Black-owned e-commerce stores to watch and shop today

Gone are the days when location made it difficult for us to purchase items and goods made or owned by Black people. With the advent of the Internet and its impact on commerce, Black people are revolutionizing the way we participate in the global marketplace and making it easier to recycle our dollars. Here’s a list of four Black-owned e-commerce stores that not only excel at selecting and selling Black-owned goods, but also stand out in their own unique way.

Folklore

Folkore is owned by Amira Rasool, an entrepreneur and writer living between New York and Cape Town. The basic mission of the multibrand concept is to provide the world with access to luxury goods from Africa and the diaspora, using an ethical and selected way. The platform also enables designers and creators to share their stories with new and wider audiences. Their carefully curated product line reflects the diversity of contemporary African urban landscapes and design aesthetics.

They offer clothing, accessories, shoes, bags and homewares that can be found in cities around the world and appeal to men and women who appreciate luxurious, thoughtful, clean and boundary-pushing design.

Exclusivity is key in the Folkore product selection process, as the sale of a limited range of products is selected specifically for internationally recognized designers.

With brands such as Tokyo James, Atto Tetteh, Simon & Mary, Loza Maléombho, Gozel Green and many others.

Folklore Platform is determined to give African designers the opportunity to monetize their brands.

Jendaya

Jendaya, which means “Grateful” in the Zimbabwean language, is an online marketplace that hosts next-generation luxury brands in Africa and beyond.

Founded by investment banker turned fashion entrepreneur Ayotunde Rufai, Jendaya offers buyers from around the world a curated exhibition of luxury fashion brands produced by both African and Western talent. The site boasts a tasteful, luxurious collection of ready-to-wear designs for women and men, beauty products, jewelry and other accessories from African designers such as Christie Brown, Orange Culture, Torlowei, Imad Eduso and AAKS.

Their commitment to positive luxury and sustainability is reflected in the bespoke designs that are promoted on the platform, helping to combat fashion waste while promoting a more sustainable fashion production process.

Jendaya also sets itself apart by providing designers with excellent, business-friendly debt solutions, which are showcased on their website. They really show that they are “indebted” to the amazing fashion talents on the African continent.

Ilana

Founded by Samuel Ade, an entrepreneur, and Borislava Bozhikova, a Bulgarian fashion designer, Ilana is the place where luxury African fashion meets the global market, creating the perfect online marketplace for Black fashion designers.

The concept of this e-commerce website was born from the meaning of its name “Ilana” (pronounced Eleanor), which translates to “path” in Yoruba. Since the genesis of the store is based on the story of Samuel’s mother, a designer who wanted her products to be sold around the world, Ilana, like the meaning of its name, is about being a path. It creates a pathway for emerging talent across the African continent and in the diaspora to learn, grow and scale global brands.

Since its launch in November 2020, Ilana has featured apartment designs from a variety of Black designers. Brands like Fruché with its artisanal and playful approach to fashion, Larry Jay’s nature-inspired ethical designs, and Atto Tetteha’s bold menswear are just some of the many lines available on the e-commerce site. Unlike other select online stores, Ilana makes a difference by giving designers a fashion stipend funded by a percentage of all sales on the platform. In doing this, Ilana is truly achieving her goal of being a path to success for Black designers, regardless of exclusivity and elitism in the industry.

Decorate me, Africa

This e-commerce website is a successful passion project started by Elorma Praise Dela-Seshie; entrepreneur, Adorn Me Africa is an online marketplace and subscription box showcasing amazing designs and products from mid- to high-end designers on the African continent.

Adorn Me Africa is a larger call to the global market to decorate it with goods made here in Africa. The website offers contemporary African ready-to-wear and accessories from selected products.

You’ll find designs like Threaded Tribe’s signature mud fabric pieces, Myth House’s colorful pastel metallic handbags, the brand’s 1964 minimalist flowing gowns, and beauty products like Pretty Black Hands’ toxic-free nail polishes, the brand’s shower range Pretty Black Hands. Kaeme, to name a few.

Additionally, Adorn Me Africa brings a new spice to the table of emerging Black-owned e-commerce stores by using professional stylists who curate different subscription boxes for subscribers each month based on their individual style profiles.