As the world wakes up we’re all realising where we’ve fallen short in our allyship to black people. Now more than ever we’re understanding our ignorance and the need to educate ourselves in order to be actively anti-racist. This goes far beyond social media, as we need to make changes in our everyday lives and support the movement on ground level.
As many people abstained from posting on #blackouttuesday a wave of incredible black-owned businesses were finally given the platform they deserve. From designers, stylists, beauty brands, artists and musicians there was so much talent to be inspired by.
While researching this article I saw so many pop-ups about sold out products or a high volume of orders. It was really lovely to see the support these brands are getting but it’s something that needs to be sustained and not just at this moment. Please follow, support and shop as many of these as possible and become an active part of their community.
FASHION
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Cold Laundry Store
Founded by Ola and Cerise Alabi, the collection at Cold Laundry is designed to ‘inspire, calm, and bring about happiness and pleasant thoughts’. Their pieces are effortlessly cool, wearable and in the most gorgeous pastel colour palette.
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Aff & Jam
Short for Africa and Jamaica, this brand was founded by two artists who create wearable art inspired by their heritage. They hand-paint or print often onto upcycled vintage pieces which are then sent in 100% recyclable packaging.
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Elsie & Fred
Founded by three siblings and named after their grandparents, this all-inclusive line is the ultimate destination for festival and party wear. All their clothes are designed and made in London and they design their own prints for their super-bright fabrics.
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Chalk Jewellery
This brand is founded by a practising architect and it really shows in the clean lines and geometric shapes of her jewels. This is a great find for unique investment pieces that you won’t find anywhere else.
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Rita Colson
Designer Rita Colson creates couture evening and bridal gowns from her studio in London. She works with ethically sourced fabrics to create her timelessly elegant but fashion-forward pieces.
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VSMINE
VSMINE have a collection of ethical, basic tees with tongue in cheek, embroidered slogans. My personal favourite being ‘happiness is expensive’ made in 100% brushed cotton.
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Tihara Smith
Tihara Smith founded her namesake fashion, accessories and lifestyle brand after graduating from the University of the Creative Arts in Epsom (same as me!). Her pieces are bright, fun and full of personality while being heavily inspired by her Caribbean heritage.
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Martine Rose
Martine Rose is one of the best menswear designers in the UK and her line is stocked by prestigious vendors such as Mr Porter and Dover Street Market. Her pieces have a fun, vintage-inspired vibe and a heavy emphasis on traditional tailoring techniques while redefining masculinity.
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WHIM Byaree
Described as an ‘exploration of art through clothing’ WHIM Byaree is a destination for great prints and summer separates. Their sister brand Beads Byaree has gorgeous handmade jewellery too recently worn by Kelly Rowland on her new single cover.
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Oma The Label
If you’re looking for on-trend, wearable jewellery to invest in this will be your new favourite website. They’ve got everything from hoops to dainty chains that you can layer up and get creative with.
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VIRIDY
This conscious brand plants five trees for every order placed along with using EcoVero™ fabrics derived from wood pulp. Their classic slip dresses are a timeless investment that you’ll wear forever.
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KNOTS
Specialising in headwraps, bandanas and headbands, KNOTS sources their products from all over the world but only from female vendors. They also have an in-depth tutorial page with step by step videos on tying your headwrap.
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Omi Woods
Recently featured on Rihanna’s Vogue cover, Omi Woods uses fair-trade African Gold sourced from small-scale artisanal mines. The pieces are incredibly detailed and have a real heirloom like quality that makes them extra special.
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DOS Swim
Shay Johnson and Paula Hess worked at Opening Ceremony together before founding Dos Swimwear. They mixed their love of travel and colour with a desire to create swimwear that really fits your body and makes you feel good.
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Elia Vintage
This is such a cool vintage brand with a focus on classic tailoring and timeless pieces in neutral shades. You can also sign up on the website for a personal styling session if you need some help working your new pieces into your wardrobe.
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Brother Vellies
This is a luxury shoe brand with an emphasis on sustainable fabrics and manufacturing practices. The shoes are created with by-products like recycled tyres and vegetable dyes. They also never have a sales which allows them to pay their production line a fair wage.
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Lait De Coco
This stunning vintage brand has some incredible art direction and one of the most aesthetically inspiring feeds. They sell a handpicked collection of pieces on their stories each week with a good mix of timeless classics and statement pieces.
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House Of Aama
House of Aama was founded by mother and daughter design duo, Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka. Rebecca was a lawyer before her daughter graduated from Parsons and they began making clothes together.
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Christopher John Rogers
Sold exclusively at Net-A-Porter, Christopher John Rogers creates the clothes you wear in your dreams. He reimagines classic silhouettes in bright fabrics and prints while managing to hold onto their classic elegance.
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Fe Noel
This is a new discovery for me but one of the most beautiful collections I’ve ever seen. Fe Noel is a womenswear designer from Brooklyn who started a vintage store at 19. She later developed her passion into her own line which is heavily inspired by her Caribbean heritage.
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TOVE
Design duo Camille Perry and Holly Wright worked together at Topshop before founding this brand. They make the most beautiful dresses and separates that are timeless investment pieces.
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Cushnie
Designer Carly Cushnie has an eye for clean lines, tailoring and creating an impact with her clothes. This luxury label focuses on evening and bridal wear and has famous fans including Beyoncé and Gal Gadot.
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AAKS
Handcrafted in Ghana, AAKS is a handbag label that uses traditional weaving techniques to create their pieces. Their bags are bright, artistic and in gorgeous silhouettes.
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Elexiay
I have so much appreciation for handmade crochet pieces as they take so much time to create! Elexiay have a great selection of dresses and co-ords that are all handmade and can be made to order.
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Monrowe
inspired by her grandfather, a jazz singer, milliner Dani Evans creates gorgeous handmade hats that channel his free spirit and creativity. Each piece takes 4-6 weeks to craft while ensuring it fits like a glove and is completely yours.
BEAUTY
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Maya Njie Perfumes
‘Inspired by an old family photo album from the decades before her birth, Maya set out to capture, by way of scent, these moments in time, these tropes of familial life, set within their frames. ‘What did it smell like?’
Maya Njie is a self-taught perfumier focusing on luxury, crafted scents inspired by her African and Swedish heritage. Her gorgeously chic bottles come in bespoke packaging inspired by her families photograph albums.
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Charlotte Mensah
Owner of the Hair Lounge on Portabello Road, Charlotte Mensah founded her namesake brand to care for afro/mixed and curly hair types. She uses sustainably sourced oils in all of her products to help control frizz, add shine and care for your scalp.
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bea Skin Clinic
Harley Street-trained skin specialist Bianca Estelle founded bea Skin Clinic to help people better understand and improve their skin. Her products have been featured in Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Harpers Bazaar and her range covers everything from moisturisers to acne-fighting serums.
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Beauty Bakerie
Sweet treat inspired brand Beauty Bakery has genius packaging and an amazing shade range in foundations and palettes for all skin tones. Their Rice Flour Setting Powder and Matte Liquid Lipsticks are also worth picking up.
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Luxemore London
This haircare range bridges the gap between luxury aesthetics and all-natural ingredients. Their hair oils come in the most beautiful bottles with a percentage of each sale supporting the Distant Relatives Project.
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LIHA
Founded by two friends who met at university, LIHA is a celebration of aromatherapy techniques and ingredients from Yoruba tradition. Their IDAN oil is a multipurpose moisturiser that’s perfect for adding a glow to your skin or soothing dry hair.
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The Glowcery
If the name wasn’t genius enough their nutrient-packed, superfood ingredients will definitely impress you. They promise to ‘feed your skin’ with products made from cold-pressed vegetable, fruit and nut oils. The Coconut Crumble Lip Scrub and Clean Greens Facial Oil look particularly good.
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Golde
This is a superfood health and beauty brand that create everything from face masks to latte blends.
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Soapsmith
Founded by Sam Jameson, Soapsmith creates beautiful scents inspired by places in London including Brick Lane, Hackney and Camden. The line includes hand washes, soaps, lotion and bath soaks in gorgeous packaging that’s perfect for a self-treat or a gift for someone else.
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Briogeo
Founded by girl boss Nancy Twine, Briogeo is one of the best hair care brands out there with an army of cult products. Their Don’t Despair, Repair! hair mask has cult status and is an absolute game-changer for dry or damaged hair. I would also recommend their Scalp Revival Treatment which uses charcoal and tea tree to cleanse and reduce flakiness.
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The Lip Bar
The Lip Bar has one of the biggest shade ranges in foundations and base products making it a great destination for anyone struggling to find their match. I think their Bronzer and Blush Duos are GENIUS too along with their 4IN1 Face Palettes.
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TEMI
Temi Shobowale started making her own natural beauty products before turning it into a business. TEMI merges beauty and wellness together to create products that make you look and feel amazing. I’ve added their Sleepy Honey Buttercream and Radiance Complexion Mist to my wishlist.
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