Black Fashion Designers Reflect on Racial Reckoning
Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the subsequent racial reckoning, several corporations released statements in solidarity with the Black community and announced their commitment to fighting systemic racism. This materialized in an influx of Black business incubator programs and grants, companies donating to antiracism organizations, roundups of Black-owned brands, and articles calling on readers to invest in Black businesses. But three years later, the industry seems to be regressing. As another Black History Month closes, we reached out to four Black fashion founders to discuss the status of antiracism work in fashion.
Twenty-twenty was marked by a wave of activism in the fashion industry. To ensure it was more than a trend and rather the start of lasting change, several organizations set out to hold brands to task. Aurora James’s Fifteen Percent Pledge publicly called on corporations to dedicate at least 15 percent of