Black Owned Logos Only
There’s one rule I’ve always maintained in my wardrobe since I began developing my personal style: no logos.
Logos are symbols brands use to be easily identifiable and often come in an image, or text. During my days working in retail, I remember managers giving employees hell for even the smallest logos, and name badges had to be strategically placed to cover them or they’d be sent home. Imagine a Lacoste alligator standing in the way of a full 8 hour work day!
Since I’ve become more conscious of my personal style, I refuse to wear logos knowing the power they posses. We all know enough about branding in this day and age. A white tee is $7 until there’s a Supreme logo on it, and you go from homegirl to hipster once people see you with it. I wont wear a logo owned by a corporation on a far yonder continent, that held not the consideration of me in the manufacturing of its products. I grew tired of looking for faces like mine in their ads, and reading headlines of “unintentional, accidental” campaigns with strong racist undertones. Because of this, you just wont see me in them. When you look good in one of those logos, it makes someone also want to look good and ultimately I’m driving sales into the brand’s pockets. Not I, said I.
With the increased visibility of Black-owned brands in the fashion world, my perspective on my age old rule has been compromised. I’ll wear a logo only if its Black-owned. I love being able to wear the logo of a brand that I know represents me in the best ways possible; brands that I know make waves on the runway and in the real world. Check out a few of my favorite and most coveted Black owned logos below:
BKLYNCIAGA
The BKLYNCIAGA logo is a twist on the famed “Balenciaga” brand, created by LamboKeem. In a brief conversation, he mentioned to me that he hopes the folks at Balenciaga take notice, that way he can put Brooklyn (by way of Flatbush) on the map. His line has extended beyond BKLYNCIAGA and now offers additional designs along with fabric face masks in light of the current COVID 19 pandemic.
TIER NYC
TIER NYC is a NYC based clothing line developed by co-founders Victor James, Nigeria Ealey and Esaïe Jean-Simon. Their multiple logos vary by collection, but my personal favorite is the NYT cap they released last year. TIER NYC has hosted the Artrepreneur Fest two years in a row, creating a space to help small business, artists, and creatives share their talents with the world.
Shopaholic Merch
Shopaholic Merch was founded in 2017 by Jessica Fraser, a freelance wardrobe stylist and medical professional. She started Shopaholic Merch to support the expensive cost of living that is required to live in New York City. As someone who loves clothes, likes to buy clothes, and likes to style clothes, I can absolutely relate to this brand and am happy to support this brand who’s t-shirt graphics always places Black women on a pedestal. Here for it!
PYER MOSS
Pyer Moss is a brand I fell in love with because of their unapologetic Blackness. Kerby Jean-Raymond is unafraid to shake the table in the fashion industry and refers to himself as a freeform artist rather than a designer to keep him from restricting his abilities. His clothing shares images of Sankofa, and are displayed on beautiful Black bodies on the runway. Pyer Moss has just recently launched an initiative to help small businesses during the COVID19 pandemic and is a voice to Black artists everywhere.
Telfar
I’ve recently discovered Telfar, named after founder Telfar Clemens this year with their popular vegan leather shopper showing up all over my Instagram timeline. The Telfar shopper, nicknamed “The Bushwick Birkin” was first seen among the queer, creative and hip around Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhoods. Telfar might be picking up momentum now, but they’ve been in the game since the early 2000s. My favorite part of this label is their inclusive message: “Its not for you, it's for everyone.”
These brands are only scratching the surface of Black-owned logos worth sporting. Maybe I should do a directory. What do you think? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Eve