BY REFRAMING OUR AESTHETIC VISION, WE CAN DECOLONIZE WHAT WE DEEM ASPIRATIONAL
this is a space dedicated to centering BIPOC and showcasing their exquisite creations
Why?
the concept of ‘luxury’ is historically rooted in imperialism: the original luxury goods were spices, furs, and jewels that european colonizers stole from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. modern luxury retail is a direct descendant of this history and continues to sustain racist power dynamics by systemically excluding creators of color:
LESS THAN 2% OF BRANDS AT NET-A-PORTER, NORDSTROM, AND SHOPBOP ARE BLACK-OWNED, AND LESS THAN 10% ARE POC-OWNED
for centuries, our perceptions of desirability and aspiration have been defined by the white gaze. to decolonize what we deem aspirational, we must reframe our aesthetic vision by centering creators of color.
LEARN MORE: the fashion and race database, tony wang on decolonizing fashion
How?
we aim to showcase the work of creators of color and center their perspectives across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. our vision is for a purpose-driven and community-oriented space that operates outside of the existing retail system. long-term goals include:
growing a community with content, experiences, and programs to help support fledgling BIPOC-owned brands and emerging creators of color
utilizing a marketplace model to offer better sales terms to brands and to empower creators of color to uplift one another, rather than compete with each other for shelf space (the wholesale system is broken)
to bring this to life, we’ll need your support. follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter.