David later went to London’s Central Saint Martins, graduating with honours in April 2009 under the tutelage of Louise Wilson MBE and winning the Harrods Design Award at Graduate Fashion Week. The idea of entering the famous London university didn’t come out of the blue either – in an interview with BURO’s Editor-in-Chief in 2019, Koma shared “…when I was 14, my mother gave me a book that talked about important designers and the places where they studied. That’s when I discovered Saint Martins.”
Immediately after, the certified fashion designer launched a personal label and has since shown collections as part of London Fashion Week. Over the years, the brand has received numerous awards, including Vauxhall Fashion Scout in 2009, NEWGEN sponsorship in 2010 and Fashion Forward in 2013, and the designer has quickly gained favor with celebrities (he has dressed Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Hailey Bieber, Adele, Olivia Rodrigo and others) and established himself as a master of sculptural yet feminine dresses.
In 2014, David ironically (or according to her) became creative director of Thierry Mugler, replacing Nicola Formichetti who moved to Diesel: “I always knew that one day they would call me. And when they called me it was very natural, throughout the interview I was myself.” Mugler’s director of development, marketing and communications, Virginie Courtin-Clarens, commented on the choice: “We decided that we needed a real couturier. We felt that it was worth focusing on the product.” She presented her debut collection and part-time cruise for Mugler on June 14, 2014 at Milk Studios in New York, and left home in December 2017.
