Our friends at strategist created this directory of (now almost 200) Black-owned businesses in June 2020, and this is their second big update of it since then
Interior space curated and designed by BLK MKT Vintage. Photo: BLK MKT Vintage There are lots of ways to support the struggle against police brutality. You can donate money to a local grassroots organization. You can join a protest if you feel you can do so safely. You can educate yourself and, if you are white, talk to other white people about racial justice.
Ace Beaute Ace Beaute was founded by Niye Aniekan-Attang in 2015 to sell cruelty-free faux-mink lashes; now it also offers brightly colored eye-shadow palettes and a wide range of nail and beauty tools. —Aisha Rickford Buttah Skincare Model, actor, and recording artist Dorion Renaud was inspired to create Buttah Skin after discovering the revitalizing effects that the simple combination of a gentle cleanser, vitamin-C serum, and shea butter had on his own skin. The vitamin-C serum is also a favorite of Elisa Johnson’s, who says it gives her “a smoother, more even complexion.” —A.R.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair-care label Bread Beauty Supply — named for the brand’s belief that its products are a daily essential for curly hair — is relatively new, having launched in 2020. Founder Maeva Heim was inspired by the products she saw in her mother’s braiding salon, and the brand carries its own wash, scalp serum, and two different oils. Its lip-gloss-like Hair-Oil is a personal fave, giving my curls a little more shine and definition than I would get with just an air-dry.
Ellie Bianca Environmental scientist Evelyn Nyairo founded Ellie Bianca, which makes vegan and cruelty-free skin-care products. The hero product is Rose Skin Oil, but the Breathe Bath Salt and Luxe Day/Night Serum are also standouts. The company also makes an exclusive line of spa-grade products. And perhaps best of all, Ellie Bianca supports the women who harvest the shea and other ingredients for its products, making them great for those with both sustainability and fair trade in mind. —A.R.
Hanahana Beauty Hanahana Beauty, founded by Abena Boamah-Acheampong, is a clean beauty brand that sustainably sources its shea butter and pays double the fair-trade price to its suppliers. Its shea butter comes in a variety of scents, including vanilla lavender, amber vanilla, and eucalyptus, but lemongrass is a favorite of Strategist beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst, because “it literally smells like summer.” It also makes a face scrub, lip treatment, and an exfoliating bar. —D.P.
Hyper Skin Desiree Verdejo created Hyper Skin after a bout of hormonal pregnancy acne left her with stubborn hyperpigmentation. Its first product, Hyper Clear, is an affordable vitamin-C serum formulated with 15 percent skin-brightening ascorbic acid as well as kojic acid and vitamin E. —D.P. Lauren Napier Beauty Lauren Napier, former celebrity makeup artist, created a line of face wipes that don’t strip the skin and instead hydrate it as it takes off makeup. She created a different texture for the wipes, and they’re individually packaged, so they don’t dry out. They’re the ones I always buy for myself. —C.A.
Nekawa Beauty Awa Diaw and Chelsea Trotter started Nekawa as second-year M.B.A. students with a desire to share the uses of shea butter for hair, body, and health and to bring “minimalism” to beauty. Senegalese-born Diaw sources the shea and oils for lavender and unscented butters and baobab face serum from Senegal; 10 percent of all proceeds go to Amref Health Africa, a health-development nonprofit. – A.R.
Rosen Skincare Jamika Martin started developing the idea for what would become Rosen Skincare, a brand with natural ingredients like fruit extracts, kojic acid, and clays, while an undergraduate at UCLA. Dissatisfied with what was available, Martin wanted to make “thoughtful products” for acne-prone skin — so Rosen was created for custom routines to target specific skin issues like scarring, texture, and hyperpigmentation. Its products are available on its site and at Urban Outfitters. —A.R.
Uoma Beauty Sharon Chuter, a former beauty executive, started Uoma to bring more diversity to the world of beauty. I recommend its foundation, which has one of the largest shade ranges on the market. —C.A. Frugal Bookstore Located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Frugal Bookstore is a community bookstore with the motto “Changing Minds One Book at a Time.”
The Lit. Bar The Lit. Bar, which opened in 2019, is the only bookstore in the Bronx, serving the borough’s 1.5 million residents. Source of Knowledge Newark’s only African American–owned bookstore Source of Knowledge had to close because of the coronavirus. It is running a GoFundMe to help keep the family business alive, continue to serve the community, and feed its employees. —Liza Corsillo
BedStuyFly BedStuyFly offers graphic tees, hats, jackets, and sweats for men and women and has stores in Bed-Stuy and Williamsburg. Brother Vellies Brother Vellies makes fine leather goods including handbags and shoes that range from summery huarache sandals to thigh-high boots. It was founded by Aurora James, who established the 15 Percent Pledge . —Dominique Pariso
Christopher John Rogers Christopher John Rogers makes stunning womenswear pieces in voluminous silhouettes, including iridescent pink taffeta skirts and a red feather-trimmed bustier. Daily Paper Elisa Johnson also told us that her favorite sweatsuit is from Daily Paper, an Amsterdam-based men’s and women’s clothing brand created by Hussein Suleiman, Jefferson Osei, and Abderrahmane Trabsini. “While a little on the pricey side for a sweatshirt and sweatpants, I think they’re worth the investment because together they make for an easy, wearable moment, and each is stylish enough to wear separately with other things from your closet.
Farai London Farai London is easily identified by its bold watercolor-like patterns, double-lined mesh fabric, and sexy cutouts . Since launching in July 2020, the brand has been worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner, and is now sold at Revolve and Selfridges. —J.M.W. Golden Girly We could all use a few more lounge sets these days, and this brand, which offers custom-made matching shorts, sweats, and tops, was included in Hairston’s stories.
Kenneth Ize Kenneth Ize works with a small group of weavers and Nigerian artist-and-design groups to create its pieces. According to the brand’s site, its focus is on “reinterpreting examples of Nigerian craft to create an original perspective on luxury production within textile and fashion.” Local European Another highlight in Hairston’s Instagram story, Alexandra Bunch’s Los Angeles brand Local European offers the sleek bike shorts, satin corsets, and ruched turtleneck dresses you might hope to wear out dancing again someday.
Moshood Creations Designer Moshood Afariogun opened Moshood Creations in Fort Greene in 1994, and the store remained there for 25 years before it was forced out by high rents. The store has since reopened in Bed–Stuy, where you can find its signature wrap skirts, dashikis, dresses, jumpsuits, and patchwork pants. Moshood was also profiled on Black-Owned Brooklyn.
Nude Barre On Nude Barre’s site, you’ll find hosiery and underwear in 12 different shades of nude. According to a feature in Forbes, CEO Erin Carpenter, a former Knicks City Dancer, started the line after struggling to find undergarments and tights that were actually “nude” — and not just beige. Orange Culture The Nigeria-based brand Orange Culture was founded in 2011 by Adebayo Oke-Lawal, who works with ethically sourced fabrics from local Nigerian fabric-makers to create androgynous pieces, including iridescent button-down tops and beaded vests.
Rebecca Allen Rebecca Allen’s shoes come in three simple silhouettes — minimalist two-strap high heels, a pump, and pointy-toe flats — and five different shades of “nude” that cover a wide range of skin tones. The Sixes Brooklyn-bred Franci Girard was five-foot-ten by the time she hit fourth grade. So this brand was born out of a very real and longtime struggle to create actually stylish clothing for tall women — and she really, actually has. The line just launched in 2019 with all manner of pants — jeans, leggings, palazzos — that are extremely flattering, at least judging by the way they look on Franci.
T.A. Telsha Anderson’s online shop carries a sharply curated selection of popular independent designers, including Priscavera and Gauntlett Cheng, and magazines including Gentlewoman and Document. Tree Fairfax Minimalist leather-goods brand Tree Fairfax offers timeless cross-body bags, belts, totes, and waist bags in rich shades of mahogany, cognac, black, and russet.
William Opko William Opko — owned by two sisters and named after their father — makes incredibly luxe, playful garments that look like prep clothing from another world. Also really cool hats!—Erin Schwartz A Dozen Cousins A Dozen Cousins, which was founded in 2018 by Ibraheem Basir, makes “soulfully seasoned” vegan beans — like gingery Trini chickpea curry and tangy Mexican cowboy beans — that you can buy at Walmart or on Amazon.
Buy Better Foods After a detox diet encouraged Myriam Simpierre to pursue a low-sodium, low-sugar diet, she opened Buy Better Foods, a market and learning center offering whole local and sustainable foods, health-and-wellness products, and instructional workshops, based in Brooklyn. —Leah Muncy Harlem Hops Harlem Hops, which will be celebrating its second anniversary this year, is Manhattan’s first and only Black-owned craft-beer bar. Founded by three HBCU graduates, the bar offers a rotating selection of craft beer along with small plates. The community-focused bar also runs Harlem Hopes, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to offset the cost of college education to native Harlem residents.
Lotus Scoop Ice Cream I trawl supermarket shelves every summer for this ice cream, which is made in Brooklyn by food-justice advocate Adriane Stewart and sourced from local ingredients. The sweet-potato-and-banana flavor was what originally piqued my interest, but I’m also partial to the soursop. —Katherine Gillespie
Partake Most allergen-, gluten-, and dairy-free brands look medicinal or just plain old dull . Partake has completely reinvented the category with exciting flavors, actually palpable textures, and delicious tastes. And I never feel guilty indulging in its cookies, which is very easy to do. —C.A.
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