50 Black-owned fashion brands to support year-round
Upgrade your closet with one-of-a-kind handbags, fitness gear, luxury shoes and more.
Telfar Thigh Hole Track Pant
$187.00
Telfar
$187.00
Telfar
Luxury brand Brother Vellies was founded by Canadian designer Aurora James in 2013, who went on to create the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit organization that champions Black businesses by challenging retailers to commit to providing a minimum of 15% of shelf space and spending to Black-owned brands. Brother Vellies offers shoes, handbags, socks and other accessories with a goal of promoting the work and traditional design practices of artisans from across Africa and South America.
Founded in 2015 by head designer and creative director Sade Mims, this New York City-based brand prides itself on detailed and innovative craftsmanship. The pieces, created for “eclectic beings,” are designed to invoke the brand’s pillars of storytelling and community development, according to Edas.
Ashley Ciriaco created the blueprint for Ciriaco while studying fashion merchandising at Berkeley College, and eventually debuted the brand in 2020 with a handbag that quickly sold out. Inspired by fashion-forward shows like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, as well as Ciriaco’s family ties to the Bronx, the brand’s design signatures include asymmetric silhouettes and bright, dynamic prints.
Founder and creative director of Barkal, Habab El Rufaie, derived the brand’s signature shoe designs from traditional Sudanese men’s shoes called Markoub, according to the brand. The gender-neutral footwear brand aims to honor the strength of El Rufaie’s Sudanese heritage through traditional craftsmanship, styling and detailing — each shoe is hand-stitched and constructed with soft Nappa leather.
Founded by Johnny Nelson in 2017, each piece from this jewelry brand is crafted in New York City. Drawing inspiration from musical genres like punk and hip hop, and especially from New York’s neighborhood jewelers in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the brand focuses on crafting statement pieces that reflect Black cultural experiences.
This handbag and accessories brand was founded by designer Antoine Manning. “I purchased an Ova bag from the brand last year and it’s always a conversation starter whenever I wear it,” says Byrd. In an interview with Vogue, Manning describes “avoiding harsh shapes and lines” while designing. The result: A futuristic bag that looks unique and special.
Created to compliment a diverse range of facial features, Vontélle frames are designed with wider bridges, longer temples and larger lenses for increased comfort while wearing, according to the brand. It offers prescription fulfillment and custom lens colors and tints, which includes options for blue light blockers and polarized lenses as well. The brand also has a wide selection of designs and patterns to choose from, for both prescription and ready to wear glasses.
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Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter for NBC Select; Justin Krajeski is a former associate editor for NBC Select; Ashley Morris is an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select. For this article, Morris connected with brands to confirm that they’re at least 51% Black-owned. (To be considered a Black-owned business, a company must be at least 51% Black-owned, according to the Census Bureau.) She also rounded up a few notable products from Black-owned brands.
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