- 9 hours ago
Unpacking how we can increase mainstream visibility and create more consistent, widespread support for African fashion brands."
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LifestyleTranscript
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04:19I'm very excited to introduce journalist and CEO of Every Stylist Girl, Nana Ajimain.
04:30The founder and CEO of ForkLore, Amira Rasul.
04:37Chocolate Clothes Global Creative Director, Kweku Badiaku.
04:43And last but certainly not least, Essence Ventures Chief of Staff of the Diasporic Engagement, Mrs. Barku Tubman.
04:56You guys give it up for our panel. This is going to be a special one. Enjoy.
05:03Hello, hello. How's everyone doing? Y'all look absolutely beautiful.
05:08Thank you so much for coming and listening to us talk about the ecosystem of African fashion.
05:13So just by a raise of hands, who's been to year of return, Detsi Decemba, like anything guys?
05:20Hey, period. Yes.
05:23That's all of you.
05:23That's right. I love to see that energy.
05:27So we're about to have an amazing conversation.
05:29I first just want to have our panelists introduce yourself really quick once again.
05:33Yes. So my name is Amira Rasul. I'm the founder and CEO of The Folklore.
05:39We are a wholesale e-commerce platform that helps retailers discover diverse brands from around the world.
05:45So we work with partners like Nordstrom, Saks, Crate & Barrel, Bloomingdale's,
05:49and we help them source beautiful black designers, like I'm sure they're in the audience,
05:54as well as from Africa, South America, Asia, etc.
05:57So nice to be here.
05:59Love to see it.
05:59Hi, everybody. I'm Barku Tubman-Zawolo.
06:04I am the chief of staff and diasporic engagement at Essence Ventures.
06:08In my other life, I'm also an entrepreneur that lived in Africa.
06:12I'm from Liberia originally, grew up in New York, and I always say I lived in Liberia.
06:16I grew up in New York with African parents because it's different.
06:21For those of us that know, it's different.
06:25Okay, that was a Ghanaian accent. That's not a Liberian accent.
06:27But don't ask me why I went there because I'm wearing a Ghanaian designer, Christy Brown, next to this guy.
06:32But, you know, part of my responsibility at Essence Ventures and just really in my life,
06:36and I think that's why this all works for me, is I feel like it is so important that we connect with each other for everything.
06:44I think we know our influence in fashion, and one of the things that we hope to do and we will continue to do at Essence Ventures
06:50is connect the disconnected diaspora and fashion, entertainment, culture, economic inclusion are some of the pillars.
06:59Health and wellness are some of the pillars that we're going to use to do that.
07:01And I am just a huge fan of African luxury because I feel like Africa is luxury, and I think black is luxury.
07:11And so at Essence Ventures, that's part of my role, and I mean, like, what better?
07:15I get paid to do that.
07:19Well, well said.
07:20I think you said everything.
07:21Well, my name is Kwekubediakon, a.k.a. Samumokuta.
07:26I was born and bred in Potata.
07:27Chocolate.
07:29That is his name.
07:31Yeah, and you know my Zoom name is Hot Chocolate, too, so I'm just saying.
07:36So I'm the creative director, CEO of Chocolate Clothes Global.
07:41We've been in existence in Africa for the past 10 years.
07:44It's our 10th anniversary.
07:45And as you know, yo, doing and running a business in Ghana or Africa, that's like 30 years.
07:54It feels like 30 years already.
07:57But I think the most important thing is you talked about connection, and that's the most important thing.
08:05Since the inception of the year of return, beyond the return, it's been driving what we've been talking about, which is connecting the dots.
08:14We've been connecting different cultures in and from Africa.
08:19And, you know, we've always, we believe in the aesthetic of always blending not just who we are, but who we are generally as a people in the world.
08:30So connecting the dots has been part of our pillars, and being here is just amazing, and y'all are just stunning.
08:37Yes, and to piggyback off of that, today we're talking about what we can do as a community to create more consistent, wide-thread support for African fashion brands.
08:49So, Amira, I'm going to start with you.
08:51Of course, you are all, sorry about that.
08:54Of course, you are all key players in the ecosystem of African fashion, but, Amira, of course, you've been doing it for some time, and you're working with so many different brands all over across the diaspora.
09:06So can you talk us through that process, what it's like, and what inspired you?
09:12Yeah, sure.
09:13So, actually, today is our five-year anniversary.
09:16Yes!
09:16Okay, five and ten!
09:18Five and ten!
09:20Do it again!
09:20Yes, we launched September 8th, 2018.
09:24That's the late shit.
09:25And so it's been a journey.
09:27They always ask me what's the most difficult part of running this business, and I'm like, no offense, but it's working with the brands.
09:34Even though, you know, even though, because, you know, y'all are creative, so y'all sensitive about you.
09:39Yeah, we're different.
09:40Okay.
09:41It's sensitive.
09:42So, but it's also the most rewarding part, and so, you know, what actually inspired me to start the folklore is I took a trip to South Africa.
09:51I'd never been there before.
09:52I was an undergrad, and I just fell in love with the talent that was there, and I couldn't believe that, you know, I'd been in the fashion industry for a while.
10:01I was in media originally, knew all of the European and the American brands, but didn't know anything about the brands I was discovering in South Africa.
10:09And when I got back to New York, people were stopping me on the street, like, where did you get these sandals?
10:14Where did you get this dress?
10:16And I really wanted to see, okay, is there a place for me to get them back in New York?
10:20And the brands didn't have direct-to-consumer e-commerce platforms that delivered internationally, and retailers were just as oblivious as I was that there's this huge talent pool that exists, and that there is a consumer base in the U.S.
10:34and all over that really has a desire for them.
10:37So seeing that, I left my job.
10:40I used to work at V Magazine, and I moved to Cape Town, South Africa to actually develop the concept for the business.
10:45So big move, it was only my second time ever going back to Africa, moved there, lived there for two years.
10:52And what I really, what was really important, and it's not just about business when you're working with these brands, it's really about forming really valuable relationships and asking questions and learning.
11:02And so I knew if I wanted to do this, especially as someone who's black American, who can't even tie my roots back to the continent, I needed to be able to be there on the ground.
11:12I went to Nigeria, I went to Ghana, I went to Kenya, went to the Fashion Weeks, and I was sitting at these people's kitchen tables.
11:20I was talking to their parents.
11:21But aunties and uncles.
11:22I was listening.
11:23She ain't lying.
11:24I was doing it all, you know?
11:26And I really sat there and I listened, and I really built the business around what they needed.
11:33And then even when I felt, okay, there's been a shift in things, because we started out as direct-to-consumer originally, and we switched to B2B last year.
11:41And that's because there was a shift where there were more retailers who wanted to work with diverse brands.
11:45They were looking for, you know, African brands, black-owned brands, but they didn't know where to find them, and they also just weren't, they didn't know how to work with us.
11:54Because, again, they're used to working with a certain demographic.
11:57We're different, and we have to be able to, and these retailers have to be able to understand that, and there needed to be a bridge.
12:03And so, you know, even listening to the brands then, cool, we like selling with the folklore, but we want to sell with other retailers.
12:09I said, I bet we could do that.
12:11And here we are now.
12:12So that's really, you know, our story of how we first, you know, started cultivating these relationships with brands.
12:18And they're brands that I've worked with from day one, who, when we closed the D2C and opened up B2B, they're still with us to this day.
12:25I just want to say, Amira's being humble right now, y'all.
12:28She is in Nordstrom.
12:30She is in Shopbop.
12:32She's really, really bringing the continent widespread global.
12:36And I just want to congratulate you on your work in just short five years.
12:40Like, that's absolutely incredible.
12:42So right now, as you all know, it's an amazing time to be a black creative in the fashion industry, in the space.
12:49But there seems to be a lag to grow at a steady pace, specifically for African designers, right?
12:57And we want to know, what do you guys think is the root of that issue, of that problem?
13:02We kind of made a joke about that, how it takes 35 years to move.
13:06But really, like, what is the issue, and how do you see us long-term repairing that?
13:11Want me to start?
13:12Oh, this question applies to anyone.
13:15I'll start, and I'll let Chocolate, who's the, he's in it, right?
13:18I'm an entrepreneur.
13:19I'm not necessarily a fashion entrepreneur, also.
13:22But I think one of the things is, when you think about African designers, and usually how they start, they start in community.
13:29And in their communities, it's very small.
13:32So as they're making things, they're, like, they can only make about so much because, so many pieces, because you will go to the same, people hang out in cliques.
13:43So when you go to a function, you'll see the same people who shop with the same people, who go to the same stores, who get their hair done.
13:50So they can't really scale because they can only make a certain quantity.
13:55And I think what folklore is doing, which I think is really, really important, is providing an outlet and a platform for them to be able to scale, because then it doesn't become, why is she wearing that?
14:06She is this person, and I am this person, and, you know, Africa is very cliquish, for those of you that may or may not know, right?
14:13Like, it's very cliquish.
14:15And this is, you know, one of my favorite shows was in African City, because that's the appropriately titled name, because that represented every African city, right?
14:25And so it's difficult for the scale, because you can only make about so many pieces for anybody to buy.
14:32Now, when you start to look outside, you're now also competing with other black creatives that are already there.
14:38So how do you create where it doesn't feel like competition, but is more collaboration, and the fact that everybody has their unique gift?
14:46So I think part of the challenge is, one, learning and figuring out how to scale, because you also have, to your point, Amir, like, you're walking around, people love that outfit.
14:56But the brands can't really afford to produce that many of those outfits, so you also need to pre-order for them to be able to produce.
15:05So there's a lot of those challenges, and I think the challenge and the work that we have to do is to support.
15:13Can I do some housekeeping, please?
15:15Please, please do.
15:16Okay, I'm sorry.
15:17Can you guys keep it down in the back a little bit, if you don't mind, just because we're having fun up here.
15:22Yes, thank you.
15:23Yes.
15:26I know y'all are having fun, that's what we want, but we also want to make sure you guys get the information.
15:30But I think that's why it's important with what you all are, what you're doing.
15:34Chocolate, and I'll let him talk for himself, he actually lives in Ghana, but he's spent so much time here.
15:40He is actually, so in fact, our CEO, Caroline Wanga, the outfit she was wearing is actually chocolate.
15:45Yes.
15:45Yes.
15:46I wasn't going to talk about English.
15:49Y'all are too humble up here.
15:50Shout out to Caroline.
15:51But if you think about it, like, it is the African creative, to many Africans, for those that may or may not know, coming to America is the next best thing to heaven.
16:02Right?
16:02Because you want to expand, you want to succeed here.
16:06And I think you have to figure out, how do I stay true to home, to who I am, to my culture, to my community, but I also want to expand.
16:15We see the influence of Afrobeats.
16:16We see what's happening just across, just what's happening with the African influence.
16:21This has always been there.
16:22I think it's also finally just being recognized.
16:25So the work and the challenge is how to find the right partners to allow you to scale.
16:30Because the African, there's two African creatives, I'll say.
16:33There's the African creatives that are on the continent, and there's the African creatives that are already in the diaspora that uses their creativity to connect the culture and the continent.
16:43So I think if we can find the right partnerships, the right relationships, understand the business that we want to be in, and then also make sure your quality also stands up to everything else that is out there.
16:54That's really important.
16:55Retweet, retweet.
16:56Well said.
16:57That's my new thing.
16:58Retweet, retweet.
16:59No, like, well said.
17:00Well said.
17:01So my perspective, it's very interesting.
17:04Like, hearing your perspective, I'm like, that's so true.
17:06But, like, from my perspective, I'm giving you a perspective from on the ground, from where we sit, right?
17:14So picture this.
17:17Okay, picture this.
17:18In Africa, most parents are very concerned about every kid being a doctor.
17:24Sorry, doctor.
17:26Lawyer.
17:27Engineer.
17:28Engineer.
17:29You know, so you can just imagine me going to tell my professor.
17:36Doctor.
17:37He's a professor for, professor in plant pathology.
17:41And my mom is a professor in botany.
17:45And all my siblings, from the first one being a molecular biologist, to a stem cells researcher, to a biochemist, to robotic engineer, to a...
17:57Then, hi.
17:59It was not going to happen in my house.
18:02I slept outside the house for two years.
18:04So there's a big...
18:07There used to be, you know, to be very honest, it's evolving, it's changing.
18:12You know, shout-outs to a lot of our paysetters, designers, who paved the way for us, the new school, that are now, like, changing the youth's perception about it.
18:24But I'm bringing this up because there was a gap between mindset and skill set.
18:29Nobody really understands that it's a big issue.
18:33Now, you have someone who didn't go to school.
18:35And then, if you don't go to school, what are your options?
18:39They might end up being maybe house helps.
18:44Maybe, like, an aide to a family.
18:46When you spend two, five years with that family, they tell you that, ah, since you've spent five years with their family, they will put you into some skill training.
18:57So then they put you into carpentry, masonry, design, or seamstress, right?
19:06So the person gets into the art without being very...
19:10There's no love.
19:12It's lack of option.
19:13I'll get in there.
19:14It's just survival.
19:15Survival.
19:16So they learn the skill set, but they never learn the mindset.
19:19So then it turns into another problem of a chicken and an egg situation where they don't produce stuff to, let's say, 100%.
19:32Quality level is low.
19:34So then when you are billing, you can't really bill because once you pick the item, as soon as you wear the bag, the belt goes off.
19:44You know, you wear the pants and you sit down and just imagine you didn't wear no underwear.
19:51I'm just saying, I'm just saying, you know.
19:52But, yeah, so it's like a ripple effect of these little things that is, you know.
19:59So the last thing anybody is thinking about is how do I scale this for 1.5 billion people plus 400 million people?
20:08No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
20:10Survival.
20:11Survival.
20:12Survival.
20:12But the most exciting bit about this conversation is there's so much change now.
20:21You know, again, big ups to our paysetters, right?
20:25Today we are having the African Fashion Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.
20:31Yes.
20:32Yo, shout-outs to Alara.
20:33Shout-outs to Alara, Renny.
20:35Yo, shout-outs to Anistine.
20:37Shout-outs to the whole team.
20:38Yes.
20:38It's such an amazing foot.
20:42That we've, like, you can't even imagine it, right?
20:48And so, to answer your question, it's coming.
20:52The likes of Chocolate Jets didn't start off being like this.
20:56You know, sitting in front of you being all jiggy.
20:59And no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
21:00We used to walk.
21:01Yeah.
21:01Right?
21:02I could walk from Brooklyn to Queens.
21:05I don't know how that distance is, but it just feels long.
21:08It is long.
21:08But, you know, so it's changing.
21:11You have the likes of people like myself, like the Christy Browns, like the Diabasa Was, like the Orin Culture, ETC.
21:20Because we are shaping top leaders.
21:22We are changing the mindset of the youth who are now, let's say, maybe you're done with their undergrad.
21:27They're probably even done with their masters.
21:29Maybe they did one in business communication, did a master's in economics, and now they delve back into their art or their skill set.
21:37But because they've already built a mindset, they're now ready to talk and talk to the lights of a mirror, you know, which I'm talking to you after here, by the way.
21:46You know, on how to scale the business.
21:52How do we add business to the passion that we've always had.
21:56Yeah.
21:57Amira, I'm going to bring it back to you because when it comes to commerce, accessibility and visibility are the two major factors in driving commerce.
22:06What are ways to increase visibility and accessibility for African brands here in the U.S.?
22:11What can we do right now?
22:12People in the room, chocolate over here, right?
22:14What can we do to expand that in the U.S.?
22:17All right.
22:18So we got, there's two options, really, in ways that you can support brands.
22:23So you can go directly to their websites and place that order.
22:27Most of them now have e-commerce websites.
22:29They're on Shopify.
22:30Shout out to Shopify.
22:31They're sponsoring our showroom this week, so shout out to them.
22:34So most of them are on Shopify.
22:36You can place an order with them.
22:38But give them grace because they are, most of them, it's made to order.
22:43So don't expect it, everybody has these Amazon-like mindsets where they place an order and then they'll email the brand, they'll place an order on Monday.
22:52It's a very American mindset.
22:53Email the brand on Tuesday and then be like, where's my thing?
22:56I'm supposed to be wearing it at a wedding on Saturday.
22:58If you place an order in Lagos for Monday, you are not wearing it at that wedding on Saturday.
23:04So it's really, yes, like give, give these brands grace, read the most of the time.
23:10The descriptions will say it'll take two to three weeks.
23:13And so be able to understand it even give it another week because, you know, at the end of the day, these are small brands.
23:19But you continuing to support them is always going to be, is always going to be, make them get to the next level.
23:25Number two is actually a lot of these brands now are being sold at retail stores.
23:29So you can walk into Bergdorf Goodman down the street and buy V. Bellen because Bergdorf discovered them through the folklore and they've been selling out there since, for the past few months.
23:40Shopbop, we have tons of brands that we've placed on Shopbop.
23:43Orire is one of them that I'm wearing right now, which is launching in a few months.
23:47And because, and what's really important about that is the only way that retailers are going to continue to order wholesale from these brands is if you're buying.
23:55If they don't see a consumer demand, if they don't have the 60 to 70% sell through, then they're not going to keep ordering from that brand.
24:02So yes, they got to make the cool announcement that they're being sold at Nordstrom or Saks, but it's only one season or two seasons because our community didn't show up and show out and make sure that they were purchasing from them.
24:13So it's good.
24:13It's important to, yes, you know, be able to support them directly, but they have those exclusive styles that you'll find at a Saks or a Bloomingdale's.
24:22Make sure that you are there, you're showing up, you're sharing it with people.
24:26And, you know, really, I would say really treating them the same way that you would treat all the luxury brands that everybody wants to wear, the Gucci's, the Louis Vuitton's.
24:35Give them that same respect, recognize that the price point is what the price point is, recognize that the quality is what the quality is, and it's on par.
24:46Some of these people are producing in the same factories as the Gucci's and the Louis Vuitton's, and y'all wouldn't know.
24:51And so just really making sure to do those two things is really important, particularly brands that the folklore works with.
24:58Definitely go support all of them.
25:00Yeah, and I think, honestly, what stood out to me is that yesterday I was at the Essence fashion dinner, and they had said a really interesting quote.
25:09As you guys know, black Americans have a billion-dollar rate buying power.
25:13If we were to put in under 5% back into black-owned business, we would be so much more successful than we are.
25:21So I'm going to wrap it up with a final question before I turn it over to the audience.
25:26Kwaku, this topic is very, very important.
25:28You ready?
25:28Okay.
25:29So you're based in Ghana, right?
25:31And as we all know, Ghana is one of the most poppin' destination spots, period, in December.
25:37But when...
25:37No, just in December.
25:38Oh, I was going to say, like, all the time.
25:40That's here all year round.
25:41All year round.
25:42Well, I'm saying during the largest tourism time, right?
25:45You would say it's mostly December.
25:47So when this tourism is happening, are you seeing black Americans give buying power back to African fashion designers on the continent when they're going to Ghana?
25:56Are they shopping from the brands there?
25:58Are they giving back to the brands there?
25:59What are you seeing on the floor there?
26:01Wow.
26:02So, like, I'm getting goosebumps right now.
26:06Listen, shout-outs to my black Americans.
26:10Listen, if I tell you the magnitude of support just by connecting or just having a brand that just speaks to the aura, the ethos of our brothers and sisters that are literally just on the other side of the continent, it's amazing.
26:31Like, I don't recall any black American coming to me and asking me for discounts.
26:40Wow.
26:41It doesn't happen.
26:44Whether it's me, the luxury brand, or the affordable luxury brand, or they are on some streets in Osu and buying a dashiki for $20.
26:54They just want to support, and consistently, they make you aware, you know?
27:01So, to answer your question, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
27:05And, I mean, for us, and, you know, I've got some of my clients out here.
27:12Shout-out to y'all out here.
27:13One key thing that has been very prominent with every chocolate outfit are these buttons.
27:20People keep on asking.
27:22Like, they don't even recognize until, like, they see someone and go, like, oh, I can tell this is chocolate.
27:26Now, we place buttons in very, not very, like, okay, what will the button be doing here?
27:32What will the button be doing here?
27:35That's why, yeah.
27:36Why?
27:36Because for us as a brand, we've been very particular about connecting the dots.
27:41That's what buttons do.
27:42It brings people together.
27:44Africa is full of so many diverse cultures.
27:48We, as a brand, keep on saying that, hey, we celebrate what brings us together, and we also celebrate what makes us different.
27:55Because in the difference, there's variety in it.
27:59And I think that message just seems to resonate every single day with my diasporian community that consistently comes to not just Ghana, actually.
28:09Now, Ghana started it, but, you know, it's evolving into Niger, it's evolving into Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, DRC.
28:17And in the next couple of years, I bet the whole Africa will be able to get that same quality of economic support that is coming from our people.
28:28And before I turn it over for one question, are there any other last thoughts to share before we close?
28:36I think one of the things that I, when you talk about accessibility information, I think just the fact that we're having this conversation on the main stage here today, in essence, Fashion House in New York City during New York Fashion Week.
28:48Yes! Yes! That's so powerful.
28:51I think it is extremely powerful.
28:53I think it shows our, you know, our intentionality about bridging the gap, our intentionality about partnering with creatives globally, black creatives globally.
29:05The intentionality about highlighting our influence in culture, not just black culture, all culture.
29:11And that it starts, and black is not a monolith, and it starts with all of us.
29:15And I think that's, I think this alone is very powerful, that we get to have this gap bridging conversation where you can leave here and say, you know what, I'm interested in what Amir is wearing, because that's a designer brand.
29:27I mean, that's a Nigerian designer, right?
29:30This is a Ghanaian designer.
29:32This is a Ghanaian iconic designer, right?
29:36A Liberian designer.
29:37You know, we have Liberian designers, but it also tells you and gives you an opportunity to connect for information.
29:42If you go into the SoCo marketplace, SoCo is actually marketplace in Swahili, in Kenya.
29:48And so you see all of those.
29:50So there's an intentional connection point.
29:52And one of the things that I know we pride ourselves on is the creative community is critical and vital to generational wealth, to economic inclusion.
30:04And so my last thought is, please continue to engage.
30:08Let's make sure we don't feel like, because we're from Brooklyn, that's where we got to stay.
30:11Because we're from New York, that's where we got to stay.
30:13Really, the world is our oyster, and we really are influencing.
30:16And let's connect, connect, connect, build, build, build, get rich, get rich, get rich, get rich, so our kids can actually do what they need to do.
30:22Yes, generational wealth.
30:23Let's do it.
30:24Yes, generational wealth.
30:24Pan-Africanism, that's what it is.
30:26I love that.
30:26So we're going to end on that note.
30:28But I'm sure, I'm sorry we can't get to questions, but I'm sure our amazing panelists will stick around.
30:33So please be sure to slide in their DMs or come up to them and ask them a question.
30:37So can we just get a round of applause for our panelists?
30:39Thank you guys so much.
30:50Make sure we are not...
30:51God.
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