Happy Juneteenth. While we celebrate being Black, fly, and excellent 365, today, we wanted to spotlight Black women designers. Fashion’s strides today would not have happened without the contributions of Black women, from stylists and designers to PR mavens and so on. Within the fashion space, there are several hoops that Black women have had to jump through to get to where they are now, that they definitely shouldn’t have had to but did so with grace. One of the many things that Black women do see well is uplifting each other, and in doing so, the Black fashion community has grown into something bigger than just numbers and diversity quotas but a safer space to express and call out the glaring issues of racism and sexism and the isms in-between. From The 15 Percent pledge and the Black In Fashion Council to Black CFDA finalists getting mentorship and so on, we can start to see some real change toward true progress.
While the ESSENCE team is hard at work to give Black women their flowers and Black women around the world a place of solace to feel a sense of comfort in being vulnerable, the team is also always looking for ways to uplift Black women. In supporting them, the ESSENCE team has compiled all of their favorite Black woman-owned brands. These brands embody the grace, gentleness, vibrance, and confidence that Black women inherently possess. Each brand’s ethos is either about sustainability, comfortability in one’s skin, or a celebration of the feminine physique. From beach cover-ups and swimsuits to glamourous gowns to hand-crafted bags to casual cargos, these Black women-owned brands are what keeps the shopping experience, so fun to try new things and expand one’s wardrobe.
Celebrate Black women by buying from them this Juneteenth. Take a look through the ESSENCE team’s top picks of Black women-owned fashion brands below.