One to Watch: Brother Vellies

In the wake of the anti-racism protests the world is participating in, many people are wondering what the best way to support and fund the movement is. There are various ways to support Black people and the fight against racism in addition to marching on the front line. As continuous activism is not a one-time action, supporting Black-owned fashion and fashion companies allows one to give back to companies that need and deserve your support, and allows one to be a part of a true movement of support, rather than just performative action and empty social media posts. There are tons and tons of Black-owned fashion businesses and small businesses to support, not only to be a part of continuous advocacy and activism for Black-founded fashion and Black lives in general, but also to give the notoriety to these brands that they deserve. This article will shed a light of just two Black-owned fashion companies, like Aurora James’ Brother Vellies in order to inspire the knowledge and support of these, and many other businesses during the protests, and on.

In 2013, Brother Vellies was founded by Aurora James. Hailing from Toronto, James took to New York with her brand and the ideas of a beauty of old and new in mind. Brother Vellies aims to create an image and aesthetic of traditional African design practices, but in doing so, create sustainability, as well. Sustainability is one of Brother Vellies and James’ core values, as the company prides itself on treating employees with extreme care, upcycling products and using vegetable dyes, and selling products at the prices of their absolute worth. James’ products are now produced all around the world, including South Africa, Kenya, Mexico Morocco, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Italy, Haiti and of course, at home in New York City. They are the perfect combination of cultural history and luxury in their likeness. Plus, James’ additional experience in journalism, art, music, photography, and even horticulture provides diverse and eccentric motivation and inspiration for her work and her goods, their photography, and their website. On the website, a plethora of stunning and minimalistic handbags, shoes, general leather goods, and even home goods scream chic and different; the pieces are not anything you see in a day- to-day Instagram scroll or influencer post. And that is exactly what the goal of Brother Vellies seems: unlike anything seen before. The inventory may seem small, however, what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality: Brother Vellies knows and promises that these pieces will be in one’s wardrobe forever.

And, on top of being a Black fashion and business owner herself, James has also taken initiative to support and urge others to recognize and aid other businesses, as well. The 15% plan, as described in James’ handwritten Instagram post, advises larger businesses, such as Whole Foods, Target, Medmen, Walmart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Net-a-Porter, Barnes and Noble and Home Depot to commit to buying at least 15% of their goods from Black-owned businesses; "So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power. So many of your stores are set up in Black communities. So many of your sponsored posts are seen on Black feeds" James said, according to Fashionista.James’ commitment to helping and speaking out for other brands in addition to her own, as well as calling on larger companies to use their power and make a difference, is refreshing in such a time when brands seem uninterested in sharing their voices and wealth when it really matters so much. Brother Vellies, and the creator and ethics behind it are a perfect representation of what support in this time looks like, other people must follow suit.