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There's currently an influx of under-the-radar handbag brands entering the market. So much so that keeping up with the latest and greatest could be considered a full-time job. On social media, our timelines are constantly inundated with new designers. After some reflection, it's clear that of the names currently dominating the space, more than a handful of them are Black owned and proving time and time again that there's strength in numbers.
"It's so important to fight against the stigma that the industry we are in must be callous and unkind," Ashley Cimone and Moya Annece, founders of Ashya (pronounced “agh-shya”), say on why Black brands in particular need to work together. "Community is everything, it supports longevity and provides us the professional and emotional support we need to thrive and grow. We’ve been lucky enough to be mentored by some incredible Black women—Bethann Hardison, Felita Harris of RAISEfashion, Brandice Daniel of Harlem’s Fashion Row, and more. They’ve made it their mission to cultivate community specifically amongst Black designers, and it has helped us to build invaluable relationships, experience growth, and share resources with incredible talents."
Adding, "As Black women we are most passionate about shifting the narrative within the design and travel space through our work, celebrating the underrepresented and paying homage to the communities of color who’ve defined culture as we know it today. We’ve said it before and we’ll continue to say it, closed mouths don’t get fed. Speak to your community, don’t shy away from not only asking for help, but offering it when you’re able. Generosity and being vocal will always take you far. "
Alongside Ashya are household names like New York designers Telfar and Brandon Blackwood, who's rapid expansion we covered last October. (In the months following, the brand continued to skyrocket to popularity, its bags showing up on the likes of Kristin Davis in the new Sex and the City reboot series, And Just Like That.) There are also emerging creatives worth having on your radar, such as Indianapolis-based Julian James II of bespoke label The J2 Collection.
For those who are ready to welcome a new style into their lineup, just ahead is a complete rundown of the Black-owned handbag brands dominating the space in 2022, plus a well-curated offering of product selects for your perusal.
