We're proud to introduce our first feature of Adorn Admires: a brand new initiative to feature women of color that we admire from around the world and the impactful work that they do.
Our first Adorn Admires feature is none other than the trailblazing @AuroraJames. Aurora is a Time Magazine featured designer, activist, and community advocate, who’s notably the founder of accessories label @BrotherVellies and most recently the @15PercentPledge, a non-profit committed to the fight for economic equality in corporate spaces.
Starting her career with a degree in Journalism at Ryerson University and a job with Jeanne Beker at Fashion Television, James eventually found her way to Los Angeles where she worked as a creative consultant for Elite, Gen Art, Woolly Pocket, and Thomas Wylde to name a few. Following a trip to Morocco in 2011, she founded Brother Vellies in January 2013 with hopes to preserve the shoemaking craft in Africa and create new jobs for African artisans. Now handmade artisanally across the globe, Brother Vellies creates luxury accessories that celebrate cultural histories and timeless design.
On May 29th of 2020, Aurora composed an Instagram post calling on multinational corporations such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Sephora to commit to buying 15% of their products from Black owned businesses. This was the foundation of the 15 Percent Pledge, which has flourished into a fully fledged non-profit organization with notable signees such as Vogue, Sephora, Rent the Runway, and West Elm.
Aurora is the absolute definition of a renaissance woman and an inspiration for all women that we CAN indeed do it all.