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Many know multi-hyphenate Aurora James as the founder of her shoe and accessories label Brother Vellies, which aims to preserve African design practices while providing work opportunities for local artisans. Others might remember her as the fresh-faced awardee of the 2015 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. But it was her noble pursuit to transform the fashion industry through the Fifteen Percent Pledge that captured the world. “There have been people who’ve been making amazing things for a long time, who’ve been historically excluded from commercial participation,” said James. “I love fashion, and I want to hold the bar high. And I think that this industry has a tremendous ability to influence other industries as well.”
In more ways than one, James has transcended the conventional role of fashion designers as mere artists, defining an era in fashion that propelled the industry beyond aesthetics and positioning it as a force of inclusivity.
Her creative wellspring is rooted in the connection she cultivates with her surroundings, both by nature and everyday life. “My moodboard is like this plant that’s behind me, or different shells from the beach. Grasses, orchids, birds, and just nature in general. That, and the artisans I’ve come across from all over the world, are my source of inspiration.” She mirrors the liveliness of her surroundings in her personal style, embracing a sense of vibrancy that is uniquely her own. And when it comes to daily workwear, James eschews from conventional dressing, embracing a style that ventures beyond the boundaries of tradition.
Following the launch of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, James found herself thrust into the press spotlight, with the expectation for her to conform to traditional workwear by wearing a blazer. “At first, I was like, why? You can t take me seriously in this pink hat? I’m just as smart in Marni as I am and in some blazer.” Since then, James has set her sights on a new project. “I want to redefine what professional dressing is for women. Redefine what it means to be professional, what it means to be a working woman, and what it means to be taken seriously. That is my next goal.”
Make a statement—anytime, anywhere.
I would literally wear this look anywhere. I would wear this on a construction job site, to a dinner, I would even wear this to a fundraiser for Kamala Harris. It’s just so easy and straightforward. I love mixing different materials, and this top is quite special because I wore it on my book cover. The jeans are Levi’s 501—and let me just tell you something: We must always get our jeans tailored, because the $27 today will make all the difference tomorrow.
Don’t be afraid to be bold
This dress from Rosette is something that you could mistake as being super formal, but when you see it in person, it s actually a little bit more on the casual side. It could be dressed up or dressed down, and it’s lace, so it’s a little bit sheer but it’s also super stretchy. I really like the juxtaposition of different bold colors, so I paired this dress with these sandals from Brother Vellies. I think it makes things more graphic and more exciting. When you re talking about nine-to-five dressing, part of that is about having fun with an unexpected accessory and usually that means a pop of color or texture.
Dainty dresses are perfect for afternoon tea meetings
I love this dress from Tanner Fletcher, who’s in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion fund. Being a graduate of the fashion fund and also a judge myself, I have a soft spot for all of these emerging designers who are so amazing. And when I first saw this dress, I loved it, and I was like I really feel like it’s perfect for having an afternoon tea meeting in.
Pleated skirts as daily uniform
To know me is to know I’m a tennis girly, and so a pleated skirt is a big way of life for me. I have lots of different pleated skirts that aren t for tennis but I love them anyway. I also wore a lot of tennis skirts in the school I went to growing up so it’s just a part of my DNA. This is my everyday go-to look. It’s such a fun, easy kind of carefree summer look and it’s perfect for my Zoom meetings—it’s very business on top, but also fun, playful, light, and girly on the bottom. And I also love an ankle sock with a loafer. These are from Brother Vellies, I’ve worn ankle socks my whole life and I’m very particular about them, and so these ones feel like a really perfect ankle sock.
Spice it up with a fun top
I love this Diotima Jamaican crochet because a top like that is so fun. You can just throw a blazer over and then it just gives the perfect accent for work, and then when you’re coming to nighttime, you can just simply take the blazer off and have a fun sexy moment after work. It just feels sort of like the ultimate party top, but I think it’s also just so fun to take in the 9-5 setting—of course, if you’re layering.
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The seventies are back!
There’s something about this Marni top that feels really ’70s to me. I think this shoe, which is called the Lauren boot and was actually inspired by Lauryn Hill, has been a part of the Brother Vellies collection for a really long time. But there’s something that’s so powerful and great about this look—it’s just so comfortable. So I think just pairing a nice tank with a silk skirt makes this look so classic. This look can take you from a breakfast meeting to a Zoom call to an after-work cocktail—no problem.
Looking pretty in pink
This is my version of Barbie, my personal tribute to my favorite plastic friend. I think what’s been so fun is just playing with these ideas about redefining what professional dressing means. It’s playing with these ideas of what it means to be professional, what it means to be a working woman these days, what it means to be taken seriously, what it means to be all of these different ideals that we have in our brain. And I think for me, being playful is something that s so important. And I think because I spend so much time working with different artisans around the world, and then also working in racial justice and doing board meetings, whether it s for the CFDA or my own company, Brother Vellies, you really want to be able to maintain the joy and the fun. And I think Melitta Baumeister as a designer does a really great job with that. And I had to tell you, when I was walking around the city in this look, people were just loving it. Especially people in New York, I mean, yeah, they’re just loving it.
When the Canadian tuxedo gets an upgrade
This is a look by Sami Miro Vintage. She repurposed all of this denim, which I think is so exciting. And she s someone who has such a specific aesthetic, and I think as a designer, it’s really important for me to step into other designers’ worlds. For me, it’s kind of like seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. And her use of denim I think, is also really extraordinary. And so I really liked the idea of pairing this look of her specifically with My Body My Choice boots, too. It’s just such a fun look that’s perfect for anything.
Keep it comfy and cute
Sometimes you just have to spend the whole day on the computer, and sometimes you have to run out for a meeting here and there, and I think that this look is meant to feel comfortable but also still wearing pieces from designers that make me feel good about the world. This top is from Black Boy Knits, who is also from the CFDA Fashion Fund, and I just paired it with a vintage silk slip skirt, cloud socks, and sneakers. I’m so particular about how I spend my money because we’re all working so hard for every dollar that we make, and every time you spend $1, you’re empowering something. For me, supporting and wearing emerging designers is very critical.
