You might have noticed the extent to which some high-end brands have come under attack in recent times for exhibiting designs that have racist connotations.
From ‘monkeys’, ‘Nigga’, to ‘slavery’, many luxury brands have fallen foul with consumers over racist imagery, perhaps in their bid to pursue creativity in their works.
Last December, Prada’s decision to launch a racist blackface product at its SoHo boutique in New York enraged customers. Gucci also released black woolen jumper that looked like the racist blackface used to demean black people in America’s history.
These fashion brands were later compelled to apologize but no explanation whatsoever could justify these works that demeaned black people.
This holiday shopping season, instead of choosing high-end brands that lack diversity and inclusion, here are six black-owned luxury brands you can support:
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Off-White
This luxury fashion label was founded by Virgil Abloh in 2012. Featuring items such as leather goods, belts, pants, purses, and markers, products of the fashion label represent “current culture at a taste-level particular to now.
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With a specific opinion and not necessarily same with vision seasonal men’s and women’s collections are offered,” according to its website.
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Nubian Skin
It was launched by Ade Hassan in 2014 with a carefully edited collection of lingerie and hosiery to provide the essential underwear needs of women of color.
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Hassan had then realized that it was difficult finding suitable skin-tone hosiery and lingerie for women of color.
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Headquartered in London, the brand delivers worldwide and looks forward to growing the company’s offering and expanding its reach, its website says.
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Fe Noel
Featuring bold prints, sensual tops, among others, Fe Noel is a Brooklyn-based, women’s wear brand that is heavily influenced by the Caribbean heritage and close-knit family of the founder, Felisha Noel.
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“Eat well, travel often, and dress to inspire!” is the philosophy behind the brand, its website says.
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Cushnie
Founded in 2008, Cushnie is a luxury women’s ready-to-wear and bridal brand designed by Carly Cushnie. The label was founded on the desire to serve the modern woman.
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“Artfully crafted with clean, sculptural lines, the CUSHNIE collection is precisely tailored to achieve the perfect fit for the female form,” says its website.
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Pyer Moss
Founded in 2013 by Haitian-American Kerby-Jean Raymond, Pyer Moss is a men’s and womenswear fashion label concerned with building a narrative that speaks about heritage and activism.
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The brand gained a lot of fame during the Spring/Summer 2016 season, when its show “highlighted police brutality, referencing the Black Lives Matter movement through use of video, street art and fashion,” according to businessoffashion.com.
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MWR Collection
Founded by Mia Wright-Ross, MWR Collection is “an intrinsic collection of Leather Lifestyle Accessories that are handcrafted in our studio in Washington Heights, New York City.”
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Featuring handmade handbags, furniture, and accessories, the brand “seeks to bring back a sense of humanity and exquisite artisanship to each individual product. From the hand woven leather cable detailing to the modern purposeful engineering, MWR Collection reconnects its buyers to the humanity of the creative design process.”
