BY WAVE 4TF's Bold Leader: Kobbi Banks For The Culture Crypt Digital Issue I
The 20-year-old Ghanaian designer has fashioned his brand from a bedroom pipe dream to a social media militia, seizing the pulse of the culture in his grasp.
Talent: Kobbi Banks / Editor: Janan Jama / Stylist: Joshua Nqobani / Creative Director: Niall Smith / Assistant Creative Director: Khurram Salim Rana
London. Summer 2022. It's the peak of a blistering heatwave—think Spike Lee's Brooklyn in Do the Right Thing. Just like the 1989 classic's volcanic cityscape, the UK capital is no exception, falling prey to a cultural, social, and environmental upheaval of its own.
Running concurrently to this is the burgeoning UK fashion marketplace: a freeform, non-restrictive field of expression that often acts as an escape from life's terse rulebook.
With London arguably standing as the fashion scene's beating pulse, the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, Twitter, and the endless microtrend epidemic has seen style whirlpools become personal, creative touchstones.
Take, for instance, Air Jordan IVs, non-SB Nike Dunks, and high-fashion collaborations, all having reached the summit of aftermarket inflation. Cargo trousers, parachute pants, and Carhartt double-knees have become the standard uniforms for many.
In regards to brands, we have the street-adjacent Corteiz, the colourful ode to Manchester living, Drama Call, as well as the punky, noir-driven Years of Tears. Against the status quo, BY WAVE 4TF sets sail for longevity.
Founded by Kobbi Banks in 2020, BY WAVE 4TF not only sells garments; it packages a lifestyle. Coupled with BW4TF STATION—a curated playlist acting as the musical extension of the clothes—the brand houses limitless creativity with its elevated multimedia approach to the label.
Words: Izzy Trotman / Photography: Effiom Edet / Art Director: ThalÍa Robles / Models: Tofe Demuren & Wxterboi
Banks and 4TF cannot be discussed without mentioning his former partner in crime, artist/designer Salskilives. Since their collaborations, Banks specialised more in womenswear, stitching together references to his motherland and 1990s Chrome Hearts to create monochromatic, muted collections reminiscent of Raf Simons, as opposed to the current Y2K revival.
By resisting the temptation to follow the Y2K fashion cycle, 4TF is proving itself to be a refreshing new chapter for the Black British creative sphere. It is a gentle reminder that Black culture is not monolithic; it's whatever the fuck it wants to be.
20-year-old Banks is not just setting trends in the fashion sphere, either. He's also an accomplished music manager in his own right. Closely affiliated with emerging artists like OG KEMi, PIERRE and blamesteez, Banks has placed himself in pole position by being the go-to designer for the alt-fashion movement.
On a warm Friday afternoon this summer, Kobbi Banks hopped a tube station in Wandsworth, South London, geared up head-to-toe in unreleased 4TF gear and a charcoal Prada side bag.
We caught up with the elusive designer to break down 4TF's beginnings, his creative aspirations, and what the brand means to him.
The Culture Crypt: What was your entry point into fashion?
Kobbi Banks: "I can't even pin it down. I feel like it's so easy for me to say, but I really feel like clothes have always been an integral part of my life. Both my parents are pretty into fashion themselves—what they wear matters to them, and they really take pride in it. I think that's really rubbed off on me. My mum had me in Air Jordans at an early age. Way back when, I used to wear a lot of oversized clothes and GAP apparel. Wearing the right fit always made me so happy as a kid."
KOBBI: ASYFLEECE & 4TF BOND CARGOS / MOSH KNIT & DA VINCI DUALI-TEE / 4TF PROCESS MESH, 4TP COLLAB TEE & sILVER SURFER DENIM
WXTERBOI: IN(VEST) MOSH KNIT, 4TF CR4CK DENIM & DG CEREBEANIE
TOFE: 4TF M4XI MESH DRESS
How did your brand come together?
"The brand came about during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. I was in my room chilling because everyone had mad time on their hands, you feel me? I got given a pair of black cargos and was messing around with them. I got some clothing pens online where you can draw on the material and iron on your final markings. I cut out two words: “wave” and “surf.” I leaned more towards "wave" because of my love of music. Anyway, I put a photo of the cargos on Instagram, and people messed with it."
That must've been a surreal moment for you.
"It was. After the cargos, I worked on some denim [trousers]. This was really important to me because it helped me open up and collaborate with people, something I've always done with my brand. For my denim trousers, I went to a charity shop and got some blue jeans and linked up with a girl from where I live called Esme. I did the design for the denim on paper and she painted on them."
You had high aspirations for your brand early on then?
"Of course. I thought from early on, I need to get my clothes on a level where they can be sold sold. An early project of mine was a Lauryn Hill graphic tee actually—she's my favourite artist of all time. When I made the Lauryn tee, I didn't even have a website, it was just my people copping it from me personally. I'd say that particular design was inspired by Marino Morwood; a UK designer who does a lot of legacy-based T-shirts based on pop culture figures. It was a big inspiration on my first tee design."
A lot of great brands have slogans, do you have one for BY WAVE 4TF?
"Great question. My first slogan was 'ride your own wave' because it's all about individuality and really being yourself. It stuck with me."
“4TF translates to the future. To me, life is all about evolving into the future version of yourself—and leaving a positive mark on the world in the process. The beauty of 4TF is that it has no real meaning. It’s free for you as an individual to interpret as you please.”
What's your favourite piece you've done so far and why?
"The MOSH KN1T is one of my favourites. When I did that, I'd taken a long break and hadn't dropped anything for maybe nine months. I spent so much time designing that I was scared. I did so much prep, and it sold out in ten minutes. The knitwear was not the actual design, but the moment that came with it. The 4TF PROCESS MESH was my favourite design-wise. This morning, I deeped I was really working on a mesh top, and it's actually insane. I spent so much time with it, and it ended up being what I wanted and what I envisioned it to be. When all is said and done, I couldn't say anything, to be honest. It's exactly how I wanted it."
How do you feel about comparisons in the fashion world?
"Comparisons make me uneasy. When we compare brand X to brand Y, it's an easy route to judgment without going into the cut of a garment, its visual identity, and craftsmanship."
So, do you think comparisons are damaging?
"Yeah, I feel like everyone's constantly comparing things in their head. If we really deep it, when you're comparing things—you're just critiquing it. Either one of them isn't as good as the other one, and then you stop highlighting the things both brands are trying to do."
You work a lot with mesh, what's your process for selecting materials for your pieces?
"I often start by looking at archive fashion from like 2002-04. Sometimes I look at clothes and think a piece is really cool, but because of how I'm wired, I always think of ways I could tweak or improve or elevate a piece. In the 2000s, you’d see like $900 denim with amazing quality. Obviously, that kind of quality is still around, but what I want to do is bring that quality of yesterday into the modern day in a wider capacity by putting my own spin on it. So, to answer your question on materials, I think it all depends on what piece I'm working on at the time. It varies."
4TF CEREBEANIE
— KB4TF (@whoiskayb) September 27, 2022
£27€30/$29
06/10/2022 8PM GMT pic.twitter.com/sEEixR1LYU
What's next for you?
"I wanna do fashion shows and runways: they're two goals of mine. Paris Fashion Week is the goal and it has been for a while now. Having that control over the runway and how the pieces are styled in real time would be like a dream come true."
Where do you see 4TF going in 2023?
"New places it hasn't been before. I'm constantly evolving and learning more about fashion. Whether it's old lookbooks, campaigns, or specific pieces, I'm a student of the game, and everything I learn gets poured back into 4TF. For 2023, I'll hopefully work with my boy dersim more. He has his own brand called Peccavi, so a collab is deffo on the cards. 4TF is all about exploration."