These Are The Best Black-Owned Menswear Fashion Brand To Shop Right Now
Among the nationwide protest to demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and the growing list of unarmed black people being murdered by law enforcement are the calls to buy and support black businesses. As a fashion guy I can tell you how hard that would of been 10 years ago when you barely find one black designer in a luxury department store, showing at a major fashion week, being worn by celebrities on the red carpet. It’s a truth statement that much of this is still the same. It’s also true that in 2020 there are more black designers making waves in the luxury and streetwear menswear spaces than ever before.
And these black designers aren’t just taking up space in the fashion industry, they’re owning it. These designers are some of the best amongst their peers designing award-winning, Nike, Air Jordan, big brand-collaborating, coveted collections that sell out as soon as they drop. To celebrate this, we’ve rounded up a list of the best black-owned fashion brand from streetwear and luxury, to sneakers and hard-bottom shoes for you to support now.
Christopher Bevans: DYNE
Instagram: @dyne.life
Website: https://dyne.life
After working with brands like Nike and Kanye West Christopher Bevans launched his menswear line, DYNE in 2015. Known for fit, fabric and function DYNE has collaborated with fashion brands like Save The Duck and GREATS BRAND.
Kerby Jean-Raymond: Pyer Moss
Instagram: @pyermoss
Website: https://pyermoss.com
Kerby Jean-Raymond founded his men's and women's ready-to-wear line, Pyer Moss in 2013. Pyer Moss was the 2018 winner of the CFDA Vogue/Fashion Fund Award and most recently he made headlines for not showing a presentation during New York Fashion Week back in February 2019.
Jerry Lorenzo: Fear of God
Instagram: @fearofgod
Website: https://fearofgod.com
Since the brands launch in 2013, Fear of God by Jerry Lorenzo has quickly become one of the premier brands on the streetwear front. Collaborating with brands like Nike and Zegna, Fear of God is well on its way to becoming American luxury.
Samuel Ross: A-COLD-WALL
Instagram: @acoldwall
Website: https://a-cold-wall.com
A-COLD-WALL is a London based streetwear brand started by 27-year-old designer Samuel Ross. CNN singled out the brand "one to watch in 2019" stating, "award-winning brand A-Cold-Wall* defies singular definitions by blending fashion, design and art to create powerful results."
David Raysse: Brandblack
Instagram: @brandblack
Website: https://brandblack.com/
Brandblack sneakers by David Raysse are the perfect meeting of performance and style. Founded in 2013 you can find Brandblack sneakers on Matches Fashion, Farfetch and Yoox.
Virgil Abloh: Off-White
Instagram: @off___white
Website: https://www.off---white.com/en-us
It's almost impossible to talk about fashion and not mention Virgil Abloh or his brand Off White. Launched in 2012 Off-White is one of the brands leading today's streetwear influence in the fashion industry.
Anwar Carrots: Carrots by Anwar Carrots
Instagram: @carrotsbyAnwarCarrots
Website: https://anwarcarrots.com
Anwar Carrots launched Carrots by Anwar Carrots in 2015 after successfully launching his first streetwear brand, Peas and Carrots in 2007. Since the beginnings of Carrots by Anwar Carrots the brand has collaborated with Naruto on a capsule collection available at Urban Outfitters
Telfar Clemens: Telfar
Instagram: @telfarglobal
Website: https://shop.telfar.net
Telfar Clemens paved the way for the many unisex fashion brands found on the market now with his line Telfar that launched in 2005. In 2017 Clemens won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award.
Grace Wales Bonner: Wales Bonner
Instagram: @walesbonner
Website: https://walesbonner.net/
Grace Wales Bonner started her namesake brand Wales Bonner after graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2014. In 2015 the designer expanded to create menswear and has since become an award winning designer recognized by the British Fashion Awards, LVMH and the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund
Martine Rose
Instagram: @martine_rose
Website: https://martine-rose.com
Martine Rose has designed menswear under her namesake label since 2007. Though she specializes in clothes for men, she is slowly venturing into developing womenswear --and even those garments draw inspiration from menswear silhouettes.
Guy Wood Sr: 5001 Flavors Clothing Co.
Instagram: @5001flavors
Website: https://www.5001flavors.com/guy-wood
5001 Flavors Clothing Co. is a icon hip hop fashion brand specializing in custom pieces that launched in 1992 by Guy Wood Sr in Harlem, New York. Since the brands inception, celebrities from The Notorious B.I.G. to 50 Cent has worn one of their pieces.
Nicholas Daley
Instagram: @nicholas_daley
Website: http://www.nicholasdaley.net/about-me
Nicholas Daley launched his namesake brand in 2015 with a Spring Summer 15’s collection named ‘Culture Clash.’ Music inspires much of his menswear and the Central Saint Martins graduate was one of the 2018/19 International Woolmark Prize London semi-final winners.
Heron Preston
Instagram: @heronpreston
Website: https://www.heronpreston.com/
Heron Preston is a Parsons School of Design graduated and designer of his namesake streetwear label. In the past Heron Preston has collaborated with NYC Department of Sanitation on uniform inspired clothes and accessories and Off-White's Virgil Abloh.
Hussein Suleiman, Jefferson Osei and Abderrahmane Trabsin: Daily Paper
Instagram: @dailypaper
Website: https://www.dailypaperclothing.com
Based in Amsterdam, Daily Paper Clothing is a streetwear brand founded in 2012 by Hussein T Suleiman, Jefferson Osei and Abderrahmane Trabsin. Recently the brand collaborated with Parisian milliners Béton Ciré on an exclusive collection of hats.
Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah: Studio 189
Instagram: @studiooneeightynine
Website: https://studiooneeightynine.com
Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah co-founded Made in Africa brand Studio One Eighty-Nine to support artisans in the continent with job opportunities, empowerment, and education. In June 2018, Studio 189 won top prize in the second CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative, a fashion program for designer practicing sustainability.
Armando Cabral
Instagram: @Armando_Cabral
Website: https://shop.armando-cabral.com/
Designer Armando Cabral aims to bring luxury and comfort together with his bespoke line of menswear shoes. Cabral, who's also an in-demand fashion model has collaborated with brands like Theory on shoes in the past.
Bianca Saunders
Instagram: @biancasaunders_
Website: https://www.biancasaunders.com
Noted as one to watch by the British Fashion Council, Bianca Saunders launched her brand after graduating from The Royal College of Art in 2017. Thought the brand is still up and coming you can find Bianca Saunders pieces at premier luxury e-commerce sites like MatchesFashion.com and SSENSE.
Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh: Botter
Instagram: @botter_paris
Website: http://www.botter.shop/
Rushemy Botter launched his first collection in 2017 with partner Lisi Herrebrugh. The two are also the Creative Directors for Parisian fashion brand Nina Ricci.
Charlie Casely-Hayford: Casely-Hayford
Instagram: @CaselyHayfordlondon
Website: https://casely-hayford.com/
Casely Hayford was founded by Joe Casely-Hayford over 35 years ago in 1984. Today his son sits at the helm of the brand and has dressed celebrities like Mos Def and Drake.
