Women’s History Month Spotlight: Aurora James
Though I’ve been rummaging through thrift bins and estate sales for over a decade now, I didn’t really start thinking about what “ethical” and “sustainable” fashion meant to me as an individual until the past couple of years. When I heard Aurora James share her journey as Founder of Brother Vellies, it was the first time I’d heard anyone talk about ethical fashion in a way that made sense to me.
I first heard Aurora James’ story via Hillary Kerr’s Second Life Podcast; I was familiar with Brother Vellies but never knew the story behind the brand. Right off the bat the conversation around her non-linear career path drew me in; I was holding on to every single twist and turn listening as a person with a non-traditional career path myself. I just remember being enamored by this successful Black woman in fashion sharing her incredible story, and feeling so affirmed in my own journey. You hear this term thrown around so much, but I’m here to confirm - representation matters.
Past that, it was just the intentionality of it all for me - Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 “with the goal of keeping traditional African design practices, and techniques alive while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs”. A luxury brand supporting POC Artisans across the globe? Yes please. Though my budget at the time wasn’t ready to make a purchase just yet (lol), I was fan and found myself drawn back to the brand in one way or another.
Fast forward to 2020 when the opportunity to be a Brother Vellies consumer popped up through the “Something Special” initiative - a monthly subscription for made to order, one of a kind items “made with love to bring a little comfort and beauty into your lives during this difficult time in our world”. I’m not exaggerating when I say this: my Something Special subscription was one of the best decisions I made in 2020. It’s not just because of the items themselves - it’s the way I get background on the people, the process…I know their names, their stories. She’s just done such an admirable job of keeping the people behind the items top of mind and humanizing our consumerism.
My biggest takeaway from that Second Life interview was the reminder that actual people are a part of everything we buy and consume - the fact that an item is never just ‘something on a rack’ stuck with me. There are individuals who have been part of the process of products making their way to us. I firmly believe if we keep that humanizing lens on for our purchases it’ll help shift our mindsets as a whole.
This Women’s History Month, I celebrate the incredible women like Aurora blazing trails and re-setting the standard for fashion. The world of sustainable and ethical fashion is not just a place that can be accessible to us all, it’s a place we all belong!