Black in Fashion

Made by LaiMation

@LaiMation on instagram

“BLACK”STORY

JEWELRY HAIR CLOTHES

MYKEL NYREE TAJANNAH CHAVIS DAVID HARRELL LAURANDA C. JENKINS ERNESTINE HALLOWELL LAURYN GIDDINGS

VCU STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR

African Americans have participated in the fashion industry in various roles, including as designers, dressmakers, seamstresses and influencers.

They have found ways to build spaces for their creative expressions, even when they have faced intensively challenging circumstances such as prejudices and discrimination based on race, gender and classism.

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Black culture has had a tremendous impact on fashion, especially streetwear.

Streetwear is a fashion trend that began in Black urban neighborhoods in the 1980s and now spreads globally.

It is distinguished by its easygoing, informal, and comfortable look, which includes aspects of hip-hop and skateboarding cultures. Rap and hiphop genres expanded throughout these neighborhoods, displaying a proud honor to the world and offering a method for black youngsters to express themselves.

@allurresin on instagram

“I had begun creating resin art and jewelry for my family and friends because I wanted to make them unique gifts. After a few gifts and a few lonely days on campus, I learned about BASE (Black Art Student Empowerment) and entered my first fall market, where my jewelry sold extremely well! It was at that point I realized I could form a business from this…and so I did!

Now I’m the founder and artist of AlluЯResin!”

“My love language is acts of service, so I decided to make a business where I can create one of a kind and personalized jewelry (among other things) for others to have or to gift.”

Hometown: Aldie, VA

@Tejthetech on instagram

“I wanted to start doing nails because l've always got my nails done and as a college student it can be very costly spending 95 dollars every 2 weeks so i decided to start learning how to do nails on myself. I can say originally I only planned on doing my own nails because I wasn't confident in my work, but I started getting asked questions like "Who did your nails" and of course i'm going to say me. After multiple people telling me I should start doing nails I ended up just doing it.”

“I started my business "Tejthetech" in August of 2022.

Some might say I started my business for convenience, but Ive always appreciated the walking art that is, Nails.”

Hometown: Chesapeake, Va

@thesuitbrother on instagram

“I came up with the name “The Suit Brother” back around 2009 or so.. and it eventually went from just a cool name to being my brand.

I got into the suit business because of my dad and also from always having a love for wearing suits and dressing nice. My dad has been wearing suits for as long as I can remember, and then he went from wearing.. to turning it into a business selling out of a catalog many years ago.”

“Once the pandemic hit.. he went into retirement mode and pretty much handed things over to me. So now I run the online store, and I’m going on my 2nd year in a retail space here in Richmond Va.”

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

@theperfectassistant_us on instagram

“I demonstrate my passion for sewing, and helping others, through a product I invented called The Perfect Assistant. It's a skirt that performs as shapewear and solves fitting issues many women face when buying off the rack. Women in our community make it right here in Richmond, VA. By purchasing these skirts, customers contribute directly to our unique training and skill development opportunities in garment production.”

“I’ve seen firsthand how educating women in this trade can empower them.

They go from never using a sewing machine to, in just a few sessions, being able to construct and sew a dress.

This initiative bridges fashion with social impact, allowing customers to wear stunning skirts while making a meaningful difference in women’s lives in Richmond.”

Hometown: Paterson, NJ

@cultured_crowns_ on instagram

“As college approached, my parents suggested NOVA, an option I couldn't envision for myself. You see, l've possessed the gift of hair since the age of eight, refining it until the age of eighteen, and continuing to perfect my craft at twenty. Hair wasn't a career I initially pursued, but recognizing it as a divine gift, I couldn't ignore the talent that God gifted me.

Through this skill, l've financed my education, purchased my first car, and now delve into financial literacy, aiming to pass on this knowledge to my three younger sisters.”

“With gratitude and determination, I aspire to establish a salon on the VCU campus by my graduation in 2025.

What began as a means of survival has evolved into a journey of selfdiscovery, and I hope to inspire other young girls to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams alongside their academic endeavors. With unwavering faith and a clear purpose, I endeavor to embody the change I wish to see in the world.”

Hometown: Sierra Leone, West Africa

@queenbee_lauryn on instagram

Lauryn Giddings writes novels and is currently writing a series where she draws much inspiration from her characters to create sci-fi fashion.

Her character designs have allowed her to dabble in short animations, and her fashion illustrations for her characters are often based on conflicts and events from her series. Each of her characters reflects a facet or time in her life. In this, she can connect her passions, which allows Lauryn to create unique pieces, enabling onlookers to glimpse various aspects of her identity.

Everything she does is to feed into another one of her passions to accomplish the goals she has set for herself.

Lauryn has goals such as opening, running, and creatively directing a luxury fashion house to bring diversity, workers’ ethics, and sustainability in unique ways to the luxury fashion industry. After she graduates, she plans to attend the University of Creative Arts in Epsom, England, where she will major digital fashion. She plans to use her fashion house to expand in new ways in the growing overlap of technology and fashion.

Hometown: Chesterfield, VA

https://editorialist.com/fashion/hoop-earrings-history/

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/you-shouldknow-black-fashion-icons

https://www.instyle.com/beauty/wigs-for-black-womenhistory

https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2023/03/17/42904 6/how-black-culture-designs-influences-fashion-trendsin-todaysgeneration#:~:text=Black%20culture%20has%20had%20 a,hip%2Dhop%20and%20skateboarding%20cultures.