Within just four days, the 15PercentPledge became a registered charity, with its central petition already accruing thousands upon thousands of signatures.
—I couldn’t get any business loans because I wasn’t eligible for any of them, and I knew I wouldn’t be,” she explains. “Ninety-five percent of black businesses aren’t.” Another reason for James to embrace the subscription model is as a sustainable method of selling, with items being made to order on the basis of how many have signed up each month.
While the 15 Percent Pledge emphasizes the lack of representation for black-owned businesses in nationwide stores, its impetus also stemmed from the challenges James faced as a black woman establishing a luxury brand and navigating the upper echelons of the fashion industry. Even with Something Special, this was at the front of her mind.
All the same, it’s something that James has been pushing back on from the very beginning of her career. “There are so many systematic things that are put on black women when we walk into any environment,” she continues. “We’re often viewed as slightly less than, which is why there are fewer black women in our industry, because it’s extra hard for them. And so when I do something that isn’t typically considered luxury, I get a lot of feedback.
One element of the project James is keen to emphasize is that it’s simply logical. “I’m not actually very radical,” she adds. “I consider myself a pragmatic optimist. I’m not out here telling fashion retailers that they need to do this tomorrow, I’m saying there are three particular steps they can take.” Indeed, the proposition of 15% of black-owned businesses sitting on the shelves of major retailers as a direct reflection of U.S.
As James so clearly puts it, the time when the fashion industry could insulate itself, or remain neutral or detached from politics, is now a thing of the past. “The real barometer of luxury today is the care that someone puts into something, and the values that a brand stands for. I’m not afraid of it, because I’m also not interested in entertaining anyone or creating for anyone that doesn’t value me as a human or my rights. I don’t want their money.
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