What Black Design Collective (BDC) does

Black Design Collective (BDC) is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 that supports Black fashion and costume designers through a portfolio of programs centered on Scholarship, Mentorship, and Entrepreneurship. The organization was co-founded by four prominent fashion professionals: Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter, celebrity fashion designer Angela Dean, former Halston Creative Director Kevan Hall, and menswear designer/educator TJ Walker. Its member directory spans 70+ designers across categories including womenswear, menswear, costume, accessories, footwear, and jewelry, located in cities across the US and select international markets. Primary beneficiaries are emerging and established Black fashion designers, with a secondary segment of fashion design students who benefit from scholarships and educational programming.

BDC's products and services include a paid membership program with monthly dues, an e-commerce merchandise shop (t-shirts at $35, books at $50 plus shipping), educational workshops (priced at $20 for non-members), an annual Scholarship Gala, and the BDC Creative Center incubator in Downtown Los Angeles opened in 2023. Flagship events include the Upcycle Denim Fashion Show at LA Fashion Week (October 2025, in partnership with GUESS Jeans and Wells Fargo) and the CFDA's NYFW Runway 360 Global Showcase (February 2021). The technology base is conventional: a WordPress-style website with e-commerce, member login, and newsletter signup, with no proprietary software or AI components disclosed. Underlying design practice emphasizes sustainable and circular fashion, exemplified by upcycling reclaimed denim from The Salvation Army into new garments.

BDC's revenue mechanics are diversified across four streams: recurring membership dues, one-time merchandise sales, transactional workshop/event fees, and donations and grants (its largest funding line given 501(c)(3) status). Corporate partners include GUESS Jeans, Wells Fargo, the Guess Foundation, and CFDA. The organization markets primarily through owned social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest), a monthly email newsletter, its blog and press section, and earned media coverage in outlets such as WWD, LA Times, Fox 11, and Essence. Operating geography is primarily the United States with limited international member representation, and the organization is governed by a board that includes the four co-founders plus Connie Collins and Constance C.R. White, with Dr. D'Wayne Edwards serving as a board advisor.

Name

Black Design Collective (BDC)

Legal name

Black Design Collective, Inc.

Website

https://blackdesigncollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Design Collective (BDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 in Los Angeles that supports Black fashion and costume designers through membership, scholarships, mentorship, and the BDC Creative Center incubator, serving a directory of 70+ designers and fashion students across the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Designer Collective (Nonprofit)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Designer Apparel Houses (CRAAAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fashion & Apparel Design Colleges (EDAHAJAF), Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

Keywords

• Fashion designer collective
• Nonprofit fashion education
• Designer mentorship programs
• Fashion scholarships
• Creative industry community

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: BDC operates a membership program with monthly dues. Members receive access to exclusive content, workshops, networking events, and members-only programming. The organization also offers volunteer opportunities for community involvement.
2. Merchandise Sales: BDC operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($35), the Supreme Actresses book ($50 plus $16.95 shipping), and other BDC-branded apparel and accessories.
3. Workshop and Event Fees: BDC charges fees for workshops and educational programming. For example, the Technology Based Line Development Workshop was open to non-members for $20. Events and workshops serve both as revenue sources and member acquisition tools.
4. Donations and Grants: As an IRS federally registered 501(c)(3) charity, BDC accepts tax-deductible donations starting at $5 and offers monthly donor and corporate partnership programs. Donations fund scholarships, programs, and resources for the Black fashion design community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Black Design Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Black fashion and costume designers through a paid membership program, educational workshops, mentorship, the BDC Creative Center incubator in downtown Los Angeles, scholarship funding, and runway/showcase events. The organization also sells branded merchandise (t-shirts, books) and accepts tax-deductible donations to underwrite programming targeted at emerging Black fashion design talent.

Product overview

Black Design Collective (BDC) is a fashion collective founded in 2018 comprising accomplished fashion industry professionals of color. BDC functions as an umbrella organization supporting Black fashion designers through multiple service areas: a merchandise line (BDC Merchandise featuring branded t-shirts and books), a scholarships program (including the TJ Walker Scholarship Fund), education and training workshops, a creative center incubator in downtown Los Angeles, and membership programs. The collective aims to promote Scholarship, Mentorship, and Entrepreneurship within emerging generations of Black fashion design talent through these interconnected programs and its network of member designers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BDC Membership Program Membership program providing Black fashion designers, students, and affiliates with access to exclusive content, workshops, networking events, mentorship opportunities, and members-only programming, supported by recurring monthly dues.
• Education & Training Workshops Workshop-based educational programming for emerging Black fashion designers covering topics such as technology-based line development, with members receiving discounted or free access and non-members paying per-workshop fees.
• BDC Creative Center Physical fashion incubator and workspace facility in Downtown Los Angeles providing emerging Black designers with workspace, resources, and programming to develop their fashion lines; also hosts community meetings, orientation sessions, and pop-up retail opportunities.
• Scholarships Program (TJ Walker Scholarship Fund) Financial assistance program providing scholarships to Black fashion design students, including the TJ Walker Scholarship Fund, awarded at the annual BDC Scholarship Gala.
• BDC Merchandise BDC-branded merchandise sold through the organization's own e-commerce storefront, including t-shirts (e.g., 'Be The Solution T-Shirt', 'Black Design Collective Original T-Shirt', 'Community Tee') and the 'Supreme Actresses Book' about iconic Black women in Hollywood.
• BDC Signature Events (Scholarship Gala, LA Fashion Week Upcycle Denim Fashion Show, NYFW Runway 360 Showcase) Signature in-person and digital events showcasing member designers, including the annual Scholarship Gala, the Upcycle Denim Fashion Show at LA Fashion Week (in partnership with GUESS Jeans and Wells Fargo), and participation in CFDA's NYFW Runway 360 Global Showcase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70 Black fashion designers listed in the BDC Designer Directory, spanning costume, womenswear, menswear, accessories, footwear, and more

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GUESS JeanscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2025GUESS Jeans partnered with BDC for the Upcycle Denim Fashion Show at LA Fashion Week on October 18, 2025. The initiative combined sustainable fashion advocacy with designer empowerment, featuring emerging and established Black designers transforming reclaimed denim from The Salvation Army into new fashion designs through months of educational workshops and mentorship. GUESS provided denim materials and brand support for the event.
• CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021The CFDA partnered with BDC for NYFW's 2021 Runway 360 Global Showcase — a virtual event established to celebrate Black designers during COVID-19. Nine BDC member designers were highlighted, and BDC board member Constance C.R. White introduced the designers. The digital platform significantly reduced the cost barrier (previously ~$50,000) for showing at NYFW, leveling the playing field for Black designers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Black Fashion Fair: Black Fashion Fair is a curated exhibition and marketplace platform showcasing Black designers, founded by Antoine Gregory. It is directly comparable to BDC as a community-led platform driving visibility for Black-owned fashion brands.
• Brownstone Brooklyn: Brownstone Brooklyn is a fashion incubator and showroom supporting multicultural and emerging designers with workspace, retail opportunities, and brand development — directly comparable to BDC's Creative Center model of providing physical incubator space and programming for underrepresented designers.
• Harlem's Fashion Row: Harlem's Fashion Row is a nonprofit organization that supports Black and African diaspora fashion designers through runway showcases, scholarships, and brand-building programs — directly comparable to BDC's mission of amplifying Black designers through mentorship and showcase opportunities.
• The Folklore: Founded by Amira Rasool, The Folklore is a B2B wholesale marketplace and distribution platform for independent and Black-owned fashion brands globally. It is directly comparable to BDC in its focus on elevating Black designers, though its commercial B2B model differs from BDC's nonprofit collective model.
• 15 Percent Pledge: Founded by Aurora James (Brother Vellies), 15 Percent Pledge is a nonprofit that commits major retailers to dedicate 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses — comparable to BDC as a Black-focused fashion nonprofit driving structural change, though 15 Percent Pledge works the retail demand side while BDC operates the supply side.
• The Black in Fashion Council: Founded by publicist Robyn K. Howard, the Black in Fashion Council is an industry collective promoting Black representation across the fashion and beauty ecosystem through corporate pledges and member engagement — directly comparable in mission and member-driven structure to BDC.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): The CFDA is the leading U.S. fashion industry trade body that partnered with BDC for NYFW Runway 360. As a broad incumbent serving all designers, the CFDA offers industry infrastructure, awards, and runway access at a much larger scale than BDC, but does not focus specifically on the Black designer community BDC serves.
• Fashion Group International (FGI): Fashion Group International is an established nonprofit industry organization promoting fashion through awards, education, and networking — comparable to BDC as a fashion nonprofit, and FGI has directly recognized multiple BDC members (Epperson, Lars) through its Rising Star and President Awards.

Emerging players

• PENSOLE Lewis College of Business & Design: Founded by Dr. D'Wayne Edwards (who is also a BDC Board Advisor), PENSOLE is the first U.S. academy dedicated to footwear design education, with teaching partnerships at ArtCenter, Parsons, MIT, and Harvard. It is comparable as a fashion-design education entity with deep ties to BDC's leadership, though narrower in scope (footwear only).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/blackdesignco
• Facebookfacebook.com/blackdesigncollective
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-design-collective
• Instagraminstagram.com/black_design_collective
• Pinterestpinterest.com/blackdesigncollective4

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Black Design Collective (BDC)