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Welcome to TerraFirma (Firm Land), the Wonderland supplement focusing on black women in the industry. We are here to highlight, open minds, and open eyes to the dissmissal of black women in fashion as well as focusing on a few of many upcoming and inovative brands owned by black women. #TerraFirmaMagazine

Black women in Emo subculuture - accept it.

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Revive your denim with Revival Ldn. Sustainable and stylish!

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Feature article. Breaking the silence for black women in fashion.

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“The black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature”. Addressing the sterotype of black women.

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model: @leggzlondon shot by herself.

Rich in colour and style, Hanifa set the new standard for online fashion and catwalk shows.

Innovative and ethical, Pink Label Congo is here to redesign the future and inspire all women to stand tall in their power 12

BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE THE BLUEPRINT • BLACK WOMEN ARE

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BEAUTY EDITORIAL

Back To BLACK

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BEAUTY EDITORIAL

EMO SUBCULTURE RETURNS IN AN UPDATED AND COMPREHENSIVE FORMAT. All jewelry from www.asos.com Black lipstick; £4 White graphic liner; £2 from @makeuprevolution Photography by @rae.jpeg

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020’ Beauty trends cover heavy pastels, bold lipsticks and graphic liners to execute the modern day styles the youth and even baby boomers have come to love and live by.

However, emocentric fashion still exists but now in a reformed way with more care taken in terms of looks and styles. As the subculture grows and expands, it also expands for those within the group.

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lack individuals who have a passion for the style are now being given the space and recognition they deserve to express themselves fully and fall into what makes up their brand and idenity.

BLACK BLACK BLACK

ADVERTORIAL

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ADVERTORIAL

REWORK YOUR DENIM 101 Flare sleeve crop top; ÂŁ69 Denim puffer ÂŁ350 Model @Vinziaju Photography by @valeryerere

Knowing that sustainability is important more than ever now, Revival specialises in reworking old jeans/denim. Their luxury bespoke pieces are created using reclaimed textiles which are deconstructed, modified and redesigned, giving old clothes a new lease of life. Picking slow fashion over high-street wear and tear means your opting for better quality, unique designs and a choice to bettering the world and environment, one step at a time. the distinct concept behind revival was formed in 2016 when the realisation of the tonnes of waste produced by the industry and its negative impact on the environment unsettled the fashion enthusiast founder, Rosette Ala. After completing her final studies in modules based around sustainability, waste and technology, her interest in these specific areas grew which led to the birth of Revival Ldn. Reworked crop tops, denim puffers and fitted jean shorts can all be found at www.revivalldn.com Shop the collection now.

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PHOTGRAPHED BY @RAE.JPEG MODEL: @AT.ZABE PHOTO INSPIRATION: @HUGO.COMTE

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FEATURE ARTICLE

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Black women in Fashion.

SHOT BY @RAE.JPEG PHOTO INSPIRATION: @HUGO.COMTE ARTICLE EDITOR:@ESTELLEFENTY

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ntrapment in a (window-less) room is what systematic and cultural oppression is like for black women in fashion and society.

Black women are the blueprint for many ideas in fashion, in many ways. They are some of the most beautiful women to walk this earth. The culture, creative hairstyles, work ethic and passion emitted by black women have been adopted globally and has almost become misrepresented by serial cultural appropriators, who are often part of the dominant white majority. The discrediting of black women’s creativity and innovativeness is something that brings shame not only to the individual black woman, but rather, to an entire collective of black women across the black diaspora. In light of current affairs and the ongoing global dialogue surrounding institutional racism and police brutality, now more than ever is the perfect time for us to take a moment to truly appreciate and engage with the contributions that black women have made to the Western fashion industry.

One must learn how to value, credit and understand them as huge successors. There is no better time for us to recognise the work of ground-breaking black female pioneers throughout the history of fashion and seek how to learn from them as successors.

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With this in mind; why do black women need to ‘prove’ their worth and fight for their right to be ‘included’ in the fashion industry, when they were amongst the forerunners who established it?

When we look at black women in fashion, examples such as Naomi Campbell, Grace Jones, Beverly Johnson and Angela Davis may come to mind as these are all women who established a foothold in the industry as icons and game-changers. However, we must all ask ourselves this; what did it take for them to acquire success? What kind of treatment did they have to endure to reach a stage where they could be celebrated as iconic women in the industry and overall?

The answer is this: both subtle and overt racism, belittling and huge discrediting from their white counterparts, competitors and, generally, those who didn’t want to see black women becoming substantial and influential figures in society.

Anne Cole Lowe, a Harlem Resident (New York) American fashion designer and the first African American to become a noted fashion designer, is a black woman in historical fashion, as the journey to gaining credit for her work was a great struggle. Lowe’s one-of-a-kind designs were favoured by high society matrons from the 1920s to the 1960s.

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FEATURE ARTICLE owe was hard working and consistent in developing

her craft. Her one-of-a-kind designs were favoured by high society matrons from the 1920s to the 1960s. In spite of the fact that Lowe designed the white strapless evening gown that Olivia de Havilland wore to accept the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946, the name printed on the label of the dress was ‘Sonia Rosenberg’ a white Jewish designer who originated from Russia. Evidently, both Lowe and Rosenberg would have been classed as ethnic minorities at the time, however, because Lowe was a black woman and therefore a member of the “bottom of the barrel” minority, she was discredited; her name and efforts were automatically dismissed and rewarded to another individual who took no part in the design process. Lowe, although disappointed, was not discouraged. She decided that this information was kept in the dark for too long and moved back to her hometown where she continued to make outstanding designs. In 1953 Lowe designed and constructed the wedding dress of Jacqueline Bouvier, the wife of thenSenator John F. Kennedy. The dress was so perfect it is still being spoken about today; over 65 years later. For Ann Lowe, however, crafting the bridal gown was a nightmare. The wedding dress was destroyed 10 days before the ceremony, then the 24-year-old bride, who did not like the gown in the first place, snubbed her.

When asked who made the dress, Jackie simply responded “a coloured dressmaker.” Still, Anne was never given her credit at the time. Her sheer talent and ingenuity were overlooked, simply because she was a black woman. experience, as a result of the white majority remaining rigid in their prejudiced and biased perceptions of black people, especially black women and black creatives. In doing so, they box black female creatives off, trapping them in a room so that their work can never truly be appreciated as their own, and thus, their identity never truly understood.

Naomi Campbell, one of the worlds most renowned legendary supermodels, someone who if you’re from the UK specifically South London, you would have looked up to and admired since

‘In recent years, black women have begun to have the spotlight shone on them more often, but it is not always a spotlight with wholehearted intentions’.

the industry was made known to you, has faced much racial prejudice over the course of her entire career as a model. In an interview with the Guardian Campbell stated, “At an early age, I understood what it meant to be black. You had to be twice as good”. Campbell has featured on more than 500 magazine covers in her time, which, when she was first started modelling was made to seem unreachable for someone with her skin tone.

Her first cover was in 1988 for French Vogue, and she was the first black model to make the cover of it. In the years leading up to this, Campbell was institutionally discriminated against, through a lack provisions for black models. For example, there was a lack of makeup artists with a suitable range of makeup shades to accommodate her skin complexion, and a lack of hairstylists who knew how to style hair of a thicker texture. Now, although Naomi’s story is greatly admired, her character is still frowned upon, since if they cannot directly shame you for your colour, they will find a fault in the way you are because of your colour. Despite Naomi always carrying herself with the utmost grace and decorum, there is no shortage in claims of her being “an angry black woman” or having an “attitude problem”, simply because she stands up for what she believes in and refuses to be ridiculed for being herself.

Campbell was not the first and certainly has not been the last black model to experience this kind of criticism and inequality.

Donyale Luna was the 60s It Girl. Today, her ground-breaking legacy is an obscure fashion footnote. Luna had been scouted by many different photographers, her rising point; modelling for Harper’s Bazaar then quickly becoming British Vogues first cover girl in 1966.

Unfortunately, Luna wasn’t universally revered. In addition, the American fashion industry made it aware that they ‘weren’t quite ready for a Black supermodel’; it wasn’t until 1974 that Beverly Johnson became the first Black cover girl for American Vogue.. Both instances from decades ago demonstrate that white people are often reluctant to see a black woman rise up in the fashion industry, let alone a black supermodel, because they cannot fathom the thought of a black woman being a frontrunner, being regarded as beautiful and receiving accolades for her work… or even just simply existing. Nobody will openly inform you of this information, because black women in the industry are often erased forgotten, if not ridiculed then pushed out first.

In recent years, black women have begun to have the spotlight shone on them more often, but it is not always a spotlight with wholehearted intentions. Fashion Brands have been forced into becoming more “diverse” and “inclusive” but for some brands and corporations this diversity doesn’t go further than an advertised picture featuring a single “token black girl” for their latest collection or intertwining the words diverse’ and ‘inclusive’ within their mission statement. “Token black girls” are often used to make a brand seem racially progressive, as though they support the rise of black women in fashion and genuinely want them to be a part of their company... yet there will be no black women in higher positions within the corporation, and often, the black model who is posing with the most confident stance onv their front webpage has had to work unbelievably hard to access that space, embarking on a journey that was probably filled with systemic obstacles and racist microaggressions. This is an experience that is shared by all black women in Western society, as micro-aggressive racism and institutional racism are often more prevalent and powerful than overt, macro-aggressive racism, because they can either be covered up by HR departments and the mainstream media or simply denied altogether.

For example, Meghan Markle, now Duchess of Sussex, is consistently targeted by the British media for making ‘fashion mistakes’ as a royal, whilst her fellow royal, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge is often praised for her wardrobe choices.

Often, they’d wear similar outfits on different occasions, yet the accolades received by her white sister-in-law is something that Meghan has never been credited with. The only difference between them is that Meghan is of black descent. Magazines and newspapers consistently look for excuses to condemn Meghan, merely because of the colour of her skin, and although this racism is brought to light by black people, due to its subtle, micro-aggressive nature, white people are still able to deny its existence. This is the same merciless racial abuse that left Meghan feeling degraded and uncomfortable in her new home, causing her to return with her husband and child to her hometown of Los Angeles, California.

In a society that is becoming more ‘woke’ and politically correct, it is increasingly important for us to be able to identify covert racism, and call out people, brands and companies who are not supportive of black women in the fashion industry. We are at a point in time where, as a society – and as members of Generation-Z in particular – we have the spending power and social media influence to have an effect on the behaviour of brands, and consequently, to change the industry for the better - and for black women, to be precise. All black women ask for is the space to be themselves, the freedom to express their reality creatively, appreciation for their truth and genuine recognition for their hard work and talent. It is time for society to listen to these demands, internalise them, and begin to support black women in fashion wholeheartedly. Why? Because nobody would like to be trapped in a room.

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Blazer: Jaded London; £55 Stylist and makeup artist; @rae.jpeg Photography inspiration; @campbelladdy

campbell addy

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FASHION

Dressed in a suit to juxtapose the stereotype of being bold and strong but the “typical” black woman does not always feel those things. She is light, graceful and full of raw emotion. Assumptions are for the past, appreciate a black woman in fashion today.

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FASHION

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QUARANTINE’S F FAS

FINEST SHION

FASHION

PINK LABEL CONGO ‘Riddled with a painful history, the beauty of Congo is often untapped and overlooked. The gentleness, beauty, history, poise, majesty, strength, power, and hope of the Congolese spirit inspired this collection”. - Hanifa.

Pink Label Congo made its debut through Instagram live as quarantine overtook the traditional style catwalk and fashion show.

The concept was completely mindblowing, the garments worn by *invisible* models were beautifully crafted with every detail standing out against the minimal black background.

Hanifa is the first brand to debut this type of technology in fashion and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

“We design for everyday extraordinary women like you who embody class while setting their own rules”. - Hanifa.

The show quickly caught the eye of press and multipe esteemed magazine’s such as Essence, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Congo is rich in natural resources and Hanifa has been inspired by her home country to create and show her ethical stance through her garment technology and eyecatching designs.

Hanifa is one to watch out for.

Written and interviewed by Fashion journalist, Renee Cojinga.

SHOP THE COLLECTION NOW AT www.hanifa.co/collections/pink-label LEFT SPREAD: TO RIGHT: ZAIRE DENIM SET; £302 JOLIE MAXI DRESS; £215 ORELI TOP AND SKIRT; TOP: £160 / SKIRT; £200 VEREZONIQUE BLOUSE - CARAMEL; £185 MAI MAXI DRESS; £398 KINSHASHA BACKLESS MINI DRESS; £295

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