Heritage
Although there are cultural lines between dressing customs around the world, there are common threads in fashion, one of which is denim.
Born in London, Chinese-British designer Margaret Sam is taking an East-meets-West approach for the label she created, Sum London. Following experience working for labels like Griffin and Nicholas Daley, her own brand is all about utilitarian menswear with the twist of Eastern silhouettes.
In one recent celebrity collaboration that exemplifies this merging of cultures, Sum London developed a custom 3M Martial Arts Jacket for Sergio Pizzorno of British rock group Kasabian that he donned at the Busan International Rock Festival in Korea this October.
Denim features strongly in Sum London. Earlier in her career, Margaret interned at The Vintage Showroom, and she recently partnered with the archivists to co-curate the Key Pieces from Inspiring Wardrobes collection, showcased in The Boxes at Kingpins Show Amsterdam.
Carved in Blue spoke with Margaret about the background for Sum London, her design approach and denim’s relationship to both her Asian and British roots.
Carved in Blue: What was the concept for your brand? How would you describe Sum London?
Margaret: Sum London is British-Asian heritage brand. We are founded on celebrating mixed cultural identities and building a brand that speaks to the Asian diaspora and London’s melting pot. We are committed to telling authentic stories and designing quality, made-to-order pieces that balance Eastern silhouettes with utilitarian clothing.
Carved in Blue: How do your combined Asian and Western cultures come to life together in your looks?
Margaret: The Martial Arts Jacket embodies Sum London. It’s a very London feeling tracksuit jacket with a distinctively Mandarin collar and three Chinese fastenings inspired by Ip Man’s Wing Chun suit.
Instead of frog toggles, we use contemporary gunmetal buckles and the best two-way RiRi zippers.
At Sum London, we reinterpret our traditions to fit the contemporary culture we grew up in, while respecting where we come from and our heritage. When designing, I think of concept, silhouettes, color and fabric. At least one of these aspects will have an Asian or British influence. Then, balancing these elements makes a Sum London piece.
Our ideas around British-Asian heritage translate beyond design; whether it’s a subtle location shoot in Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park, London or a collection called “Where Are You From?” or a scarf priced at 88.88 pounds [the number eight is auspicious in Chinese culture]; all elements are intentional and from my lens as a London-born Chinese designer.
That being said, the final product needs to speak for itself. Always.
Carved in Blue: From your perspective, what is denim’s place in both Asian and British fashion history?
Margaret: In terms of manufacturing, Asia’s industrial expertise is second to none. For Britain, denim means quality and heritage.
From my perspective, denim is deeply connected to the Asian story globally, beyond Britain. We might all be spread out and have cultural nuances, but we’re connected through ancestry and by the way we look. When I think of denim, I think of the Chinese gold miners and Chinese builders of America’s Transcontinental Railway. I think of them after a hard day’s work, in San Francisco’s Chinatown wearing Levi Strauss’ first edition of the jean.
It brings to mind the Qing dynasty, Hong Kong as a British colony, Victoria Harbour and Chinese seamen in Liverpool.
Despite their contributions to American and British economies, the Chinese faced the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and British deportations after WWII. The Chinese community and Asian allies are linked by this history, and I question what it means for our future. How can we design denim to honor this legacy? Sharing these stories through denim is key to connecting with our cultural history and the mainstream.
Carved in Blue: How are you putting your own spin on denim within your collections?
Margaret: The Denim Hanbok Trucker is inspired by the traditional Korean hanbok. I have brought it to contemporary culture by transforming it into a trucker jacket. It’s very wearable and fits everyone.
The Hakama Kilt merges Japanese martial arts trousers with a Scottish kilt, blending their cultural pleating techniques.
Carved in Blue: What are some of your past—and upcoming—show highlights?
Margaret: A New York pop-up is on the horizon, and we created our first pop-up in London, Fitzrovia. We curated a British Chinese Living Room for people to gather.
Most recently, we held our SS25 runway show at one of the most historic museums in London, The Museum of The Home. As an independent brand, this was a huge achievement, especially at this stage of our growth.
Carved in Blue: What is next for Sum London? What are your plans for 2025?
Margaret: I am inspired to tell the story of Chinese workwear and The California Gold Rush through some denim pieces. We have more exciting announcements that you can stay up to date with on @sumlondon_.