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Why Black-Owned Businesses Are Struggling to Stay Afloat: Eight out of 10 Black-owned businesses fail within the first 18 months. Covid-19 has exacerbated some of the issues facing the Black community. Black-owned businesses declined by 41% between February and April 2020, compared with a 17% decline among White-owned businesses. Amid online support, Black businesses saw huge spikes between May 31 and June 10. According to a survey by the Black Chamber of Commerce, around 75% of Black-owned small businesses saw upticks in customers in the two months following George Floyd’s death. But after the surge, sales at many Black-owned businesses plummeted back to their pre-Covid rates. - Read More on CNBC

Influencer Sean Garrette Is Breaking Barriers for Black Men in Skin Care: “Oftentimes Black people, especially Black men, are forgotten about within the skin care industry. Fenty Skin was really the first big brand that included us, and Rihanna set the tone with how to do representation here,” he said. While makeup brands have slowly offered more representation, the skin care industry has been more hesitant to go there. Garrette has been working to change the environment. - Read More on Glossy

Depop and the Black in Fashion Council Are Shaking Up the Virtual Classroom: Gen Z’s favorite shopping app, Depop, is partnering with the Black in Fashion Council to educate, empower, and celebrate Black entrepreneurs. Kicking off with a YouTube series on February 16, the program will feature a network of notable Black professionals from BIFC discussing creativity, finance, influencer marketing, retail, and more. - Read More on The Cut

The Black ABCs Are Reimagined for 2021 in Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma: Musician Topaz Jones along with directing duo, Rubberband (Jason Sondock and Simon Davis) present a reimagining of The Black ABCs, a flashcard system developed in the '70s by Chicago teachers and the Society for Visual Education. Created to provide African-American children with learning tools they could see themselves in, the cards became a staple within Chicago’s public school system before gaining national popularity. Messages like “A is for Afro” and “S is for Soul Sister,” presented images of Black joy in an era where the majority of content created for kids centered on whiteness. - Read More on Vogue

Farfetch's new partnership will help to support Black fashion creatives: Launching today to coincide with Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout February in the United States, the campaign begins with a collaboration with Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing, whose Black style icons (including Grace Jones, Josephine Baker and Beyoncé Knowles) inspired a shoot that was captured by photographer Kenny Germé and styled by Edem Dossou. - Read More on Harper's BAZAAR

San Francisco’s de Young Museum to Celebrate Work of Black Fashion Trailblazer Patrick Kelly: “He was born during the time of the segregated south, grew out of that most racist violent environment, and worked his way to Atlanta, to New York and to become the toast of Paris who had a successful multimillion-dollar company when he died. And remarkably, he was lauded with accolades while being and remaining one of the few designers of any color to directly address race in his work.” - Read More on The Guardian

Related Reads: Patrick Kelly: Fashion Designer, Trailblazer, and the Visionary Behind Some of the 80s Most Iconic Looks: Patrick Kelly was a fashion pioneer who used his playful designs to open a dialog about racism and gender identity. Although his successful career was cut short due to his early passing, the fashion designer left a legacy that still lives on today. - Read More on BET

3 Black Fashion Historians on Black Culture’s Most Influential Fashion Moments: “I often connect Black people's impact on fashion with hip-hop. It’s been so influential, all the way back to Dapper Dan and how hip-hop style started from the street with drug dealers, and then rappers emulated their styles and made them more mainstream. From there, trends would start. Female rappers and hip-hop artists are continuously pushing the culture through their fashion choices.” - Read More on NYLON

30 Black Designers Who Shaped Fashion History: Throughout history, Black fashion pioneers and African-American designers like Zelda Wynn Valdes and Stephen Burrows used their talent to make a name for themselves in a highly competitive Eurocentric and predominantly white industry. Today, Black creators continue to influence global fashion and raise awareness about BIPOC opportunities in the industry. On the first day of Black History Month, L’OFFICIEL honors 30 Black designers who helped shape the narrative of fashion as we know it today. - Read More on L’OFFICIEL

Fashion History Forgot the Black Women Who Invented Streetwear: In the late 1980s and early '90s when this fashion genre was born on the streets of Black and Brown neighborhoods, it was called simply "urban" wear donned by fly girls. But now, since their styles have been emulated everywhere from high fashion runways and glossy magazines like this one, it's time to revisit style history and make sure credit has been given where due. "We have to be really intentional and proactive about telling the truth so that history isn't written another way," says April Walker, innovator of the all-denim look, whose line Walker Wear was worn by Method Man, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac and more. - Read More on InStyle

How the Inauguration Inspired the Next Generation of Black Fashion Designers: For Black designers hoping to gain more exposure on a national level, the Biden/Harris administration leaves them truly hopeful. Undra Celeste, founder and designer of Undra Celeste New York, said that, “Seeing so many designers of color dress key figures at the inauguration was amazing. We are experiencing growth and exposure that we haven't experienced before. So I think it's a special time to be a Black designer.” - Read More on The Daily Beast

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