PHOTO: @REEPROJECTS; @EDAS; @VAVVOUNE; @BRANDONBLACKWOODNYC ; @BROTHERVELLIES; @MOWALOLA;
@SHOPMAXANDMIN; @MADEBYCIRIACO
Long before everyone adopts a handbag trend, an It bag, or a rising handbag brand, it usually falls into one of two categories: Either it’s from a Black-owned business or the Black community champions it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen my community and even queen Beyoncé herself sporting an indie brand or micro-trend only for it to blow up shortly after. Just look at examples like Telfar’s Shopper Tote and Brandon Blackwood’s End Systemic Racism Tote. It’s safe to say that the fashion set is filled with so many incredibly influential people across all backgrounds who will always pull up and support BIPOC-owned brands.
As a Black woman, I derive so much joy from seeing how, time and again, we carry the trends. But it’s not just the bag collectors like me who are swinging these bags over their shoulders. There are so many incredible Black designers who are leading the culture and doing it for the culture right now. In that vein, I’ve rounded up 19 Black-owned handbag brands to shop year-round. Whether they’ve reached cult status or are still growing, you’ll want to get your hands on these before it’s too late.
1. Brandon Blackwood
PHOTO: @BRANDONBLACKWOODNYC
For most Black-owned handbag brands, it takes a few years to build notoriety in the industry, and such is the case for Brandon Blackwood. In 2015, the designer founded his namesake accessory label. While you may have first been introduced to Blackwood’s work when Kim Kardashian posted about his viral EST Tote, his work is worth keeping an eye on, as he’s become beloved for his vibrant-hued shoulder bags, animal trunks, and chic sunglasses and has a ready-to-wear collection in the works that have the fashion set waiting with bated breath.
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2. Homage Year
PHOTO: @HOMAGEYEAR
Let the record state that I said this first: The next It bag is coming from the Black-owned brand Homage Year. Unlike most creatives who dream of owning their own namesake label, for Jamaican American designer Antoine Manning, the idea of creating a brand didn’t come to fruition until the tragic passing of a loved one. Each drop is an homage to his late father and the Black diaspora. This makes each bag a true piece of art.
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3. Edas
PHOTO: @__EDAS
Brooklyn’s fashion set is always ahead of the curve, so it’s only a matter of time before the accessory brand Edas takes over. Founded by Sade Mims in 2013, the brand has managed to garner a following among the creative set and celebrities such as Tessa Thompson, for a good reason, of course. With a collection of eclectic jewelry, colorful handbags with nostalgic shapes, and handmade homewares, it’s easy to see why falling in love with Edas, at first sight, is so easy.
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4. Max+Min
PHOTO: @SHOPMAXANDMIN
Call me biased, but I love my Midwest girls, and designer Tiarra Smallwood is no exception. While the Ohio-born creative may now reside in Brooklyn, her roots are present in her newly launched leather-accessory brand Max+Min. Just look at her minimalist shapes with maximal details like cow-print calf hair and gold hardware. It’s this balance that has landed her deals with Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s only a few months after founding the brand. The case has been made: Midwest girls do it better.
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