Black History Month- Fashion Edition Part 2
So, I know that I said that I would pick one designer a week, but it’s Black History Month and all of these designers/brands need to be recognized, hence this week I have 2. In this week’s Black History lesson, we have Danielle “Dani” Evans, the creator of Monrowe, and she is a milliner. Not sure if you remember but hats became a huge trend last year and that momentum kept on into this year, and I, like most, fell in love with the trend that has now turned into a staple in my wardrobe. I went from having 1 black hat, that in truth I had for bad hair days, to having 15 in various colors, and now find myself styling outfits around those hats. Now if you are a reality show type of person and have watched America’s Next Top Model, you may recognize Dani, she was on cycle 6 of the show, which was in 2006 and she was crowned the winner of that cycle. As a model, she has appeared in various fashion magazines, walked the catwalks, and appeared in commercials, but as good as all that is what brings us to her today is her beautifully crafted hats.
In fashion we often speak on clothing, but in reality, sometimes the accessories are what can truly make an outfit pop. Dani launched her brand Monrowe in 2017. It is a unisex hat company named after her jazz musician grandfather Monrowe Franklin. She said “These are the hats he would have worn. This is his aesthetic, channeled into crowns for the modern (wo)man.”
From her site describing her hats: Strong, structured silhouettes. More timeless than trendy, the brims blend nuances from the 40’s and 50’s Jazz Era with classic Western shapes and contemporary elements. A fresh interpretation of a vibe from a bygone era.
Her hats range from $300- $475, and they can be purchased from her site, monrowenyc.com, SAKS, and Revolve.
Next up is Brother Vellies. Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 by Aurora James. Aurora is a creative director, activist, and fashion designer. After traveling across Africa in 2011, James spent the next few years experimenting with design, testing designs at local markets in New York and worked with various artisans. She launched Brother Vellies in January of 2013, with $3,500 in savings. The first formal collection was produced in Spring of 2014. She also designed the “Tax the Rich Dress” that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore to the 2021 Met Gala. The goal of her brand is keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs. The label specializes in luxury accessories that pay homage to African cultural history and timeless design through one-of-a-kind pieces that will remain part of your wardrobe forever. They use products like vegetable-tanned leathers, soiling from recycled tires, hand-carved wood, and floral-dyed feathers, all sourced carefully from farmers across the globe. Yes, my friends, the brand is sustainable.
Of course, they just don’t make shoes, and if you go to their site, you can see where they have special made to order pieces, also pieces you can get from their Bodega section, and small leather goods. Brother Vellies has some dedicated followers including Beyonce, Meghan Markle, Zendaya, Rihanna, Serena Williams, Lady Gaga, Chrissy Teigen and Solange.
Brother Vellies shoes range from $150- $600, while boots can cost up to $1,000. You can find them at SAKS, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and of course their site brothervellies.com.
I hope you have enjoyed your lesson of the week and go ahead and support these beautiful black ladies and their designs. These are definitely worth looking into and purchasing. So you have no excuse to say I can't find any black designers to support or purchase from, well here it is folks, I am bringing it to YOU!! Now off you go and spend those hard earned coins. Until the next one, deuces!
“Fear is normal. It’s terrifying. But isn’t it more terrifying to not follow your dreams at all?” - Aurora James