This is the year to start supporting the very many outstanding Black-owned independent labels that exist – many have taken a significant Covid-induced hit – and we need them to succeed if we are all to thrive. Here are some hand-picked labels to start exploring – heck, buy from them – because in the final analysis, what’s not to love here?
Victoria Grace
Impossibly elegant, good-for-the-planet, easy-to-wear clothes make it the first fashion stop for many.
Victoria Grace is owned by Jennifer Roenne, whose fashion career spans over working with British Vogue, setting up the first merchandise Calvin Klein store and working as an Independent PR consultant in London.
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ALYDA
ALYDA is a petite womenswear brand that ethically produces timeless clothing for the modern woman under 5’4″. Founder Abbey Gregg created the brand to cater to petite women “familiar with the disappointment of donning an online order, filled with hope, to reveal an unexpected floor-skimming hem, or a supposedly fitted waistline hanging below the belly-button.”
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Titi Adesa
Luxury footwear designer
“The collection is largely informed by an overarching theme of unison which is depicted through interlockings, knots & sinuous ropes, in magnetic colourways & textures, from ribbed chartreuse, tangerine ombré to mustard satins, offering a fresh palette as the colourful heart of the collection.”
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Aminah Abdul Jillil
This award-winning luxury shoe brand is famous for a bold, feminine design aesthetic (and her signature ankle bows). We love her children’s range which come in a dazzling array of colours – from scarlet reds to neon to glittery silver.
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Petit Kouraj
Playful and oozing style, Petit Kouraj makes a range of statement bags with a contemporary aesthetic. The bags are handmade in Haiti and celebrate the designer’s love of and affinity for sculpture, knitwear and identity.
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Abiola Olusola
Who else wants to look this cool in the summer?
Founder Abiola Olusola, a graduate of the Instituto Marangoni Paris, has created a brand with a “minimalist aesthetic, femininity, functionality and ease” with “under currents of innate sensuality”. Her eponymous brand will appeal to you if you like a classic, contemporary design aesthetic with sleek lines and understated elegance.
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Adebayo Jones
The man needs no introduction and his luxury label continues to go from strength to strength. Read our interview with the designer to the stars here.
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taideaux
“We’re here to change that narrative and fill the existing gap by providing pieces made specially for your fuller bust.”
Because the struggle is real: founder Dolapo has created effortlessly stylish clothes for the well-endowed woman ((DD-K). And the clothes are no less beautiful for it. Find corset tops and easy-to-wear maxi dresses that make it easy to love your curves.
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Atijo Store
For a beautiful collection of vintage designer and artisan products look no further. Atijọ, meaning ‘in the past’ in Yoruba, was founded in May 2019 by friends and London-based stylists Anu Odugbesan, Londiwe Ncube, Safiya Yekwai and Caitlin Moriarty to bring a luxury experience to vintage shopping.
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Sindiso Khumalo
‘Storytelling through clothes’ – is what marks out South African Sindiso Kumalo’s eponymous label, not to forget her outstanding commitment to poverty alleviation, in particular in her support for the South African artisans who produce the hand-woven textiles for her modern, sustainable collections. Khumalo was the recipient of the Green Carpet Fashion Awards – a sustainability–focused award.
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