10 Black-Owned Clothing Brands To Know and Love

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Black-owned clothing companies are taking the fashion world by storm with high-quality, unique styles. Shopping for these brands is a powerful way to support the Black community and their talented creators while elevating your wardrobe with inspired designs, from traditional apparel to trendy streetwear. 

Explore the top 10 Black-owned clothing brands and discover striking new aesthetics for your closet.

10 innovative Black-owned fashion brands 

Whether you’re restocking after an all-out closet cleanse or grabbing a few new pieces to complete a specific look, these Black-owned brands have something for every occasion and style.

1. Wales Bonner

Grace Wales Bonner is a brilliant designer who started in menswear but has (thankfully!) expanded her work into womenswear. 

This brand has stunning ready-to-wear collections focusing on African and West Indian cultural styles, primarily featuring dark, rich palettes of brown and red. We love their collaboration with Adidas, which showcases colorful recycled sportswear—we have a soft spot for keeping clothes in circulation.

Grab Wales Bonner’s exclusive pieces on ThredUp without emptying your wallet, starting at just $66.99.

2. Soulland

Soulland is a standout Black-owned streetwear brand. We love their strong 2000s skater vibes, which spotlight minimalist hoodies, activewear, and graphic tees. If you prefer vibrant patterns, you’ll find something, too—they carry various floral shirts and dresses.

We’re impressed by the brand's stance on sustainability. Their website poses insightful questions, asking you to think about your purchase before you act and prompting you to use the garments in your closet before buying anything new.

3. Telfar

Telfar is one of our favorite African-American clothing brands, most well-known for their famous Shopping Bag. This eye-catching, angular vegan leather bag is available in many colors and sizes, appealing to countless personal styles.

We also adore their genderless clothing—every piece of fashion they produce is unisex, from puffer coats to on-trend jeans. They promote this through their motto, “It’s not for you—it’s for everyone.”

Thrift Telfar’s creative handbags and clothing on ThredUp for budget-friendly prices, starting at $68.99.

4. Daily Paper

From elegant patterned button-downs to chunky high-tops, Daily Paper effortlessly blends African heritage with casual, contemporary fashions. While it started as a menswear company, it now offers a wide range of women’s clothing.

This streetwear brand is one of the more affordable Black-owned clothing brands, providing designer looks at non-exclusive prices—there are many options for under $100.

Grab Daily Paper’s chic shirts and hoodies for even less on ThredUp, starting at $12.99.

5. Pyer Moss

Pyer Moss is a luxury streetwear brand that balances haute couture and activism, promoting the Black community and LGBTQ+ rights through fashion. These looks feature vintage silhouettes and daring designs, including color-block bomber jackets and long-sleeve crop tops.

These pieces are challenging to get a hold of—almost runway-exclusive—but the designer collaborates with popular brands Canada Goose and Reebok, which are much more accessible. We love the Reebok collab, which offers bold cropped turtlenecks, sneakers, and bodysuits.

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6. Fear of God

Fear of God is a timeless fashion brand known for their wide range of styles, including sophisticated skirts, casual sweats, and functional activewear. They use a simple neutral palette, with most items available in grays and browns.

While most of these pieces have high-end price tags, the Essentials collection was designed to be accessible and affordable, averaging around $120.

Find elegant Fear of God sweatshirts and tanks on ThredUp, starting at $41.99.

7. Lemlem

Lemlem is an Ethiopian brand famous for their vibrant ready-to-wear shirts, maxi dresses, and swimwear. Their apparel is artistic and striking, sporting traditional patterns and bright colors.

These pieces are manufactured entirely in Africa using recycled textiles and locally sourced cotton, making Lemlem one of our favorite sustainable clothing brands. They also partner with an Ethiopian women-owned studio that practices traditional weaving, cutting, and sewing techniques.

Thrift Lemlem’s inspired, breezy styles on ThredUp, starting at only $10.99.

8. Autumn Adeigbo

Autumn Adeigbo offers attention-grabbing, multi-colored clothing and accessories, including midi dresses, puff-sleeve blouses, and crop tops. The founder creates each piece with her Nigerian heritage in mind, using traditional prints and silhouettes and blending them with modern styles.

This brand has excellent sustainability practices and purchases limited fabric to reduce textile waste and excessive manufacturing.

Check out ThredUp’s collection of Autumn Adeigbo dresses and tops, starting at $38.99.

9. LITA by Ciara

LITA by Ciara is a ready-to-wear fashion brand founded by American singer-songwriter Ciara. The brand prioritizes on-trend aesthetics, offering high heels, corset tops, and jumpsuits. We particularly love their sleek cardigan dresses.

They also score major sustainability points—70% of their products are made with low-impact materials, including organic cotton and recycled nylon and cashmere. Each item is also packaged in biopolymer instead of plastic, which biodegrades in soil, water, and home composts.

Shop stunning LITA favorites (including our favorite cardigan dresses) on ThredUp, starting at $18.99.

10. OFF-WHITE

OFF-WHITE is a progressive, fashion-forward brand founded by the late Virgil Abloh. This luxury streetwear brand had a humble yet avant-garde start, selling screen-printed Ralph Lauren deadstock.

The brand maintains its unique angle today, gathering fame for their monochromatic patterns, chunky sneakers, and graphic handbags. We adore the Black Stamp Bandana Dress, a charming jersey mini with an embroidered logo and arm cutouts.

Thrift OFF-WHITE’s contemporary shoes, bags, and dresses on ThredUp, starting at $77.99.

Find fashionable Black-owned brands on ThredUp

ThredUp is the ultimate place to find affordable, Black-owned clothing brands, each piece at up to 90% retail price. Thrifting helps you easily celebrate your favorite designers and wear their inspired styles, offering access to limited edition items and budget-friendly prices.

Buying secondhand also promotes sustainable practices, keeping high-quality clothes out of landfills and reducing your fashion footprint.

Browse your favorite Black-owned companies using our Shop By Brand filter, and enjoy an organized collection of over 50,000 brands.

FAQs

What was the first Black-owned clothing brand?

Many consider Ann Lowe Originals, founded in 1968, the first Black-owned clothing brand. Fashion icon Ann Lowe was a brilliant designer responsible for many inspired pieces, including Jackie O’s famous ivory silk taffeta wedding dress.

However, others cite Zelda Wynn Valdes, an American fashion designer and costumer who opened her dressmaking studio in 1948.

Who’s the most successful Black fashion designer?

Many people consider Willi Smith to be the most successful Black fashion designer. Often credited with inventing streetwear, his creative designs significantly impacted the fashion industry, prioritizing authenticity over traditional styles.

Check out Willi Smith’s bold silhouettes on ThredUp, starting at $7.99.

What were the Black-owned clothing brands in the ’90s?

Phat Farm and FUBU are the most famous Black-owned fashion companies of the 1990s. They produced iconic streetwear and sportswear and helped popularize distinct 1990s trends, like double denim.

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