Article: A Tour Through Black-Owned Fashion Brands
A Tour Through Black-Owned Fashion Brands
Fashion is a big place, and there is no single way to define what makes a brand stand out. For people discovering Black-owned fashion brands for the first time, that variety is part of what makes the search interesting. Some designers are known for handbags, others for footwear, while others work across categories. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) offers a resource for exploring designers and their work across the American fashion industry.
Rather than ranking these brands, think of this as a tour. Each stop offers something different to look at, from New York fashion and statement handbags to artisan-made accessories and footwear. So let’s make a few stops and explore the different ways these designers approach fashion, starting in New York and moving through several distinct brand identities.
The First Stop: TELFAR
Our first stop takes us to New York City and a brand whose collection spans several areas of fashion. TELFAR is a unisex line established in New York City in 2005 by Telfar Clemens. The brand describes its philosophy simply: “It’s not for you — it’s for everyone.” That statement reflects TELFAR’s stated approach to fashion, which does not treat menswear and womenswear as separate worlds.
The brand’s current collection includes bags, apparel, footwear, and accessories. Its offerings range from shopping bags and leather bags to clothing and shoes. That makes TELFAR an interesting place to begin a tour of Black-owned fashion brands. Its collection extends beyond one product category, bringing different types of fashion under a unisex label. For anyone exploring Black-owned shoe brands, TELFAR is an example of a fashion label that offers footwear alongside bags, clothing, and accessories.
Our next stop takes that idea in another direction, beginning with a brand whose story started with a backpack.
The Second Stop: Brandon Blackwood
Brandon Blackwood’s story begins with a bag he designed for himself. According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Blackwood created the Portmore backpack after wanting the perfect backpack for himself. In 2015, that design became the foundation for Brandon Blackwood NYC. The Portmore remains part of the brand’s collection. Today, Brandon Blackwood offers a range of handbags, including shoulder bags, crossbody bags, totes, top-handle bags, and backpacks. Its current offerings also include apparel, footwear, and accessories.
There is a personal connection behind the brand’s designs. The CFDA notes that Brandon Blackwood’s bags are named after people close to him and places where he has lived, connecting the collection to his own experiences. That origin makes Brandon Blackwood particularly relevant to anyone exploring Black-owned bag brands and Black-owned handbag brands. The brand began with a backpack designed for personal use before developing into a broader fashion business.
From here, the tour moves toward another approach to accessories, one that places traditional design practices and craftsmanship at the center of the brand’s story.
The Third Stop: Brother Vellies
Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 by Aurora James. According to the brand, its original goal was to preserve traditional African design practices and techniques while creating and sustaining artisanal jobs. Today, Brother Vellies describes its work as luxury accessories made artisanally around the world, with an emphasis on cultural histories and timeless design. Footwear remains an important part of the collection, with styles including Vellies and Huaraches alongside other shoes, handbags, and accessories.
Brother Vellies connects its work to traditional techniques and artisanship. These are not simply details surrounding the finished products; they are part of the mission the brand describes for itself. Its approach offers another way to think about Black-owned shoe brands, showing how footwear can be connected to cultural history, traditional techniques, and artisanal production.
Our next stop continues the exploration of accessories, this time through handbags, family, and African visual traditions.
The Fourth Stop: Anima Iris
Wilglory Tanjong founded Anima Iris. The brand takes its name from two important people in her life: her mother, Iris Tsamoh, and her closest childhood friend, Sarah Yaa Anima Amoyaw. According to Anima Iris, its designs draw inspiration from these personal connections and African history. The brand specifically draws on the palm-oil reds of traditional Bamileke cloth from Cameroon and the geometric shapes of Ghanaian kente.
The production process is another part of the brand’s story. Anima Iris states that its pieces are handcrafted by experienced artisans in Dakar, Senegal. The company also says it works with local Senegalese business owners to source materials, acquires leather in limited quantities, and uses a zero-waste model throughout its manufacturing process. The brand describes its aesthetic as bold and vibrant, connecting its visual identity to heritage, memory, and the women whose experiences helped shape its name and story.
For anyone exploring Black-owned handbag brands, Anima Iris offers an example of a label that connects handbags with personal history, African visual traditions, and artisan production. And now we come to the final stop.
The Final Stop: Fini Brand
Fini Brand began in 2018 as Fini Shoes before rebranding in 2022. According to the company’s rebrand announcement, the change reflected an expansion beyond footwear. Today, Fini describes itself as a New York City-founded fashion accessories company built on the belief that luxury should be inclusive. The brand says its products are consciously produced and handcrafted by skilled artisans in Portugal, Italy, China, and the United States.
Fini’s current product range includes footwear, bags, and accessories, reflecting the broader direction established by its rebrand. The company also describes its approach in terms of small-batch production, craftsmanship, intentional sourcing, and versatile design. These are central themes in Fini’s own description of its products and brand philosophy.
For readers exploring Black-owned luxury brands, Fini offers a perspective on inclusive luxury that brings together footwear, bags, and accessories. Its stated approach emphasizes craftsmanship, versatility, and products designed to move between different environments and occasions.
That brings us back to the larger idea behind this tour. TELFAR offers a unisex collection spanning several fashion categories. Brandon Blackwood grew from a backpack design into a broader fashion business. Brother Vellies connects accessories with traditional design practices and artisanal work. Anima Iris brings personal history and African visual traditions into its handbag designs. Fini brings footwear, bags, and accessories together around its own approach to inclusive luxury. Each brand has a different story, and exploring those differences is part of what makes discovering Black-owned fashion brands worthwhile.
The Tour Does Not End Here
Discovering Black-owned fashion brands is not really about reaching the end of a list. It is about finding the designers, products, and ideas that connect with you. Some people will start with shoes. Others will be drawn to handbags, clothing, or the craftsmanship behind an accessory. A search for one category can be the starting point, but there is much more to discover once you begin looking beyond a single type of product. You can keep following the thread from one designer to another, exploring how different brands approach fashion, craftsmanship, culture, and style.
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