BIPOC-Owned Conscious Fashion Brands

In the fight against racism, using your spending power to support black-owned businesses is a great way to show solidarity. Providing financial assistance ensures the businesses are able to invest in the growth of their companies, while increasing their visibility against the typically white-washed big businesses. Here are 11 of my favorite BIPOC-owned sustainable brands that deserve some serious recognition and ongoing support.

Galerie.LA

Celebrity stylist Dechel Mckillian brings her extensive fashion industry experience to GALERIE.LA, a consciously curated selection of sustainable fashion brands. Seeing the negative impact fashion has on our planet firsthand, Dechel began to scout sustainable fashion designers for GALERIE.LA, with the intention of bringing socially conscious fashion to the forefront of the industry. Her incredible eye, as well as her appreciation for sustainable design means the site is chock-full of incredible emerging brands from around the globe that all share her philosophy that you don’t have to sacrifice style for sustainability.

ACC Pick: Jasmine Dress | Shop Galerie.LA

Brother Vellies

Aurora James’ impressive fashion industry experience was already well underway when she founded Brother Vellies in 2013. This extensive industry background, as well as her clear passion for fashion is obvious when you see the brands’ luxury accessories, which are truly one-of-a-kind. The process of making the accessories stay true to the traditional African techniques often used, while also creating artisanal jobs across the globe. The brand is in itself, a celebration of Africa’s cultural history & an homage to the artisans who create the pieces that will garner you more compliments than you’ll know what to do with.

ACC Pick: Tuesday Mules | Shop Brother Vellies

Omi Woods

When shopping jewelry, it’s important that the fine materials used to make the pieces are sourced ethically and conflict-free. The founder of Omi Woods, Ashley Alexis McFarlane, knows the importance of this; ensuring her jewelry line was consciously sourced from fair trade African gold and conflict-free fine metals while also making sure the people who mine the gold are paid a fair wage for their time & labour. The line itself is an impressive array of contemporary pieces that are meant to be worn daily and for many years to come. As a woman of Jamaican-Ashanti-Maroon heritage, it is clear that Ashley has paid tribute to her heritage through the design of her heirloom jewelry pieces.

ACC Pick: Double Up Coin Necklace Stack | Shop Omi Woods

Back Beat Co.

This responsible brand founded by Isadora Alvarez is the epitome of California-cool. Made ethically in LA & India, the brand clearly takes cues from California’s vintage surf culture and applies it to their effortlessly cool tees, sweats & casual streetwear pieces. The vintage-inspired clothes are constructed from low-impact fabrics such as hemp and organic cotton, while each step of the production process is carefully considered. The company’s ability to make old school designs fresh and modern is as inspiring as their responsible production choices.

ACC Pick: Organic Cotton Jazz Mock Neck Tee | Shop Back Beat Co.

Proclaim

The brand Proclaim gets so much right. From their inclusive sizing to their use of eco-conscious fabrics, this LA-based lingerie line is certainly one to bookmark. Their super-soft underwear are crafted from REPREVE® recycled polyester, a material made from post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, and the revolutionary fabric called TENCEL™, which converts sustainably-sourced wood pulp into cellulosic fibers. The undergarments come in a wide range of sizing that seeks to represents all women and are produced at a facility in Los Angeles where the skilled workers are paid a fair wage and strict labor standards are upheld. Like I said, they get a lot right.

ACC Pick: Tencel Bralette | Shop Proclaim

Lemlem

Following a trip to her native Ethiopia, supermodel, actress & designer Liya Kebede was inspired to start lemlem when she met a talented group of weavers whose skills were no longer in demand. The beautifully embroidered collection of womenswear is therefore made entirely in Africa with the intention of expanding jobs & preserving artisanship. Handwoven from natural locally-sourced cotton, the breezy kaftans & summer-ready dresses are the perfect accompaniment to your tropical holiday or European vacation.

ACC Pick: Jima Smocked Striped Woven Dress | Shop Lemlem

Two Days Off

Former climate scientist turned entrepreneur, Gina Stovall, founded Two Days off in 2018 after struggling to find sustainable pieces that fit her aesthetic & lifestyle. Each thoughtful piece is constructed from quality deadstock materials in Los Angeles on either a made-to-order basis or in limited edition batches. This ensures the production process is slow and not contributing to excess waste; an ethos that was, and remains to be, very important to Gina when starting the brand. This ‘small-batch’ mentality also means each piece is that much more special because once it’s gone, it’s gone. Therefore, be hasty if you want one of their casual-cool textiles.

ACC Pick: Indya Tank | Shop Two Days Off

Selva Negra

Founded in 2016 in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, Selva Negra is the love child of friends & designers, Kristen Gonzalez & Sam Romero. After connecting post-graduation from their prospective design schools in NYC, the pair created a brand that represents their femininity, Latina heritage & Annie Hall-inspired style. Mindfully-made in Los Angeles with locally-sourced fabrics and consciously imported trims, Selva Negra pieces are bold yet wearable and very obviously crafted with quality in mind.

ACC Pick: Phoebe Dress | Shop Selva Negra

Aaks

Showcasing the impressive weaving techniques by the women of Ghana is what Akosua Afriyie-Kumi aimed to do when founding her unique bag company, A A K S. As a Ghanaian native herself, Akosua now stocks her woven bags in over 60 stores worldwide, with the brand garnering plenty of attention from many international publications such as Vogue. The handcrafted bags are the perfect design blend of authentic African ancestry & bold, modern colors while the intricate technique used to make them has sparked more sustainable jobs within the country.

ACC Pick: Baw Pot Bag | Shop AAKS

Aliya Wanek

Speech therapist and designer, Aliya Wanek, started her ethical womenswear label in 2016 as a creative outlet but it’s since become so much more. Sewing most of the garments herself, Aliya has successfully designed pieces that are comfortable yet stylish, with a neat Japanese aesthetic. The brand’s mission is to produce the original clothing in the most ethical & sustainable ways possible, such as using zero waste packaging and paying a living wage, while representing women of color, who Aliya says are sadly “often viewed outside the standard of beauty”. You go, girl.

ACC Pick: Aruna Jacket | Shop Aliya Wanek

House of AAMa

The pieces that mother/daughter duo, Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka design are strongly influenced by the PostBellum South; a time period that’s significant in black culture and one that they wanted to pay homage to with their brand. Think high collars and victorian silks with a modern day edge—it’s dreaaaamy! There’s a strong sense of identity and history in the gorgeous pieces, as well as some serious talent.

ACC Pick: Victorian Silk Pussybow Shirt | Shop House of AAMA

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