When Aurora James was launching her luxury accessories line, Brother Vellies, she didn’t know that before long, she’d launch a nonprofit and an equity fund dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses, too. But after the start of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, that’s exactly what she did. This week she joins host Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former Teen Vogue executive editor, current Cut contributor, and author of The Myth of Making It, on the In Her Shoes podcast to talk business, overconsumption, and how she keeps her company aligned with her values. To hear more, listen and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also read highlights from the interview below.
On the brand ethos:
When I launched Brother Vellies, it was really about trying to work with artisans and showcase their talents. And also redefine the idea of what luxury means. It doesn’t have to mean “from an atelier in Paris.” It might mean “handsewn in Africa with a sustainable supply chain that’s multigenerational.” So I think it’s definitely a brand that’s about culture. It’s definitely a brand that’s about celebration and joy. It’s definitely a brand that asks questions, right? We don’t claim to know what it means to be sustainable. We claim to know that there’s a lot that still is worth finding out and questions to ask. Also, redefining how we involve communities of color in their own culture as it relates to fashion is a super important part of the brand.
On growing the company:
You have to ask yourself, What is the point of this thing? And to be honest with you, I’ve gone back and forth with Brother Vellies. I definitely always wanted to keep it small in the beginning. And then around 2020, I did go through a phase where I was like, No, I want it to be as big as possible because I want to take all of the shelf space from all of these other businesses that are horrible. And then right now, I’m in a phase where I’m like, Oh, actually I want to produce only traditional Vellies in the original workshop. I might make other things in small batches, but actually, I just feel like everyone only needs this shoe … I go through different phases. That feels more normal and natural to me. That’s also why I don’t have investors, because they would be like, “I’m sorry, what?”
On taking care:
I slept for something like 14 hours on Saturday. As soon as the election happened, I was like, “I’m putting up a Christmas tree. I’m lighting candles.” I just need to do whatever I can do to bring myself peace. I need to stop traveling. I’m just exhausted, and when the tank is on empty, you’re not going very far.
