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Why Some Black Founders Are Uneasy About Fashion’s Diversity Initiatives

Black-owned brands are in the spotlight, but some entrepreneurs worry that aligning their own racial identities with those of their brands will alienate some customers — and not all retailers are coming to them with mutually beneficial offers.
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BoF PROFESSIONAL

Like other Black founders in the fashion and beauty space, Samara Walker found new attention on her vegan, non-toxic nail polish line Àuda.B last summer as the Black Lives Matter movement went mainstream, and initiatives like the 15 Percent Pledge put pressure on retailers to sell more Black-owned brands.

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About the author
Sheena Butler-Young
Sheena Butler-Young

Sheena Butler-Young is Senior Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. She is based in New York and covers workplace, talent and issues surrounding diversity and inclusion.

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