Minorities are consistently under-represented in our day-to-day lives, notably in the world of fashion. It's likely you're looking for a way to support black artists. Whether that's the case or you're just a fashion-lover in general, these brands aren't just some of the best black-owned fashion brands — they're some of the most innovative brands of our time, period.
From luxury staples to fun accessories and loungewear, these brands aren't just stunning names you should definitely be following on Instagram, each honors the founder's roots in unique ways with the power of storytelling through artistic expression that manifests in pieces we can't wait to wear.
Brother Vellies
Founder Aurora James made trendy, leather-forward brand Brother Vellies with the intention of honoring traditional African design practices and traditions.
Pyer Moss
American Haitian Kerby-Jean Raymond founded Pyer Moss as a menswear brand in 2016, but has since expanded into womenswear, and even a collaboration with Reebok.
Ashya
Ashya is THE go-to spot for the trendy belted bag look you've likely been wanting to try out (or already have). Co-founders Ashley Cimone and Moya Annece are dedicated to expertly-crafted, unisex travel wear.
Edas
Head Designer at Edas, Sade Mims, repurposes home products to make sustainably-produced jewelry in the form of feminine, dainty staple pieces.
Christopher John Rogers
Christopher John Roger's eponymous label, available online exclusively at Net-A-Porter, is precisely where you go when you need a head-turning dress to show up at your ex's wedding wearing.
Lemlem
Supermodel Liya Kebede developed Lemlem to build a space to showcase the talented weavers in her native Ethiopia. All handwoven pieces are made in Africa from natural, Ethiopian cotton.
Petit Kouraj
London-born Haitian, Nasrin Jean-Baptiste, founded her brand of fun, lively, luxury Petit Kouraj handbags in 2018 and has since developed knitwear and even sculptural pieces.
Martine-Rose
Martine Rose established her eponymous, London-based label of essentials with a modern twist in 2007, and has since been internationally-renowned for her creative spin on closet basics.
Wales Bonner
Winner of the 2016 LVMH Prize, founder Grace Wales Bonner has been hailed as one of the most promising newcomers in menswear for her sleek and modern designs, expertly tailored for her eponymous brand Wales Bonner.
Cushnie
In 2008, co-founders Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs graduated from Parsons and went straight on to developing the internationally-acclaimed fashion house Cushnie filled with luxury sexy-yet-sleek silhouettes.
Victor Glemaud
Haitian-born Queens-raised Glemaud worked at brands like H&M for the Met Gala, Versace, Marc Jacobs, and Tommy Hilfiger before launching his eponymous brand, Victor Glemaud, of non-gender-conforming luxurious leisurewear.
Vavvoune
Valerie Blase is of self-taught artisan genius. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Vavvoune is her leather accessories brainchild.
Undra Celeste
For modern essentials that are bound to transcend time by being closet staples for years to come, Undra Celeste founded her eponymous brand of elevated basics with comfort in mind.
Andrea Iyamah
Founder Dumebi Iyamah pays homage to her Nigerian roots with Andrea Iyamah, the brand she birthed at the mere age of 17 after teaching herself how to pair beautiful prints and bold colors with everything from bathing suits to jumpsuits.
Fe Noel
Felisha Noel made the career 180 from finance to founder and designer of Fe Noel in order to build out a physical representation of her love for bold prints and vibrant colors with some of the most chic, elegant, and sexy resort wear we've ever seen.
Telfar
Telfar Clemens founded his unisex line, Telfar, to house his elegant accessories with a modern twist as a teen in 2005.
Thebe Magugu
The eponymous South Africa-based label has gained Thebe Magugu an LVMH prize and even a spot in the highly coveted permanent collection at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
Mateo
Montego Bay, Jamaica-born Matthew Harris was the son of a seamstress, but the self-taught jewelry designer started Mateo with a focus on understated mens jewelry, only later broadening his scope to create elegant, dainty staple pieces for women, as well.
House of Aama
Founded by mother-daughter duo Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka, House of Aama houses Victorian-esque, elegant pieces that are timelessly chic and feminine.
Hanifa
Hanifa Mvuemba may have only founded her brand, Hanifa, in 2012, but she's already gained an international following for her knack for storytelling through her pieces and the ways in which he honors her country, the land of Congo.
KHIRY
A modern renaissance man, Jameel Mohammed is a true artist: the writer/editor/designer/director founded Khiry where he develops Afrofuturist luxury pieces.
Kimberly Goldson
Not for the shy or subtle taste, co-founders and sisters Kimberly Goldson and Shelly Powell's brand of bold clothing for fearless, modern women is inspired by their hometown of Brooklyn.
LaQuan Smith
Queens-born LaQuan Smith launched his eponymous brand started his brand at age 21 by the direction of his grandmother, and we couldn't be more thankful with the result of risk-taking designs that have gained the accolades of celebs like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Rihanna.
Phlemuns
James Flemuns founded unisex label Phlemuns with the goal of manifesting a community of risk-taking fashion-lovers, but he may be best-known for designing the two-piece outfits in Solange Knowles' "Don't Touch My Hair" video.
Heron Preston
The Ariana-Grande hailed eponymous label, Heron Preston's tech and sustainability-inspired work isn't just the definition of effortlessly cool — it's all made with environmental responsibility and human impact in mind.
