Black Fashion Fair

What Black Fashion Fair does

Black Fashion Fair is a private fashion and culture platform founded in 2020 in New York by Antoine Gregory. Operating under the legal name 'Black Fashion Fair,' the company is a privately held, founder-owned entity with no disclosed venture funding, no reported headcount, and no public revenue figures. The platform serves Black designers, Black-owned brands, and consumers interested in Black fashion history and contemporary Black design, functioning as a discovery and amplification channel for emerging and established Black creatives.

The company's product surface spans four integrated lines: a curated e-commerce shop at shop.blackfashionfair.org selling designer apparel, limited-edition capsules, and publications (André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever, the New American Dream T-Shirt re-edition) from featured Black-owned brands such as No Sesso, Theophilio, Homage Year, Head of State, and FUBU; ticketed event programming including Black Fashion Talks (intimate conversations with figures such as Robin Givhan) and the Black Fashion Forward symposium (three-tier pricing: VIP $225, General $135, Student $125); an annual independent publication contributing to Black fashion scholarship; and the Fair Fashion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2022 that administers the Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant in partnership with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The business model combines transactional revenue (event ticket sales and direct-to-consumer e-commerce), corporate sponsorship (Crown Royal, Maison Perrier), and foundation grant administration. Distribution is event-driven and community-led rather than paid acquisition, with marketing concentrated on the website, Instagram, email newsletter, and venue partnerships (Times Center, Neue House, The Standard Highline, Ludlow House). The platform claims global reach but is operationally concentrated in New York, with no disclosed mobile app, no public API, and no proprietary technology beyond a Squarespace-hosted website and e-commerce storefront.

Name

Black Fashion Fair

Legal name

Black Fashion Fair

Website

https://blackfashionfair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Fashion Fair is a private New York-based fashion platform founded in 2020 that curates Black-owned designer brands, hosts ticketed events and industry conversations, and publishes Black fashion scholarship through its e-commerce shop, annual publication, and 501(c)(3) Fair Fashion Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Culture Platform

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Fashion & Accessories Marketplaces (CRAFABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Luxury & Designer Apparel Retail (CRAAABAI)

Keywords

• Fashion publishing
• Curated designer retail
• Cultural event programming
• Designer grant funding
• Black fashion media

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Online shop selling curated Black designer pieces, limited-edition capsule collections, exclusive styles from Black-owned brands, and publications including books about fashion icons like André Leon Talley.
2. Ticketed Events and Programming: Revenue generated from ticket sales for events including Black Fashion Forward symposium (VIP $225, General $135, Student $125) and Black Fashion Talks conversations.
3. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships from brands like Crown Royal (official beverage partner), Maison Perrier (panel sponsor), and others for event programming and brand activations.
4. Fair Fashion Foundation Grants: The 501(c)(3) foundation arm (Fair Fashion Foundation) administers the Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant, launched in 2022 in partnership with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Black Fashion Fair operates a multi-vertical fashion and culture platform that curates and sells designer pieces from Black-owned brands through an e-commerce shop, publishes annual independent publications documenting Black fashion history, and produces ticketed live events including the Black Fashion Forward symposium and Black Fashion Talks conversation series. The platform also operates the Fair Fashion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers grants to emerging Black designers, with the Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant launched in 2022 as its flagship program.

Product overview

Black Fashion Fair is a fashion and culture platform encompassing multiple interconnected offerings: a curated e-commerce shop featuring Black-owned brands and designers, an annual independent publication documenting Black fashion history, event programming including the Black Fashion Talks conversation series and the Black Fashion Forward symposium, and the Fair Fashion Foundation nonprofit providing grants to emerging Black designers. The platform operates as a unified ecosystem aimed at discovering, supporting, and amplifying Black designers and Black-owned brands across fashion, art, and culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Fashion Forward: Black Fashion Fair's inaugural fashion symposium bringing together the best of Black fashion, style and culture. Features panels, keynotes, and curated experiences.
• Black Fashion Talks

Products and services

• Black Fashion Fair Curated Shop An experimental concept and discovery space featuring a curated selection of designer pieces, exclusive capsule collections, and limited-edition styles from Black-owned brands including No Sesso, Theophilio, Homage Year, Head of State, FUBU, and the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Targeted at consumers seeking authentic Black-owned fashion.
• Black Fashion Talks An event series featuring intimate conversations with fashion industry luminaries about Black fashion history, culture, and legacy. Features discussions with figures such as Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan. Targeted at fashion enthusiasts, students, and industry professionals.
• Black Fashion Forward Symposium Black Fashion Fair's inaugural fashion symposium spotlighting Black designers and creatives shaping the future of fashion and culture. Features panels, keynotes, and curated experiences. Ticket tiers include VIP ($225), General ($135), and Student ($125). Targeted at fashion industry professionals, students, and culture enthusiasts.
• Black Fashion Fair Annual Publication A historic and comprehensive collection of fashion imagery and written works featuring emerging and established design and artistic talent from around the world. The annual independent publication offers a meaningful contribution of Black fashion, style, and culture to the fashion canon. Targeted at fashion scholars, enthusiasts, and collectors.
• André Leon Talley: Style Is Forever A lavish visual celebration book of André Leon Talley's life centering his personal style as a lens on his contributions to fashion history, featuring newly photographed iconic looks alongside archival imagery. Includes essays and memories from industry luminaries. Targeted at fashion scholars, collectors, and André Leon Talley admirers.
• New American Dream T-Shirt (Re-Edition) A limited re-edition t-shirt celebrating the enduring power of a single garment and the creative partnership between André Leon Talley and artist DeeDee. Originally worn in 2008 with a custom Baby Phat jacket hand-painted with 'The New American Dream.' Targeted at fashion collectors and cultural enthusiasts.
• Fair Fashion Foundation A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded with the mission to discover, support, and further Black designers and the communities they inspire. Provides grant funding and resources to emerging Black designers. Targeted at emerging Black fashion designers in need of financial and professional support.
• Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant A grant program launched in 2022 by Fair Fashion Foundation in partnership with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat to provide financial support to emerging Black designers. Targeted at emerging Black fashion designers seeking funding to advance their design practice.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Estate of Jean-Michel BasquiatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2022 to launch the Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant through Fair Fashion Foundation. The grant supports emerging Black designers. Black Fashion Fair has also collaborated with the Estate on curated collections and exhibitions honoring Basquiat's legacy in fashion and culture.
• Crown RoyalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Beverage Partner and Official Whiskey Partner for Black Fashion Forward symposium. Crown Royal sponsored the VIP Cocktail Reception and provided curated cocktails for the closing cocktail soirée. Featured as presenting sponsor for networking reception.
• Maison PerriermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Skincare Partner for Black Fashion Forward. Sponsored the 'Image Makers: Fashioning Blackness Through Editorial and Fashion Media' panel discussion, positioning the brand within the Black fashion and beauty conversation.
• Neue HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Black Fashion Talks: Robin Givhan event on June 23, 2025. Located at 110 E 25th St, New York. Presented Black Fashion Fair's conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robin Givhan on Virgil Abloh's legacy.
• The StandardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Standard X Black Fashion Fair partnership presenting 'Beyond the Reference: The Business of Black Style' on February 11, 2026 at The Standard Highline in New York. Curated by Black Fashion Fair founder Antoine Gregory. Event filmed for both parties' social media channels.
• Fair Fashion FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization founded by Black Fashion Fair with the mission to discover, support, and further Black designers and the communities they inspire. Administered the Jean-Michel Basquiat Emerging Designer Grant launched in 2022.
• Times CenterminorOthersEvent venue for Black Fashion Forward inaugural symposium on September 6, 2025. Located at 242 W 41st St, New York, NY. Provided facilities for panels, keynotes, and closing reception.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pyer Moss: Pyer Moss, founded by Kerby Jean-Raymond, is a culturally rooted Black-owned fashion brand and creative agency. It operates in the same fashion-and-culture intersection that BFF serves as a platform for, and has been part of BFF-aligned events and conversations.
• Brother Vellies: Brother Vellies is a Black-owned accessories and footwear brand by Aurora James that combines artisan production with cultural storytelling. It is a featured Black-owned brand in BFF's curated shop and operates in the same premium culturally-led fashion space.
• Hanifa: Hanifa is an independent Black-owned womenswear label founded by Anifa Rambeni. It represents the type of emerging Black designer that BFF amplifies through its curated shop and ecosystem, and competes for the same culturally-engaged consumer.
• Telfar: Telfar is an independent Black-owned fashion label famous for the Shopping Bag and accessible luxury positioning. It sits in the same Black-owned designer ecosystem as BFF's featured brands and competes for culturally-driven Gen Z and millennial shoppers.

Broad incumbents

• Vogue (Condé Nast): Vogue is the dominant global fashion media title operated by Condé Nast. It overlaps with BFF on fashion editorial, event programming (e.g., Met Gala conversations), and designer amplification, but at mass scale rather than with a curated Black-owned brand focus.
• Depop: Depop is a peer-to-peer social fashion resale marketplace popular with Gen Z. It competes with BFF on the discovery-and-shop side for younger fashion consumers, though it lacks BFF's editorial, grants, and curated Black-designer positioning.
• Highsnobiety: Highsnobiety is a global fashion, culture, and lifestyle media brand and e-commerce platform. It overlaps with BFF on culture-driven fashion storytelling, designer discovery, and shoppable content, but addresses a much broader audience without the Black-designer focus.
• SSENSE: SSENSE is a global multi-brand luxury and designer e-commerce marketplace. It competes with BFF's shop on premium designer curation, but is a generalist platform without the curated Black-owned brand and editorial-event ecosystem.

Others

• Fifteen Percent Pledge: Fifteen Percent Pledge is a nonprofit organization founded by Aurora James that pushes major retailers to commit 15% of shelf space to Black-owned brands. It is adjacent rather than competitive, but operates in the same ecosystem of amplifying Black-owned fashion businesses and could become a programmatic partner.

Direct peers

• The Folklore: The Folklore is a curated multi-brand e-commerce platform and concept store focused on independent Black designers and brands globally. It mirrors BFF's marketplace + editorial + community model almost exactly, making it the closest comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bfashionfair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-fashion-fair
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackfashionfair
• Facebookfacebook.com/blackfashionfair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Fashion Fair