72 Black-Owned Businesses, Fashion Labels, and Clothing Stores to Support in 2021
With the holidays right around the corner—and an endless number of gifts to buy for everyone on your list—it’s a great time to think critically about your spending choices. And if you’re looking specifically to put your hard-earned dollars toward supporting Black-owned businesses, you’ve come to the right place. Below, you’ll find a (by no means complete) list of Black-owned fashion labels and clothing stores worth backing right now and always. Whether you’re looking for a fit-worthy sweatsuit or a masterfully-crafted business suit, start here the next time you’re stocking up.
Former Virgil Abloh protégé Samuel Ross is a master of techy outerwear, slouchy tailoring, and elevated sweats.
Adrien Sauvage’s dandyish tailoring takes cues from both his native London and his adopted hometown of Los Angeles.
Philadelphia’s Saeed Ferguson prints his simple and substantive graphics on highly coveted tees, sweats, and totes.
The standout menswear model’s eponymous line produces classic, Italian-made lace-ups, loafers, and boots.
London design duo and former Ozwald Boateng protégés Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh infuse elements of subcultures from across Britain and the globe into their polished, precise tailored wear.
Ashya focuses on exquisite leather belt bags and crossbody satchels.
The LA-based Aware Brand deals in nostalgia and good vibes with its collection of college-inspired loungewear and playful graphic tees and accessories.
At just 26, British wunderkind Bianca Saunders has already established herself as one of the most inventive new voices in menswear, reimagining suiting and workwear staples with a playful, incisive eye.
Pharrell Williams launched this colorful streetwear line back in the mid-aughts, and it continues to age as well as its founder.
Classically-made loafers in funky prints and fabrics courtesy of menswear veteran Chris Echevarria.
This Bed-Stuy gem focuses on vintage clothing, literature, collectibles, and oddities all tied to vibrant moments in black history.
Brett Johnson combines American styles with Italian materials to create refined pieces entirely his own.
The driving force behind the 15 Percent Pledge, designer Aurora James’ label crafts elegant, distinctive footwear and leather goods.
Twin brothers Warner and Waverly Watkins weave sharp, narrative-driven collections influenced by the current political climate, their Virginian roots, and the hardcore punk scene they grew up in.
The South Central LA-born brand emanates the spirit of their community through elevated streetwear.
For over a decade, Anwar Carrot has been a central figure in L.A. streetwear, and his bright, poppy imprint has linked up with brands as disparate as K-Swiss and Brisk.
Charlie Casely-Hayford launched his namesake label with his late father Joe a decade ago, bringing a fresh sensibility to traditional Savile Row tailoring.
L.A. artist Theo Martins flipped his love of late-night cereal into a well-designed line of apparel, melamine bowls, and, yes, boxes of cereal.
Recycled materials alchemied into sumptuous sweatpants and hoodies, each splashed with dizzying tie-dyes and graphics.
Born in the wake of the pandemic and out of a Brooklyn basement, Connor Mcknight’s collection blends influences from vintage technical outerwear, as well as classic midcentury designs.
Founded in Amsterdam by a trio of friends, this streetwear blog-turned-clothing label flips staples like camp shirts, trucker jackets, and cargo pants in strong hues and bold prints.
Darryl Brown’s hardy, American-made workwear reflects his unusual path to fashion: He worked at a steel mill, as a railroad engineer, and at General Motors before launching his line.
Tremaine Emory, one of the professional cool guys behind party throwing-slash-branding-slash-clothing design outpost No Vacancy Inn, explores the “stories of the oppressed” under his Denim Tears moniker.
Designer Jerry Lorenzo’s flow-y, texture-rich vision of luxury has had an outsized influence on the entire menswear landscape.
Brooklyn-bred tailor Davidson Petit-Frère’s bespoke suits have graced the backs of Chris Paul, Jay-Z, Diddy, Michael B. Jordan, and dozens of other luminaries.
Tyler, the Creator’s line deals in soft pastels, psychedelic prints, and supremely wearable flips on prep school silhouettes.
After rising to fame as a member of Been Trill (alongside Virgil Abloh and Alyx’s Matthew Williams) and a design consultant on Yeezy, Heron Preston launched his own workwear-tinged, graphic-heavy label.
Multi-hyphenate artist, writer, and Ikiré Jones designer Walé Oyéjidé is best known for his sumptuous silk scarves (one of which makes a cameo in Black Panther) that depict visions of Black royalty, though Jones also dabbles in silky colorblocked shirts and suiting.
New York-based designer and photographer Fulani S. Hart used to repurpose and reconstruct clothing for his gigs as a hip-hop artist before pouring his energy into designs for Javelin, which specializes in splashy streetwear awash in prints and collage art of his own photography.
Johnny Nelson’s signature rings depict prominent black icons like Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman.
Former Kanye manager Don C’s elevated flips on throwback basketball shorts have become a tunnel style staple throughout the NBA.
Kenneth Nicholson is a former Navy member who uses his experience, and childhood living on Army bases, to reimagine uniforms in a fashionable way.
You will NOT understand plaid until you step into Kenneth Ize’s universe.
Identical twins Dynasty and Soull Ogun specialize in a striking array of clothing, fine jewelry, and eyewear.
In addition to her top-notch neckwear, designer Whitney Michel last year unveiled a collection of printed face masks. A portion of proceeds from each sale will benefit The Dream Defenders, an organization committed to serving the homeless community of Miami during the pandemic.
London-based designer Mowalola Ogunlesi loves skimpy silhouettes, freaky-ass color palettes, and Nine Inch Nails. What more could you ask for?
South African designer Laduma Ngxokolo’s epic knitwear takes inspiration from traditional Xhosa beadwork patterns.
Martine Rose was one of the secret weapons behind Balenciaga during the first few seasons of Demna Gvasalia’s reign. Her eponymous brand mixes workwear codes with far-out shapes (plus some of the baddest square-toe shoes in history).
London College of Fashion alum (and former Wales Bonner designer) Maximilian Davis expertly combines references to his Trinidadian roots with a British club-kid sensibility.
After working with the likes of Nigel Cabourn and Beams, Central St Martins grad Nicholas Daley struck out on his own with a line of trippy, drapey, utterly desirable clothes that seems to get stronger every season.
No Sesso—Italian for “no sex/no gender”—fashions unconventional, boundary-bending clothes befitting its name.
Knitwear is the name of the game at Atlanta’s O. Studio Design, which makes sporty ribbed “techknits” that are designed for movement, and inspired by sci-fi and athleticism.
Even after founder Virgil Abloh’s ascent to artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Off-White continues to deliver as dynamic, meta, and forward-thinking collections as ever.
Nigeria designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal creates show-stopping pieces in metallic fabrics and uncommon hues.
Phlemuns is sooo coooool, a far-out and sexy but subtle mix of knits and denim that’s helped make LA a new hub of anti-establishment fashion.
Designer Niyi Okuboyejo applies the Nigerian adire dyeing technique to everything from camp-collar shirts to extremely wavy neckties.
A vintage store blessed with a far more eccentric and curatorial eye than leagues of its competitors.
Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow’s label sprang up in the early days of the #menswear revolution, and their ultra-New York gear still packs a punch.
In just seven short years, designer Kerby Jean-Raymond has built Pyer Moss into one of the most vital and consequential fashion labels in America.
A rising streetwear label co-founded by designer John Dean, an L.A. transplant by way of Akron, Ohio.
The designer behind the “Bushwick Birkin” has become a global sensation for his ambitious, artful collections.
Brooklyn native Romeo Hunte crafts out-there outerwear, like patchwork shearling coats and intricately paneled trenches.
A favorite of Russell Westbrook, Resurrect by Night adorns its jackets and basics with bold, brash, socially-minded grafitti.
Spencer Badu offers crisp, minimal takes on sportswear silhouettes like quarter-zip pullovers and cargo joggers.
Co-founded by Rosario Dawson—yes, that Rosario Dawson—and Abrima Erwiah, Studio 189 ethically manufactures its spectacularly hand-dyed gear using traditional techniques in Accra, Ghana.
The South African designer launched his eponymous label in 2017 but debuted his first proper menswear collection—chock full of vibrant tailoring, show-stopping outerwear, and plenty of cowboy hats—earlier this year.
The lifestyle brand founded by the late, great musician and activist Nipsey Hussle.
Smartly updated takes on collegiate classics like varsity jackets and chenille patch sweatshirts.
Founded by Amira Rasool, The Folklore is a New York-based online store and showroom committed to showcasing high-end and emerging brands from Africa and the diaspora.
Designed by husband-and-wife duo Kristin and Kofi Essel, this New York line’s head-turning jewelry is beloved by the likes of Beyoncé and Issa Rae.
This Senegalese label is dedicated to offering sophisticated African-made fashion at wildly affordable prices.
One of the finest stores in menswear just so happens to be run by one of the most thoughtful men in the industry.
Haitian-born, New York-raised Victor Gleamed sumptuous knits are beloved by the likes of Iman, Dominique Jackson, and Selena Gomez.
Some of the best prints in the game, on fabrics hand-dyed in Nigeria.
Grace Wales Bonner’s clothing is meticulous and elegant, with every new collection the result of deep creative collaboration with artists, musicians, and writers.
Among Waraire Boswell’s many fans are Jay-Z, Chris Paul, and Kevin Durant. Colin Kaepernick wore the brand in this magazine, too. Boswell makes ready-to-wear but might best be known for his custom suiting.
Marcel Ames gives new meaning to “Southern dandy” from his Neapolitan tailoring outpost in Richmond, VA.
For nearly 30 years, XULY.Bët has remained one of the most original and vibrant forces in Parisian fashion.
Kanye West’s groundbreaking Adidas kicks get most of the attention, but his earthy, vibe-y fashion collections continue to get better and better every season.
Savile Row-trained Idris Balogun leverages his technical expertise to craft relaxed casualwear cut with a tailor’s eye for precision.
New York-based designer Zam Barrett makes daring avant-garde clothes with a masterful hand and high-end materials, including a slew of artfully crafted leather jackets.
Toronto’s 4YE is known mainly for its signature durags, but has recently branched out to reworked vintage sweats and throwback airbrushed hoodies.