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Founder Telfar Clemens has always resisted conforming to the fashion industry. Divorcing Fashion Industry At Inception Early on, he embraced a bold sense of individuality, developing his own unique style that set him apart. This nonconformity often clashed with the uniform policies of the schools he attended, and he was similarly uninterested in following the traditional dress codes of his Liberian heritage. “I always have been interested in clothes. I’ve always had my own perspective on what I wanted to wear… I come from West African parents. I’m from Liberia and there’s a certain way of how you should dress and how you should carry yourselves and I completely was not with that, ” Clemens mentioned on “The Breakfast Club.” In 2005, Clemens introduced the world to Telfar, a New York-based unisex fashion brand designed to stand apart from the traditional fashion industry. From the outset, he distanced himself from the industry, viewing it as too closed-minded to embrace the...
For Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, innovation has always been the driving force behind his work as a shoe designer. With more than 50 patents under his belt, as well as a college among the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, he is committed to uplifting the next generation of designers. Collaborating with brands like Nike, adidas, and quite a few household names, his love for creating keeps him going every day. 2024 has been quite the year for Edwards. In February, he reopened the doors to the first HBCU with a focus on design through the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC), which he founded in 2021 in Detroit, MI. Now, he has officially partnered with Target to launch ÜNOS by Sz, an adjustable footwear line created uniquely for growing families. “For a long time, it’s always been my goal to do something that was much more affordable for people who could afford everyday things,” Edwards told AFROTECH™ in an exclusive interview. “I just felt like everyday things, if...
You can’t place Anifa Mvuemba’s creativity in a box. Back in 2020, the Hanifa founder and fashion designer shook up the fashion world with a virtual 3D show on Instagram for her collection, Pink Label Congo, inspired by her home country of the Congo. From then on, Mvuemba continued to implement her self-taught tech skills into her work, as previously reported by AFROTECH™. Now, Mvuemba has taken her fashion expertise into new territory — the spirits industry. In February 2024, it was announced that she and Sergio Hudson are partnering with premium bourbon brand Woodford Reserve. During a New York Fashion Week (NYFW) dinner, Mvuemba spoke about previously feeling like she was approached by brands for their own gain and image, per WWD. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anifa M (@anifam) In an email interview with AFROTECH™, Mvuemba shared , “As a Black designer, navigating the barriers that come with being shortlisted for collaborations merely to fulfill a diversity...
From the time he was a kid, McKinley Thompson Jr. was never afraid to chase his dreams, and now everyone has him to thank for the Ford Bronco that the culture grew to know and love. Thanks to Thompson’s imagination and skill, he made history as the first Black designer to be hired by Ford Motor Co., and his first assignment consisted of working at Ford’s advanced design studio in Dearborn, MI, per the Ford media website. His love for cars first began around age 12 when he spotted a silver-gray DeSoto Airflow in Queens, NY, the neighborhood where he was raised. “It just so happened that the clouds opened up for the sunshine to come through,” Thompson recalled in a 2001 interview that was documented by The Henry Ford. “It lit that car up like a searchlight. I was never so impressed with anything in all my life. I knew that’s what I wanted to do – I wanted to be an automobile designer.” While serving as an Army Signal Corps in World War II, Thompson learned drafting and began work as...
In 2015, Bryson Tiller released his debut studio album, “Trapsoul.” In a Complex interview, the singer and rapper described the album as “a super slow burn.” “Trapsoul” introduced the music industry to a new genre, a combination of Trap and Soul, a nd it is still appreciated by fans today. Its trajectory ultimately took Tiller from first releasing his music on SoundCloud to his debut album reaching triple-platinum status with over 5.8 billion streams in the United States, per RCA Records. What’s more, the singer-songwriter earned a Grammy nomination for “Best R&B Song” for “Exchange,” one of his hit singles, along with “Don’t” and “Sorry Not Sorry.” Tiller shared that his success in the music industry reminds creatives that it’s important not to listen to outsiders for validation. “People are going to love your sh-t, and they’re going to hate it,” Tiller told Complex during the promo run for his eponymous album released in April 2024. “Now, when I create music, I don’t really care...
Since the beginning of her music career, Beyoncé has rocked Black fashion. When Destiny’s Child first officially formed and up until her own solo career, the superstar wore designs created by her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson. Fast forward to today, and Beyoncé has yet to let up on showing love to Black-owned brands.
An exclusive collection is set to support Black designers on the rise. HubSpot and NTWRK have joined forces for a fashion drop at INBOUND 2022 — an annual event that brings industry leaders together — according to a press release shared with AfroTech. The creative talent behind the drop’s curation is Antoine Gregory. As the founder of Black Fashion Fair, a platform dedicated to Black designers and Black-owned brands, the creative was beyond fitted for the collaboration. Additionally, Gregory has worked with the likes of Akris, Dolce & Gabbana, Pyer Moss, Fubu, and Telfar. “Antoine Gregory’s Black Fashion Fair is a great example of a business that puts its mission at its core – and they’ve scaled while maintaining purpose,” Amy Marino, HubSpot’s Global Head of Brand Marketing, said. “We’re inspired by Antoine’s accomplishments and excited to partner once again with NTWRK to co-create a one-of-a-kind collection that amplifies these talented designers and their stories.”
Black designers’ work is being stolen from day by day. On Aug. 29, Hanifa’s Anifa Mvuemba came forward with her own story. In a tweet, the founder and fashion designer voiced her frustration since one of her designs being stolen. “Only because this sample took me monthssss to perfect,” she wrote. “This is actually crazy. I’m not going to tag or mention them. But this is crazy.” Only because this sample took me monthssss to perfect. This is actually crazy. I’m not going to tag or mention them. But this is crazy. pic.twitter.com/GDZQg6vTBK — + (@AnifaM) August 29, 2022
A Black fashion designer has some words for Balenciaga. In an Instagram video, Lamont “Tory” Stapleton detailed his journey of starting his clothing line “Struggle is Common” in 2019. One of his shirt designs is printed with “FREE” — which received praise from celebrities such as the Kardashians during a private party in LA.
Instagram is back with its ongoing initiative to invest in emerging Black artists and designers. As previously reported by AfroTech, in 2021, the social media giant partnered with the Brooklyn Museum in a joint effort to launch the #BlackDesignVisionaries. This year, the grant program is back and bigger than ever.
When speaking on successful Black-owned businesses, Telfar sits gracefully in the top ranking. With each new release, the apparel brand’s popularity continues to spike in fashion. As previously reported by AfroTech, it became the “it” brand during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since gone on to collaborate with the likes of UGG and Moose Knuckles. The hype around Telfar has reached where many fans are left disappointed when they’re unable to secure their items during the online frenzy that occurs when there’s a drop. But according to Clemens, soon Telfar won’t only be available online. Essence reports that Clemens shared in an interview with The Breakfast Club that Telfar has its first physical store in the works. “There is one coming,” he said. “We’re opening a store this year in New York City. And we’re still deciding where that is going to be. I don’t want to say too much about it, but we’re opening a store this year.” The tidbit is all that has been revealed so far. Therefore,...
Salvatore Ferragamo is entering a new fashion era with its latest appointment. On March 14, the luxury brand onboarded Maximilian Davis as its new creative director, according to Robb Report. After initially being in the running for LVMH’s Prize for Young Designers to competitively showcase his talent, the British designer has signed on to an exclusive opportunity instead. “I am delighted to welcome Maximilian at the house of Ferragamo,” Ferragamo CEO Marco Gobbetti shared in a statement, according to Robb Report. “Through his lens of contemporary sensibility, he will write a new, exciting chapter for this house built on a heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, sophistication and outstanding human values.” The British designer, who has worked with the likes of Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Dua Lipa is set to bring his innovative ideas forward to pivot the longtime company to a more modern feel for today’s fashion world. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MAXIMILIAN...