As professional shoppers—I’ve dedicated this name to market writers everywhere, okay?—we’re constantly on the hunt for the most splendid discoveries. Whether we’re uncovering a slouchy new boot from Loewe or Aisling Camp’s Kapok Dress, we have to be on the quest for newness. And while we often hear about the biggest names in the game, it’s clear that several Black-owned emerging handbag brands are holding their own: dominating social media, appearing in campaigns, and being touted on commutes and beyond by loyal fans. That’s what will skyrocket Black-owned brands: loyalty and invariant support. Solidarity is not a one-time deal.
Support is crucial to brands’ longevity. Stanford University’s 2017 study remains true: Black business owners have less access to capital than do their non-Black counterparts. And Black-owned brands don’t have the same safety net (social and capital) as big-dog designer empires. In this system, it is crucial to recognize the power held in a single wallet. A purchase goes a long way for Black-owned brands, and things won’t change until these designers are part of a global brand-to-know Rolodex, organically—to shop now, tomorrow, and perpetually, beyond a holiday or breaking point.
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