Katherine Robinson
Black Pound Day is on Saturday 5 December – here’s how to get involved. These are some of the black-owned businesses you can support in the UK to help make the retail economy fairer and more diverse
The #BlackLivesMatter movement shone a light on racial prejudice and inequality and millions joined in with protests after the horrifying death of George Floyd. It’s up to us to make sure the work of promoting change and dismantling systematic racism continues, and one new initiative that is helping push the movement forward is Black Pound Day.
So what is it, and how can you help? We’ve got all the answers. Scroll down for a list of black-owned brands to support, and visit blackpoundday.uk for a comprehensive list of vendors across all sectors.
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What is Black Pound Day?
The campaign hopes to motivate UK shoppers – starting with at least one day per month to begin with - to buy from black-owned businesses, both locally and online to help make the retail economy fairer and more diverse.
When is Black Pound Day?
It began on 27 June and going forward will be held on the first day Saturday of the month. The next one is 5 December – just in time to do your Christmas shopping!
Black-owned gifts to shop on Black Pound Day
KINGSLEY LEATHER
Kingsley leather key ring, £19.50, Etsy
Self-taught craftsman Kingsley Thompson opened his bespoke leather goods shop in 2013. He originally dove into the traditional craft of leatherwork when he decided to make himself a wallet and was inundated with requests from friends and family who recognised his talent. Kingsley creates his sleek range of handmade wallets, belts, keyrings, cufflinks, and wow – dapper leather ties - from his home workshop in Cheltenham, England.
ESTEEBANJ
Esteebanj Breathable face mask with nose wire, starting at £7.99 each, Etsy
Want a fab face mask from a great black-owned brand? London-based Etsy shop Esteebanj has so many pretty designs, including everything sparkly, floral, leopard print, African motifs to plain linen. You can also choose how many layers you want and if you want a filter, and there are 3D face mask designs that are perfect for glasses wearers.
BONITA IVIE PRINTS
Bonita Ivie friendship 'Miss You' card, £3, Etsy
London-based, self-confessed stationery addict and graphic designer Bonita Ebuehi was fed up with the lack of ethnic influence in high street stationery stores and saw a huge gap in the market for diverse stationery. So she set out to fix things in January 2017, launching Bonita Ivie Prints, a gifts, stationery and homeware brand that celebrates West African culture with the use of bold illustration and beautiful bright prints. How perfect is the "miss you" card for lockdown#2?"
BREEZY TEE
Breezy Tee satin-lined knitted beanie, £35.80, Etsy
If you have curls - or even if you have straight hair tbh - you absolutely need one of Breezy Tee's luxe satin-lined beanie hats for winter. The silky lining means the comfy and warm beanies lock in moisture and protect your hair from damage, breakage and split ends. There are also t-shirt hair towels and satin-lined cap beanies up for grabs which maintain healthy hair.
ONALOO
Baby gift band set, £13, Etsy
African Heritage Doll, 44, Etsy
Onaloo make stunning African print clothing for babies, toddlers and kids. Their gorgeous baby headbands are Etsy bestsellers, and it’s easy to see why. Their sweet African Heritage dolls made the finals of the Etsy Design awards - but hurry if you want to grab one, they're selling fast!
Black-owned beauty brands to support on Black Pound Day
FENTY BEAUTY
Diamond bomb all-over diamond veil, £29.39, Fenty Beauty
Robyn Rihanna Fenty's love affair with makeup dates back to her days as a little girl in Barbados transfixed by her mother's lipstick. The first time she experienced makeup for herself, she never looked back. After her rise to fame, Rihanna was inspired to create Fenty Beauty after seeing a void in the industry for products that performed across all skin types and tones.
ANITA GRANT
Neroli rose dry oil spray, £20.40, Anita Grant
Anita Grant started out experimenting with natural products in her kitchen in 2005. Today her award-winning range of natural and organic products includes everything from luscious body and face oils and hair care products. All are cruelty-free, handmade, fresh, to order in the UK and made with ingredients she sources directly from fair trade farming communities.
Black-owned fashion brands to shop on Black Pound Day
TELFAR
Telfar small shopping bag, £133, Farfetch
Telfar Clemens has been designing genderless clothing since 2005 and his motto of "it’s not just for you – it's for everyone", is the driving force behind his trendy range of off-kilter basics, deconstructed denim and shopping bags.
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CULTUREVILLE
Ana crop top and skater skirt co-ord set, £89.98, Cultureville
Nigerian sisters Ronke and Adeola Jane left their high powered jobs in law and IT and launched Cultureville to share the beauty of African print with the world. Their stunning collection of clothes and accessories – which include gorgeous headbands, wraps, fans and masks – cater for men, women, and kids. The duo source their prints directly from West Africa, where they work with local suppliers, tailors and artisans.
NUBIAN SKIN
Nubian skin Coocooa nude bralette, £27, ASOS
We all need a piece of skin-toned underwear in our wardrobe, but until recently it was impossible to find designs that matched any skin tone apart from peach. Nubian Skin founder Ade Hassan set out to change this and the result is a range of carefully edited lingerie for women of colour.
KEMI TELFORD
KT blue swirls drawstring tiered dress, £165, Kemi Telford
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Nigeria-born Kemi Telford arrived in Britain in 1996 and studied law and worked as a credit risk analyst before giving up her career when her first daughter was born in 2007 to become a stay-at-home mum. A journey of self-discovery over the next seven years led her to realise she wanted to make a reality of her childhood dream - of owning a shop from which she could sell beautiful clothes to women. Her colourful designs - which include skirts, dresses and wide leg trousers - have Nigerian influences with a western twist. Says Kemi: " They are more than just stylish clothes; they are loud, bold and tell the whole world, 'Look at me, I am fabulous.'." We 100 percent agree!
HOUSE OF BLOOM
Sarah Emerald dress, £75.86, House of Bloom
New York-born, North Carolina based mom-of-seven Nia Brown launched House of Bloom in September - after the pandemic led her to do some deep thinking at home. She decided that the time was right to fulfill her childhood wish of owning a fashion label, and with a "now or never" attitude, she brought her dream to life. House of Bloom is the result, and the brand ships their range of gorgeous dresses, show-stopping skirts and flattering jumpsuits to women around the globe.
ANYA LUST
Eleanor silk lilac kimono, £421.35, Anya Lust
Anya Lust offers what just may be the ultimate online lingerie shopping experience with a beautiful range of lingerie, robes and pyjamas. They even offer online sensual classes for the more daring clients.
TOVE STUDIO
Ceres tie-detailed gathered cotton-poplin midi dress, £425, Net-A-Porter
London-based duo Camille Perry and Holly Wright worked together at Top Shop before deciding to branch out on their own, pooling their 15 years of fashion experience. Their range of timeless dresses and tops are extremely covetable indeed.
How can I further support Black Pound Day?
You can lend your support to Black Pound Day by shopping from black-owned businesses and brands, and recommending them to your friends and posting them on social media, tagging black-owned businesses and using the hashtag #BlackPoundDay. If you want to go the extra mile you can take part in the #BlackPoundDayChallenge by creating a video for your social channels explaining exactly how you’ll be supporting Black Pound Day.
And after you’ve made your purchases you can upload your receipt to the official website to help calculate the total spending power of Black Pound Day.
WATCH: Black Pound Day - what is it and how can you get involved?
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