As consumers, the dollars we spend everyday makes a huge impact on the businesses we see tomorrow. While the influence the Black community has on streetwear and fashion is undeniable, independent Black creators are still often overshadowed by others in the space.
It’s up to us as consumers to celebrate and be aware of the work of Black designers. While the total number is not limited to what is listed here, these are some of the best. In celebration of Black History Month, we highlighted some of the Black-Owned Fashion and Streetwear Brands You Need to Know.
Nicholas “Nicko” Bruno, Xavier Miller ,and Jonathan Ishak founded the Toronto-based streetwear brand in 2017. Since, it has continuously elevated its offering year over year. Some of its most recent standouts include faux crocodile leather jackets and bombers with fur trim. It rounds out its offering with staples like cargo pants and hoodies that have been elevated with unique patterns and premium applications.
GV Gallery
GV Gallery has developed a cult-like following with its referential items that tap into the heart of streetwear’s biggest trends. Outside of its popular sweats and puffers that helped put it on the map, GV Gallery is also starting to dabble in the furniture and home goods space, teasing things like camo couches and novelty items like mini hoops.
Happy Memories Don’t Die
Jack and Jyde Manson’s HMDD has become a uniform for any stylish Gen Z’er in your life. Its community has grown virtually through a membership that offers exclusive products and early access to new drops. Its pop-ups across the country also always draw huge crowds. Happy Memories Don’t Die is living proof of how important a community is when building a brand.
VXMEEE
This Atlanta-based brand drops pieces covered in the art of its founder Cameron Holloway aka Vameee. The vibrant work has been featured on album covers for rappers like Veeze and the ceilings of the AMP Crew mansion.
From the minds of NFL veteran Tyrod Taylor and stylist Dex Robinson, Diallo offers elevated takes on timeless wardrobe staples like denim shirts and striped polos. Since its start in 2021, its signature item has been its mesh practice jerseys that have been spotted on some of the biggest superstars across hip-hop and sports, from Future to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Organic Garmentz is a young streetwear label that’s keeping clothes fun. Some its designs have included pants with an adjustable tie at the waist or a bi-fold wallet that looks like a folded up New York City traffic ticket. Mixing that type of lighthearted approach with high quality craftsmanship will continue to pique the interest of fashionable shoppers of all ages.
Founded in 2021, Stolen Arts has quickly become known as a go-to source for its intricately-designed, embellished belts. The New York City-based label also dabbles in clothing with the introduction of embellished sweatsuits and all-over print hoodies in recent collections. In 2025, it got its biggest co-sign to date when Kendrick Lamar wore one of its bedazzled belts on stage during the Grand National tour.
Heron Preston
Launched in 2017, this namesake label has been one of the key names in the luxury streetwear space for nearly a decade. Collaborations with the New York City Department of Sanitation piqued the industry’s interest early on. In the years since, the brand has continued to rack up partnerships with everyone from Justin Timberlake on merch designs to Nike on hybrid Air Max sneakers.
10.Deep
Founded by Scott Sasso in 1995, 10.Deep is a pioneering New York City streetwear brand that influenced many of your favorite streetwear brands today. Sasso’s label is well-remembered as being one of the premier brands that lead the wave of streetwear during the Karmaloop era in the late-2000s and early-2010s. Never forget that 10 Deep hosted Kid Cudi’s debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi in 2008. Although Sasso announced that he was moving on from 10.Deep in 2022, we salute him for holding down one of streetwear’s greatest labels for over 25 years.
Walker Wear
After being inspired by Dapper Dan’s atelier in Harlem, April Walker went on to open her own custom clothing store, Fashion in Effect, out of her house in Brooklyn in 1987. Following that she opened a clothing store that was also located in Brooklyn, and introduced her line, Walker Wear, in the ‘90s. Walker Wear was one of the first streetwear lines to have mass distribution in major retailers and it was worn by celebrities including Tupac, Biggie, and Aaliyah. The line is still active today.
Baby Phat
Kimora Lee Simmons started Baby Phat in 1999. It was the sister line to Phat Farm and one of the first women’s lines in the “urban” streetwear space. It helped open up a new market and made the urban streetwear category more aspirational with its extravagant runway shows and celebrity network. In 2004 Kellwood Company purchased Baby Phat and Phat Farm for $140 million. Simmons stayed on as creative director but in 2010 they pushed her out. In 2019, she reacquired the brand and relaunched it via a collaboration with Forever 21.
Originally launched in 2003 alongside close friend and streetwear legend NIGO, Pharrell’s BBC ICECREAM helped define an entire era of streetwear with its bold prints and bright colors in the 2000s. Pharrell reclaimed full control of the brand in 2016 after buying out Iconix Brands Group Inc’s 50 percent stake.
Bianca Saunders
Bianca Saunders eponymous line investigates the nuances of black male masculinity through classic menswear pieces. She received her BA in fashion design from Kingston University and MA from the Royal College of Art. The British Fashion Council selected her line, which is sold on stockists including Matches and SSENSE, as One to Watch.
Bricks and Wood
Based in South Central, Los Angeles, Bricks and Wood was started by Kacey Lynch, whose pieces, specifically his signature beanies, have been worn by Tyler, the Creator and Anderson Paak. The line is informed by his upbringing in LA and Lynch aims to not only produce product, but give a platform to unheard voices. Lynch also operates his own brick and mortar store in South Central LA and has released multiple collaborations with New Balance.
Carlton Yaito
Queens native Carlton Yaito, who works with his partner Tulie Yaito, started out customizing denim. He customized a pair of jeans for jeweler Mr. Flawless and from there went on to make pieces for Kareem “Biggs” Burke and Aleali May. He’s since expanded to create stand out pieces including cropped jackets pieced together from different fabrics, faux fur coats, home items, and fitteds covered in colorful jewels.
Carrots
Anwar Carrots launched his first brand, Peas & Carrots, after becoming deeply embedded in Fairfax’s booming streetwear scene during the 2000s. After that, he went on to launch his own brand Carrots in 2014. Over a decade later, Carrots has established itself as one of the West Coast’s best streetwear brands.
Cross Colours
Long before brands were saying Black Lives Matter, Cross Colours produced “clothes without prejudices.” Carl Jones started the line in 1989 just as hip-hop was establishing itself and then Thomas “TJ” Walker joined. Will Smith wearing the pieces on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air helped kick start the brand and it became omnipresent within hip-hop. Jones and Walker decided to shut the brand down, lost its trademark, but eventually got it back in 2014 and relaunched.
Free the Youth
Founded by Jonathan Coffie and Kelly Foli in 2013, Free The Youth is a streetwear brand from Ghana. The brand’s T-shirts have highlighted Ghanian musicians, local skate culture, and cities such as Accra and Tema. More recently, its global presence expanded through a collaboration with Jordan Brand. Free The Youth is also an non-governmental organization that aims to build shared workspaces for young creatives in Ghana.
Denim Tears
Tremaine Emory originally made a name for himself with his Denim Tears label— a personal outlet for the creative outside of his No Vacancy Inn venture. The brand’s items, which include everything from Pan-African flag rings to Black Jesus trucker hats, promotes what Emory dubs as “positive Black propaganda.” Its most notable work to date has been its ongoing series of Cotton Wreath pieces that have included Levi’s jeans, sweatsuits, New Era caps, and much more. Emory has also collaborated with Uggs, Asics, and even luxury labels like Dior.
Co-founded by Davin Gentry in 2017, Diet Starts Monday was originally an experiment for himself and footwear designer John Geiger. It has been able to grow its fanbase with limited capsules through its online store and pop-ups activations around the world. It formerly operated a retail/restaurant concept space in Washington D.C.
Daily Paper
Based in Amsterdam, Daily Paper is a brand by Jefferson Osei, Abderrahmane Trabsini, and Hussein Suleiman. The line is heavily influenced by the backgrounds of the founders, who hail from Morocco, Ghana, and Somalia. What originally started as a streetwear blog has turned into a brand with formidable menswear and womenswear collections.
Everard Best first started designing T-shirts and heavily embroidered jeans in 2016 under the name Ev Bravado. He’s since become known for Who Decides War, a ready-to-wear line that he produces with his wife Tela D’amore. WDW tells the story about the conflicts people face every day, the choices they make in response to those conflicts, and faith in God. What started as a label known for its anti-666 graphics has grown to become a fashion powerhouse producing one of the most anticipated presentations during every New York Fashion Week.
Fat Tiger
The quartet of Joe Freshgoods, Rello Jones, Vic Lloyd, and Des Owusu operated this Chicago brand from 2013 to 2022. It was a cornerstone of the city’s streetwear community. Each creator also worked on their own respective releases and activation such as Joe’s Don’t Be Mad or Rello’s Vita Worldwide. The team has seen collaborations with the likes of New Balance, Adidas, and even McDonald’s between them.
Fear of God
Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God has helped push the luxury/streetwear relationship forward since launching in 2013. Defining an era with his baggy silhouettes and remixed vintage T-shirts, Lorenzo has continued to expand his independently-owned brand with the more accessible Essentials diffusion line and even a foray into suiting with Italy’s Ermenegildo Zegna. After releasing a number of hyped collaborations with Nike, Lorenzo moved over to Adidas in 2020 to develop Fear of God Athletics—an elevated line of basketball clothing and activewear.
FTP
Since launching Fuck The Population in 2010, Zac Clark has developed a loyal cult following with gritty streetwear that is provocative, but deeply authentic. Over a decade later, Clark has turned FTP into one of those streetwear brands that can sell out products mere seconds after they drop. As Clark said in his Complex profile: “My brand’s not going to die, FTP’s forever.”
FUBU
Daymond John, a Queens native and regular judge on ABC’s Shark Tank, founded FUBU, which stands for “For Us, By Us,” in 1992 with his friends J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin, and Carlton Brown. At its peak, the brand was in over 5,000 stores, and in 1998 its yearly sales were more than $350 million. But after co-opting a Gap commercial via LL Cool J in 1999, outfitting pop acts like *NSYNC, and spending $5 million to make The Good Life, a compilation album under Universal—remember “Fatty Girl?”—the team decided to retreat from the U.S. market in 2003. It partnered with Century 21 in 2019 to bring the brand back to the U.S. market and it’s maintained Black ownership since its founding.
Gallery Dept.
Josué Thomas is the Los Angeles-based designer and contemporary artist behind Gallery Dept. The brand’s goal is to create quality products without sacrificing artistic integrity. It became largely recognized for its paint-splattered carpenter pants, which were co-signed by designers like Virgil Abloh. The brand has released notable collaborations with Lavin, Migos, and recently Vans. In 2021, Thomas announced that he would be withdrawing from the fashion industry. While the ambiguous message was interpreted by some to mean the end of Gallery Dept., the label is selling products to this day.
GOLF
Tyler, the Creator’s clothing brand needs little to no introduction. Tyler has been flexing his skills as a designer since launching his GOLF label in 2011. Following the footsteps of brands started by rappers like Pharrell’s BBC ICECREAM, GOLF has become widely recognized on its own accord.
Infinite Archives
Easy Otabor’s way to bring the past to the present has been through his clothing line Infinite Archives. Otabor collaborates with various artists to create special graphics inspired by yesteryear ranging from paintings of Michael Jordan to a sketch of a popular Seinfeld episode. One of its biggest launches to date was an Air Jordan 17 Low collaboration that was regarded by many as one of the best collabs of 2025.
Just Don
Perhaps most known for his python-brimmed snapbacks and premium quality takes on mesh basketball shorts, Don C has slowly evolved Just Don into a full-fledged brand in recent years. The basketball inspiration has remained intact with items including satin warmup pants, bomber jackets, and an array of graphic T-shirts all taking cues from the designer’s love for sports.
Karl Kani
Carl Williams, better known as Karl Kani, moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1989 and would eventually start his brand, originally named Karl Kani Infinity, in 1994. He connected with celebrities including Sean “Puffy” Combs, who was relatively unknown at the time, and Tupac to appear in his early ads. At its height, Karl Kani was sold in around 400 retailers, ranging from Macy’s to Foot Locker.
Kristopher Kites
Kris Kites, a self-taught designer based in Chicago, is known for his playful collection of jewelry that places superhero figurines and toys in clear cubes attached to plastic Cuban-link chains. He collaborated with J. Balvin on a line of glow-in-the-dark jewelry at ComplexCon Long Beach in 2017.
The Marathon Clothing
The late Nipsey Hussle’s clothing, Marathon, has not only been a beacon for his community in Crenshaw, but also a way for the masses to honor Nipsey’s legacy. Collaborators have included Puma and Jerry Lorenzo’s Essentials line.
Martine Rose
Martine Rose, a London-based designer, has been producing her eponymous label since 2007. She’s created a cult following with her distinctive sportswear pieces that are just a little off-kilter—a look she helped popularize while also working for Demna Gvasalia when he launched Balenciaga men’s and tapped Rose to help with design. She also designs Napa by Martine Rose, a collection with Italian brand Napapijri. The brand’s popularity has resulted in coveted collabs with brands like Nike, Supreme, and Stussy.
Patta
Amsterdam’s Patta is an icon in the streetwear space. Founded by Edson Sabajo and Guillaume Schmidt in 2004, the Danish brand has built a legacy with its coveted Nike Air Max collabs, apparel with everyone from Stussy to Umbro, and seasonal in-line offerings that span from soccer jerseys to puffer jackets.
Nicholas Daley is a British designer who has explored his Scottish-Jamaican roots with his collections. After graduating from Central Saint Martins, Daley launched his label in 2015 and has won accolades such as the International Woolmark Prize London Semi-Final Award. In 2020, he was a part of a group of finalists who split the prestigious LVMH Prize.
Off-White
When Virgil Abloh launched Off-White in 2012, he built one of the world’s most popular luxury streetwear labels still existing today. From highly-coveted Nike collabs to his signature graphic hoodies, Off-White has grown to be a luxury house of its own making that LVMH even has a majority stake in. Even though Abloh is no longer with us, his design ethos is still being carried by their current Art and Image Director Ib Kamara.
Ahluwalia Studio
Priya Ahluwalia, who is Indian and Nigerian, launched her men’s line in 2018 shortly after graduating from Westminster with an MA in menswear. Her line is built on sustainability and she makes pieces using deadstock and sustainable fabrics.
Places + Faces
This UK brand began as a Tumblr page in 2013 that acted as a way for Imran Ciesay and Solomon Boyede to display their collection of backstage hip-hop concert photos. An initial line of logo T-shirts and hoodies has grown into a full-fledged brand that’s been worn by stars including ASAP Ferg to Playboi Carti. P+F even dropped an official collab with Guess in 2019.
Spencer Badu
Spencer Badu is a Toronto-based designer behind an eponymous label known for avant-garde and genderless garments. The brand has been cosigned by celebrities such as ASAP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and Young Thug.
Supervsn
Gavin “Mizzle” Mathieu is a product of South Central Los Angeles. He launched Supervsn in 2019 offering an assortment of essentials with a unique twist ranging from logo hoodies and T-shirts with the brand’s signature grid pattern to tie-dye cargo pants. Mizzle is the former creative director of YG’s 4Hunnid label. The brand has worked with the likes of Union, Microsoft, and released a sneaker collab with HOKA in 2025. It also designs a collaborative clothing line developed with Pacsun named “Studio.”
Telfar
The Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens became a household name ever since he released his iconic leather tote bag that was dubbed the “Bushwick Birkin.” However, the Queens, New York native has been changing the game for years and won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award in 2017. Clemens has built a unisex brand with eye-catching graphics, garments, and of course accessories, that feel accessible to anyone. That’s why we’ll likely be seeing everyone wear Telfar for years to come. Telfar has also released mega hyped collaborations with White Castle, Moose Knuckles, Eastpak, and Timberland. Seen on the individuals, from congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Quinta Brunson’s award-winning sitcom Abbott Elementary, Telfar is truly for everyone.
Union
Originally founded by Mary Ann-Fusco and James Jebbia in 1989, New York City’s Union is known as one of the first streetwear stores to ever exist. Today, it is based in Los Angeles and led by Chris Gibbs, who has kept the pioneering streetwear store’s legacy alive and has developed its in-house label. Its ongoing partnership with Jordan Brand delivers some of the most anticipated sneaker collabs every year.
Yeezy
After Ye, (formerly known as Kanye West) launched his Yeezy clothing line in 2015, it became one of the most well-recognized clothing labels ever designed by a rapper. Yeezy clothing was known for monochromatic, elevated, essentials and became a household name brand after it collaborated with Adidas to release a massively successful line of sneakers. Yeezy even had a short-lived collaboration with Gap that culminated into a high-profile team-up with Balenciaga. However, Ye’s Yeezy empire began to crumble in 2022 after he presented his ninth Yeezy collection in Paris. There, Ye wore and included a “White Lives Matter” shirt inside the collection that drew plenty of controversy. The unveiling of this incendiary garment was then followed up by a slew of anti-semitic remarks that led to Ye losing his Yeezy sneaker deal with Adidas shortly after he cut Yeezy’s ties with Gap. Despite the controversy he’s created, Yeezy still has a diehard fanbase. It currently operates as an independent e-commerce business that sells everything from camo puffer coats to sunglasses at a more accessible price point.
Barriers
Steven Barter has been running his streetwear brand Barriers since 2015. Since day one, his brand has been dedicated to highlighting some of history’s most important Black figures on T-shirts and hoodies. The brand’s clothes have featured graphics of political activists such as Marcus Garvey, Bobby Seale, Assata Shakur, Malcolm X, and more. Barriers seeks to teach its streetwear enthusiasts about Black history. The brand has held pop-ups in historic Harlem Brownstones and at St. Luke Penny Savings bank in New York, which was one of the first Black-owned banks in America. The brand has also properly given its flowers to graffiti pioneers like Edwin “Phade” Sacasa and Blake “KEO” Lethem for a pop-up in Atlanta as well. The brand has released official collaborations with Converse and 2Pac’s estate.
Mowalola
Mowalola Ogunlesi is a British-Nigerian designer who runs her own eponymous line. A Central Saint Martins dropout, she spent three years working for Grace Wales Bonner before presenting her first menswear collection in 2017. Ogunlesi told SSENSE she left the revered fashion school because she felt the curriculum was a bit dated and was disappointed that the school’s faculty had barely any people of color teaching. Instead, Ogunlesi joined Fashion East, a nonprofit organization that supports young designers and gives them a platform to show at London Fashion Week. She went on to make her London Fashion Week debut in 2019. Ogunlesi’s clothes are defined by her love for glossy leather, gender-fluid garments, and her Nigerian background. Ogunlesi has also made inroads as an artist and presented her first exhibition Silent Madness at the Now Gallery in London. Her label has released collaborations with Bratz and New Balance.
Vale
Founded in 2014, Vale is an Black and Asian-owned streetwear brand that’s been co-signed by a number of stylish celebrities. Owned and operated by Brian Phuong and Jesse Fields, the brand’s recognized for its unique knitwear and denim pieces. Its products have been seen on the likes of Aleali May, Eva Apio, Swae Lee, Coi Leray, Tyga, and more. The brand was even tapped by Kyrie Irving to design a Nike Kyrie 7 model.
Circulate
Circulate is a Black-owned, Los Angeles-based streetwear brand by Corey Populus. The Leimert Park native launched his brand in 2018 after working for Diamond Supply Co. for several years. One of the brand’s most notable collaborations was an activation with PacSun dubbed“Circulate Market,” which showcased Black-owned brands in Pacsun stores that included Carrots, Supervsn Studios, Reserved Essential, Bricks & Wood, and the music collective Blondie Beach Records.
Advisry
Advisry is a California-based label by Keith Herron. Founded in 2014, Advisry is known for bold graphic apparel and elevated cut and sew offerings that range from jackets to tapestry shorts. One of the brand’s earliest designs was a Krispy Kreme logo flip. Other T-shirts released by the label have referenced legendary figures from WWE wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin to Black Panther Huey P. Newton. The brand has also held memorable live runway presentations during New York Fashion Week in recent years.
Corteiz
Corteiz is a British streetwear label founded by Clint 419. Since dropping his first collection in 2018, the British-Nigerian designer has amassed a cult following built off guerilla marketing tactics and surprise drops. Today, the brand’s logo of Alcatraz Island has been spotted on rappers like Central Cee, slowthai, Stormzy, Drake, and Dave. The late Virgil Abloh was even one of the brand’s biggest supporters. In 2023, it kicked off a collaborative partnership with Nike. Other partners have included Denim Tears, Skepta’s BBK, and more.
Edas
Edas is a Brooklyn-based jewelry and accessories label by Sade Mims. Founded in 2013, Edas is known for its Yshaia leather bags, eclectic earrings, and crochet hats. The label has been worn by movie stars like Tessa Thompson and Laura Harrier.
Curves
If you’ve scrolled through Twitter these past couple years, you’ve likely seen Sean Brown’s CD rugs go viral on the timeline. Brown is the creative mind behind the label Curves, a brand that’s gained traction for its contemporary take on mirrors, furniture, and other home goods. Besides his rugs of iconic hip-hop albums, Brown is well known for his puddle coasters and Archway Chairs. The designer has also produced smaller home goods like bubble sleeves to protect hard drives, slim gas lighters, dry flower bouquets, and sculpted incense holders.
Darryl Brown and Midwest Kids
Darryl Brown is the designer behind his own eponymous label and Midwest Kids. Darryl Brown is a cut and sew line inspired by workwear and his father’s background. Whereas Midwest Kids is centered on classic sportswear, graphic T-shirts, and hoodies inspired by his mother’s style in the ‘80s. Brown, who was once a stylist for Kanye West, has independently built himself up to be one of the most exciting designers to come out of the midwest. Recently, he released major collaborations with both Adidas and Hollister.
Crenshaw Skate Club
Crenshaw Skate Club is a skateboard label founded by Tobias McIntosh. Before heading off to study Economics at Stanford University, McIntosh had already garnered a cult following for the hometown skateboard label he started when he was just 14 years old. McIntosh originally launched Crenshaw Skate Club because he wanted to see more Black representation within Los Angeles’ skateboarding scene. Crenshaw Skate Club has since collaborated with brands like Lacoste and been stocked in stores like Supreme.
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