Supporting Black creators has consumed Aurora James for her entire working life. The Toronto-born fashion designer started her sustainable line Brother Vellies in 2013 as a means to employ artisans across Africa and preserve traditional shoe-making techniques. Founded with a mere $3,500, her company grew into a high-fashion favorite, with fans in Beyoncé, Meghan Markle and Serena Williams. But that was never the point.
The mission of representation hit closer to home in the summer of 2020, when a wave of unrest swept the US and masses took to the streets to protest racial inequality in the wake of the unjust killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others. Banks, media conglomerates and big box retailers scrambled to signal their support, but James still believed they could all do more. So she took to Instagram and challenged retailers to make a commitment to devote 15% of their spending to Black-owned businesses. After all, Black people represent 15% of the American population, “and we need to represent 15% of your shelf space”, she explained on social media.
