Fashion and black creativity are like peanut butter and chocolate, caramel and chocolate, or even chocolate and more chocolate. No matter the adversity, the two just seem to be melded tightly together. Even after the end of Black History Month, the beautiful creativity that Black bodies have showcased through fashion despite facing unique and insufferable challenges continues.
One can look back at the Tignon Laws of 1786, a staunch and brash attempt at policing Black bodies turned into Black women showcasing beautiful head wraps and making fashion statements that were also political protests. Even brands like FUBU and Karl Kani creating fashions that weren’t just created by Black imagination, but were also developed with the intent to uplift a race and let us know we don’t need to fit in because we belong here. Black trendsetters have never been afraid to take the fashion world by storm and create clothes, accessories, and shoes that become the staples in wardrobes of many. In 2021, this list of Black fashion brands carries that legacy.
First on my list is a very familiar name, Telfar Clemons. You might be more familiar with just his first name, and his elusive TELFAR bags. Born in Liberia, Clemons founded the genderless brand TELFAR in my native Bushwick, Brooklyn and took over the handbag worked by creating a vegan, minimalistic and affordable bag available in three sizes and a rainbow assortment of colors. What makes TELFAR so popular are the elusive drops that cause the bags to sell out in mere minutes, leaving lucky new owners triumphant and almost owners sitting and waiting for that next drop. TELFAR has been able to stay relevant, popular and fashion-forward even during a pandemic due to its “Not for you, For everyone” motto, a motto that emphasizes inclusion and unity. Something that is important to its the gay, black and immigrant born creator.
You may have been one of many of those google searches for “Who is Michelle Obama wearing?” on the day of President Joe Biden and Madame Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration. If you didn’t get your answer then, well I have it for you now. Sergio Hudson was behind the beautiful maroon and burgundy outfit worn by our forever FLOTUS. This wasn’t the South Carolina native’s first time dressing an A-List celebrity. Issa Rae, Amy Poehler, Leighton Meester, Kamala Harris, and even the queen BEYONCÉ have been seen in Hudson’s luxury ready-to-wear pieces. And with his growing popularity, we can only expect to see more. What makes his collection one of the kind? It’s his bold use of colors and ‘80s inspired silhouettes that radiates grace, sexiness and power. Sentiments one can say that every woman deserves and should feel.
If you haven’t seen those cute little leather purses that have been making big and bold political messages, then you might not be familiar with Brooklyn-native, Brandon Blackwood. Blackwood ditched a career in medicine after graduating from Bard College with a degree in neuroscience, instead he’s been making fashion and political statements with his classic, leather mini totes and purses that shout “End Systematic Racism.” This is a clear stance during a time where racial injustice and systematic oppression has forced many to take to the street in mass protests and to stand up in their own ways. The BRANDON BLACKWOOD label is a full accessories line that has been seen not only by IG influencers, but celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Skai Jackson. Blackwood emphasizes the need to make a statement while also staying true to his roots and who he is.
So whether you wait and watch for a TELFAR bag, shop with Sergio Hudson’s daring and timeless collection, be apart of a political statement and snag a “End Systemic Racism” (ESR) tote from BRANDON BLACKWOOD or invest your coins in another Black designer just make sure you honor the many Black designers who are carrying a legacy our ancestors started.
