Fashion

As a little girl growing up in Detroit, encountering an Afro-Latino was rare. There was little to no Latino representation in the midwest, leading me to rely on mainstream media for a portrayal of my community. My mother did her best to educate me on my Mexican roots, yet I still felt a slight disconnect from the Latin community. Because I didn’t resemble Latinas who had European physical features, I felt I wasn’t Latina enough—even though I identified as such, even though my Latinidad was all I knew. When I began taking trips to the tierra of Mexico ten years ago, I remember feeling overjoyed at the sight of people who looked like me. I felt seen. I felt recognized. From then on, a hunger to educate myself on the Black diaspora within the Latin American community grew exponentially. Once I moved to NYC in 2015, I was exposed to people of different backgrounds, cultural traditions, foods, and dialects. The more I started seeing different parts of the world—like Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic—the more I was able to connect with those who have the same complexion as me. With all of this new-found knowledge and experience, it felt like a new world was opening up for me and for many who look like me. That became a catalyst for me and the role I wanted to play: Fostering a community that celebrates and honors Afro-Latinidad. Behold, Yo Soy Afro Latina was born. My goal is to shed light on the beauty and the magnitude of Afro Latinas, to create a space where we are acknowledged, and to celebrate our beautiful, diverse culture. We’ve been here and we’re not going anywhere. This is our time to shine. — Bianca Kathryn. THE MISSION. At Yo Soy Afro Latina, we are on a mission to empower Black women within the Latin community. Founded by a Black woman, YSAL celebrates Afro-Latinidad in the Americas and we’re here to validate our hermanas’ experience. This is more than a trend or a movement. This is a celebration of a culture that is just as diverse as it is rich in pride.

Two Sisters Simply Fed Up With The Lack Of Representation Of 4c Hair. Systematically, Women Like My Sister And I (And Probably You, If You’re Reading This) Have Been Excluded From Conversations Around Beauty And Under-Represented In Mainstream Media. Despite our cumulative 40+ years toting the hair growing from our scalps, it wasn’t until very recently, that we even begun to explore our natural hair. The imagery we are bombarded with on a daily basis doesn’t regularly highlight, or even acknowledge, the gigantic (and ever growing) population of black women with hair like ours, and that takes a toll on our self-image. We felt a transformation in ourselves, as we began to explore and proudly rock our 4c naps–and we wanted to share that feeling with as many 4c women as we could. Our goal is to be a source of information, tools, and community. For any girl who’s ever felt hair-shamed, pressure to alter / manipulate their curl pattern, or just wants to see more representation—this is for you.

CARIBBEING is a thriving cultural organization that stands at the crossroads of film + art + culture. Based in Flatbush, Brooklyn AKA Little Caribbean, CARIBBEING spans contemporary culture and is a hub for creativity and collaborations with some of the Caribbean’s most visionary talent and innovative brands. Now in its 10th year, CARIBBEING has grown into a global movement. Handcrafted here and back home CARIBBEING creates unique + unconventional collections for those who crave authenticity + cultural relevance + who support local ideas and makers. What started off as an experiment, transformed into a collection of beautiful things that you can wear + utilize + incorporate in everyday life. MADE IN BROOKLYN. 100% CARIBBEAN. BLACK OWNED.

ONCE UPON A TIME…THERE WAS A GIRL NAMED TIFFANY. SHE LOVED LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY. THE BIG APPLE. THE CONCRETE JUNGLE. THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. ONE DAY, THE WICKED WITCH OF RELOCATION CARRIED HER FAR FAR AWAY. SHE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO MISS NEW YORK, BUT SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT FURNISHING A NEW HOME IN A NEW CITY. SHE SEARCHED HIGH AND LOW, FAR AND WIDE FOR THE PERFECT THROW PILLOWS TO MAKE HER NEW APARTMENT FEEL SPECIAL, BUT NOTHING QUITE SUITED HER TASTE. WHAT WAS SHE TO DO? TIFFANY DECIDED TO MAKE HER OWN PILLOWS AND IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PROCESS. FINDING UNIQUE TEXTILE PATTERNS. SEWING EVERY STITCH. BEST OF ALL, TIFFANY’S NEW PILLOWS MADE HER APARTMENT FEEL NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD, BUT JUST RIGHT. AND IT BROUGHT HER TONS OF JOY TOO! AS SHE BASKED IN THE HAPPINESS OF HER NEW-FOUND HOBBY, A LIGHTBULB WENT OFF IN HER HEAD. WHY NOT SHARE THE PILLOWS THAT BROUGHT HER SO MUCH JOY WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD? THAT’S WHEN TIFFANY OPENED THE RASPBERRY ROOM. SINCE THEN, TIFFANY MOVED BACK TO NEW YORK CITY TO START A NEW CHAPTER IN HER LOVELY LITTLE BUSINESS. ALL OF HER PILLOWS ARE HANDCRAFTED AND NAMED AFTER THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO INSPIRE HER EVERY DAY.

Hi, my name is Joan. I'm a self taught jewelry designer & fiber artist. My plunge into pompom making, after what felt like a lifelong hiatus from creativity, gave way to this beautiful Babe Comets community that has become larger than life. It is a community that boasts of self-love, communal appreciation, and boundless affirmations. Our babes embody confidence, boldness, and unadulterated fun as they strut into their goals. When I'm not making earrings, I manage branded content for other major brands (day gig) and am producing content for our Instagram (@babecomets) and look books. xo, Joan

ABOUT US. It's a beautiful thing when true art and exceptional craftsmanship converge. Designed to be much more than just jewelry, it is the pursuit to inspire individuality. Our designs are modern, timeless and truly uncomplicated. It's designed to become an extension of you, is created to be worn everyday. The fluidity and sheer ease of the shapes and silhouettes, the endless ways to layer earrings, stack rings, and necklaces options will be sure to accentuate your personality. Elma Blint jewelry is available in 18k and 14k gold, vermeil, sterling silver and brass. We believe that our jewelry should not be about exclusivity but accessibility. You deserves to define your own narratives and live in your truth. OUR DESIGNER. Originally from rural Jamaica, Elma Blint uses her jewelry to navigate spaces not typically frequented by Black Women. Self taught as a jewelry designer and visual thinker, Elma has been able to use her work as a platform to define her own narrative while inspiring others to do the same. Elma is well-traveled, culturally aware, fashion forward and possesses the self-assurance and warmth of a wise nomad who understands the intrinsic nature of people. She is always ready to share her radiant smile. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her two sons and is a budding plant parent.

Many moms are frustrated by the lack of sufficient representation in the children’s market, so we created a brand to fill that void. Anyone can guess that negative representation can hurt a child’s self-image, but many studies show that NOT seeing yourself represented can also have a damaging effect. It can leave a child feeling invisible and unimportant. Self-esteem is how much you value yourself and how important you believe you are in the world. Developing self-esteem is an important journey that all children will navigate, however, black boys and black girls are often met with limited representation and a world that candidly AND overtly tells them who or what they can and cannot be or that they are not enough. We created a brand for us, by us to support our mini masters in creating their own narratives. We are Mini Masters is here to support moms in their mission of raising children of color that feel good and positive about themselves. We are Mini Masters is here to help black children feel seen. We want to celebrate, uplift, and empower them with our confidence-boosting messages. We want them to have a positive ethnic- identity and love who they are deeply and proudly. It was important for us to go beyond message tees, we knew and understood the value of seeing yourself reflected, it sends the message - YOU MATTER. We want to become your go-to brand for all things HAPPY FREE BLACK KIDS!

Blood Line of Kings was founded by Michael Ebele and created out of his talent and passion for art as well as his love of Black Culture. He wanted to create art that would uplift and inspire all people in the Black Diaspora and to remind them that they are descendants of great people: Kings, Queens, liberators, warriors, activists, etc. We hope the products offered by BLOK reflects that passion and they are something you would wear or show off proudly and unapologetically. Thank you for visiting our page.

MOST BEAUTY AND JEWELRY BRANDS STRUGGLE TO MAKE THEIR BRAND PACKAGING STAND OUT, THE WHOLE BAG CO. OFFERS CUSTOM REUSABLE BAGS TO GIVE A MEMORABLE UNBOXING EXPERIENCE THAT EFFORTLESSLY HYPES YOUR BRAND. The Whole Bag Co. was born out of the need to create high-quality, reusable gift bags for your brand. Your packaging is a customer's first "hello" to a product and the best way for your brand to make a statement and leave a lasting impression. These beautiful and reusable bags are not only sustainable, but can keep your brand excitement going. Your customers can reuse them everyday for travel, storing accessories, beauty products and jewelry, and just about anything they would like to keep neatly organised at home or on the go. Prints are only done on fabric bags. Our collection includes sheer nylon (organza), smooth satin and natural cotton. Each is available in varying sizes. We love seeking out new, innovative ways to mix stellar graphic design with our impeccable hand printing skills to give you the best customized and reusable gift bags that add the perfect touch to hype your brand unboxing experience.

TOVE is an advanced contemporary brand conceived with the ethos of creating a minimal, refined wardrobe for the modern woman. Inspired by the lives of these women, the label explores the concept of creating collections that layer season upon season. Each piece is designed to be relevant, yet exhibit a timeless quality that ensures longevity. Expert craftsmanship and luxury fabrics provide the foundation of each collection. Sustainability is at the centre of the brands’ philosophy. Fabrics are sourced from mills that share a vision of creating in a low impact way. The finest quality natural, organic and recycled fabrics with environmental and social certifications are used throughout the collections and manufacture is mainly at source to keep carbon footprint to a minimum. Every TOVE design is meticulously considered and forms part of an edit of signature pieces. The generosity in the cut of the fabric and the design detail in each piece epitomises the focus of the brand. The motivation; to curate a collection of elevated feminine pieces, with distinct silhouettes that transition seamlessly between occasions. Never restrictive, each piece transcends the season. TOVE is borne from the girl’s name originating from Denmark. It stands for strength and beauty, perfectly encapsulating everything that TOVE epitomises. TOVE was founded by Camille Perry and Holly Wright in 2019