Black Fashion Designers to Know in 2020
5 Designers Share How They're Bringing Black Girl Magic to the Fashion Industry
Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa
Anifa has always had a love of fashion, and it grew as she got older. She remembers getting her first sewing machine in her early 20s and using it to restructure men's blazers and button-down shirts. She also created dresses for some of her friends at Morgan State University in Baltimore and posted the finished looks on Instagram. Around 2011, her designs began garnering attention on social media, and the following year, she launched her business.
Her size-inclusive label, Hanifa, offers "bold, feminine, and chic" garments. Her pieces often incorporate pops of colour and some element of sophistication, whether it's a cinched waist or a form-fitting silhouette." My brand is a reflection of myself," said the Maryland-based designer. "I started this when I was 21, and I've grown so much as a businesswoman. It's all evolved. I just want to make sure that I'm staying true to myself and creating pieces for women like me." According to the tailor, that means crafting outfits that exude self-assurance.
Anifa also draws insight from her faith. "I'm Christian, so I believe this gift comes from the Lord, and I try to be really aware of that," she said. "Sometimes I'll get design ideas in my dreams, and I'll wake up in the middle of the night and sketch them quickly. I'm also into interior designing and architecture, so I look at a lot of that stuff, too. I also like to look at my past work and try to make it better."
"You have to really want it, and you have to go and get it. People think you have to be in these fashion capital places, but you don't."
Through her upward climb in fashion, the designer — who was recently spotlighted as Teen Vogue's Generation Next Designer — has noticed a few issues she hopes to fix within the industry. "As a designer, if your clothes are too tight, you're automatically categorized as 'urban wear,'" she said. "A lot of women like their clothes to fit that way, so who's to say that's not luxury?" Another problem she's set on rectifying is the notion that there can't be more than one Black woman at the top of the totem pole. "There are people who look like me who are at those tables, but at the same time, I feel like they want to be the only ones at the table," she noted. "They're not really extending a hand. I'm not saying, you absolutely have to reach out. But there are a lot of talented people — my people — who need to be recognised. There's room for all of us."
This has prompted Anifa to start CBYAM, a creative agency that helps emerging designers with things like sampling and small-scale manufacturing. "That was something that was hard for me to figure out when I started," she said. "I just hope to change that narrative of 'I've made it, and I'm going to be the only one here.'"
That being said, Anifa wants young designers of colour to keep two things in mind while working their way up: "You have to really want it, and you have to go and get it. People think you have to be in these fashion capital places, but you don't. Also, get a mentor. I'm grateful for my experiences, my trials, and my tribulations, but I think it would've been a little less painful if I had someone coaching me and giving me advice. I didn't have access to working at a fashion house as an intern or a magazine, so having a mentor is important."
Where to follow: @anifam