Designer Brandon Blackwood Speaks Of Normalizing Black Luxury In Fashion And Building A $30 Million Brand

Brandon Blackwood, 29, grace cover of In Knowluxury matters premiere, and who better than a new age fashion designer making waves in the name of Black luxury.

The popular Blackwood’s End Systemic Racism tote has made it a viral sensation in the fashion world. Talk with In KnowEditor-at-Large Consultant Elaine Welteroth, Blackwood shares how he builds a loyal following among Gen Z and the millennial consumers who help create his works.

“I refer to my followers as my cousins,” said Blackwood. I like, Hey cousin, I’m trying to do this and this and this. And some colorways, my best textures [and] things like that are suggestions from my community.”

“I used to post my swatches for the previous season and it was like, OK everybody, take your pick. Let’s find out.

Posing with one of his blue mini Kendrick bags, Blackwood show from her assortment of handbags that have been worn by the likes of Halle Berry, Kim Kardashian, and many more. Before the age of 30, Blackwood had built a handbag empire that was on track to generate $30 million in revenue, Business Insider report.

“I think after college, when I learned that I could do things on my own and I was in control of my own life, that’s when I started doing my own thing,” she said of the launch of her fashion company. “I think when other people can’t control me, that’s when they start to support me.”

As one of the pioneers of Black luxury fashion, Blackwood remembers not associating luxury with Black culture as a child.

“Growing up, personally, I didn’t have any real examples of black luxury brands,” he admits. “Whenever I think of luxury, it’s always white people in white ads by white companies; it is a luxury for me”

“I think the idea of ​​black people taking that space and having the luxury of being their narrative is very, very different and a bit wild for people. That’s why we need Kerby and Aurora and Christopher John Rogers,” Blackwood continued. “And I think it’s really cool to see just black people moving in luxury, making things happen, making things relevant. That’s what normalizes Black luxury for me. It just takes up space within that market. ”