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 their shelf space to Black-owned products. Harlem’s Fashion Row, Black in Fashion Council and Every Stylish Girl aimed to provide resources for Black creatives in both the design and media industries, and Retail Noire and Black Owned Everything pledged to increase visibility for Black-owned brands.
For the entrepreneurs spotlighted, the outcome has been transformative. “The racial reckoning of 2020 was actually a blessing,” fashion designer Theresa Ebagua told POPSUGAR. “The response was staggering – from the consumer level and from retailers that reached out to us.” The increased awareness around her luxury footwear label Chelsea Paris, loved by Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o, enabled her to successfully transition from wholesale to a growing direct-to-consumer e-commerce model.
Only 1 percent of the $150 billion funneled by venture capital investors were distributed to Black founders in 2020.
Yet, for all this apparent progress, Black founders continue to be at a disadvantage, explains Rene Macdonald, founder and creative director of British womenswear label Lisou. “Black women are the least supported when it comes to investment,” she tells POPSUGAR. “We’re less likely to even be invited to join the room.” Per an Accenture report, only 1% of the $150 billion funneled by venture capital investors were distributed to Black founders in 2020. That number is even smaller for Black women at 0.34%, according to a study by Crunchbase. Despite a 7% increase in venture funding overall from 2019 to 2020 as well as the rapid growth of Black entrepreneurship, the gap in funding for Black founders persists.
“I hope to blast that particular door wide open for those who will come after me,” Macdonald continued. “We all have something to contribute to the cultural history of our times and this opportunity should not only be extended to a certain ethnicity or socioeconomic demographic.”
Ahead, we spoke to 3 Black fashion designers about how the 2020 racial reckoning impacted their business and if the support increased or waned over time. Scroll on for the full interview, edited for clarity.
Related: “Justice” Would Mean That Black Men Like George Floyd Have the Chance to Grow Old
Courtesy of Chelsea Paris
Theresa Ebagua, Founder of Chelsea Paris
POPSUGAR: How have the past three years affected you personally and professionally?
Theresa Ebagua: For me, the racial reckoning of 2020 was actually a blessing. We used to just be a wholesale model then I launched my e-commerce site in September. With one of our big retailers, I felt that my voice was being diluted, so I really wanted to do the colorful things that I love. And so I set out to cultivate my own consumer and following. I wasn’t sure what the response would be, but the racial reckoning emboldened me to step into my purpose. Even though I was scared, I really just wanted to make shoes that speak to my African heritage with my colors and prints. I told myself, “I’m going to use this as an empowering moment.” And the response was staggering – from the consumer level and from retailers that reached out to us. But I was also cautious because I didn’t want it to be fad. I didn’t want it to be a passing phase. So I was very picky on who we wanted to sell to. I was all about diversity, craftsmanship, quality, giving back, and sustainability. So I wanted to only partner with people that understood these ethos and supported them.
POPSUGAR: How has that initial support evolved over time? Has it remained consistent or dwindled?
Theresa Ebagua: For example, I will call out Shopbop. Shopbop reached out to us during the movement and they’ve been consistent with me since. And so there are some brands that have continued to support. But I would definitely say that it has waned. I’m not getting as many opportunities as I was in 2020. But I do think I’m respected more as a brand. In as much as I’m not getting a lot of opportunities, the ones I’m getting show that they’re doing their homework before approaching me. And I feel like, yes, it’s not as hot and heavy as it was in 2020, but I think it has taught Black creatives that we have a voice, we can demand better.
And I’m now using that to my own advantage. Are you coming to me because of diversity? Or are you coming to me because you actually do believe in it or am I just filling a slot for you? And I have to see practices at these retailers or media outlets that you are actually putting in the work to be more inclusive and be more diversified. Not just Chelsea Paris coming into your product mix to fill a void or be the sole or lone Black designer that you carry. So now, it’s empowered me to ask the right questions before I agree to any partnership. So even though it [the support] has waned, I feel like our integrity, self-worth and our purpose have grown.
chelseaparis.com
Chelsea Paris Gigi Boots in Black ($495)
PS: How do you feel about the current coverage of Black founders in the media? What can journalists and media companies do to improve it?
TE: There’s progress, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Yes, with the 2020 racial reckoning, now people are trying to include more Black designers. But I think that we as Black creatives need to hold the retailers accountable. We need to demand more. We want all the progress that was made in 2020 not to be lost. We have to keep demanding inclusivity. We have to keep demanding diversity because my goal and my hope is that one day it won’t just be, “You are a Black designer. It would just be that you get recognized because you’re talented.”
PS: What does a world that truly practices “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” look like to you?
TE: In an ideal world, diversity, equality and inclusion matter. Diversity is extremely important to me because it also goes back to representation because if you want to inspire people, mentoring is really big. I didn’t have a mentor, but I feel like if you don’t see somebody doing things like you do, in as much as you dream it and you’re not able to put a picture to it, I think you’re more scared to follow your dreams. So companies or retailers and the fashion world need to find diverse creatives and make sure that their product stack represents the country and its purchasing power.
With the Fifteen Percent Pledge, I love what they’re doing – holding companies accountable. You can’t tell me that you can’t find a luxury designer. A lot of people sought me out during 2020, but I’ve been there. They didn’t look, if they looked, they would’ve found me. So there’s a responsibility that should also be on the retailers or the fashion world to make sure that they’re doing the work to have a diverse workforce or a diverse product mix.
Bekky Calver
Oye Buraimo, Founder of YAURA Fashion
POPSUGAR: How have the past three years affected you personally and professionally?
Oye Buraimo: As a Black woman, the racial injustices faced by Black people were not news to me, but watching that video of George Floyd in the stillness of lockdown was all the more gripping and could not be ignored. Personally, it’s made me more vocal about calling out the daily micro aggressions we face especially as a mum raising two Black boys in London. Professionally, it’s made me more intentional about infusing my culture and race proudly into my brand.
PS: How has that initial support evolved over time? Has it remained consistent or dwindled?
OB: We had only launched the DTC side of the business a few months before the incident and prior to that, we were operating solely on a wholesale model so it wasn’t really public knowledge that we were a Black-owned company. However, over time as people have gotten to know the brand we have found the support to be quite organic and consistent, firstly based off the quality of the branding and the product itself.
yaurafashion.com
Yaura Fashion Lolu Gown in Red (£180)
PS: How do you feel about the current coverage of Black founders in the media? What can journalists and media companies do to improve it?
OB: It was initially bittersweet for me because while I was very pleased and inspired by it, it was also a painful reminder of how much we’ve been sidelined for years. However, I choose to focus on the positives and hope that the media keeps highlighting the diverse range of amazing Black-owned brands both in public spaces and behind the scenes as that’s where it truly counts.
PS: What does a world that truly practices “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” look like to you?
OB: A world that truly practices diversity, equity and inclusion not only accepts but also celebrates differences in all people. Access and advancements are equally available to all without any specific group being privileged above another and there’s a true sense of belonging in every facet of society.
Courtesy of Rene Macdonald
Rene Macdonald, Founder & Creative Director, Lisou
POPSUGAR: How have the past three years affected you personally and professionally?
Rene Macdonald: It’s always devastating to see that injustices like that still take place in the modern day, and although there are daily reminders amongst marginalized communities, it’s particularly harrowing when an incident like this brings it to the forefront. From a positive perspective, I think it’s encouraging that the topic has been highlighted and that people are engaging in the conversation. However, I think that there still remains much to achieve. On a personal level, as a Black woman with mixed-race children, it’s crucial that change happens, and my hope is that my children’s lives will be less complicated as a result of everyone [being more aware].
On a professional level, we still need to focus on the lack of support given to Black entrepreneurs, especially women, and the way in which our businesses are affected by the color of our skin. Black women are the least supported when it comes to investment, we’re less likely to even be invited to join the room. I hope to blast that particular door wide open for those who will come after me. We all have something to contribute to the cultural history of our times and this opportunity should not only be extended to a certain ethnicity or socioeconomic demographic. That said, I feel it’s important to act while still retaining a hope for change.
POPSUGAR: How has that initial support evolved over time? Has it remained consistent or dwindled?
Rene Macdonald: I was very fortunate in that aspect. I had so much support from friends, followers, customers, and even random strangers – all of whom give me great hope for the future. Those who supported me initially have remained consistent, however, there are still many who believe the situation is now fixed. After 400 plus years of discrimination, it’s going to take a lot more than one campaign to change the narrative. It’s an ongoing process.
lisou.co.uk
Lisou Betty Mango Cherry Print Silk Twill Shirt ($310)
PS: How do you feel about the current coverage of Black founders in the media? What can journalists and media companies do to improve it?
RM: There’s a long way to go, and I don’t think any of us will be satisfied until we are fully represented in every sector. So, in a nutshell, there is currently not enough support of Black founders in the media. Black youth deserve to see more inspirational figures who look just like them. Otherwise, how are they to have hope and think “that could be me?” If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. You have to grow up knowing that anything and everything is possible and there are definitely sectors of industry that are not inclusive in terms of recruitment.
For journalists and media companies, it’s simple. Show us more examples of excellence within our ethnic group. News about Black people should be focused on more positive issues rather than the current negativity that exists. It’s this negativity that continues many myths about Black people and allows us to be misjudged and written off. In that spirit, I have to add a thank you to PopSugar for approaching me in the first place. It’s a start.
PS: What does a world that truly practices “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” look like to you?
RM: It’s a world where every community has a voice and representation at the top level. Not only are there fantastic people with amazing ideas from every walk of life, but we’ve all certainly seen some of the nightmare scenarios for major companies when the decision makers are homogenous and there’s no authentic voice from a specific community, so it benefits everyone. I would like to think that everyone would prefer a world where we are all on an even playing field, as well as a world where what you look like has no bearing on your professional ability. That is my hopeful outcome and one which I intend to keep striving for. Black excellence is very real.
