Black & Ugly’s Fall collection is now available online. Inspired by music, art, readings, natural human interactions , and great role models such as Malcolm X, Duke Ellington, and Nina Simone Black & Ugly, is a clothing line with a message representing founder Sherifa Gayle ‘s peoples past struggles, present accomplishments and their future endeavors. The Afro-centric line strives to praise influential individuals while inspiring others to become socially and politically conscience. ” I see people with a conscious wearing my stuff, sounds simple but a lot of people don’t think beyond the surface says Gayle “As this is a Afro-centric line people of all backgrounds can [and]do wear it. Knowledge is power and we are all entitled to that. I want the youth mostly to support the movement, as they are the future. ”
The 24 year old recent grad from City college named the label Black & Ugly in the hopes to change peoples perception of African Americans.
“Where black and beautiful sounds all too cliché, Black & Ugly demands attention and fuels fire in the blood, daring people to repeat two separate hated words, both together, making them pure again. Black is definitely not ugly, but because we as a people have been hearing it for so long, we have all begun to believe it. “I often tell people I am NOT saying black IS ugly, it’s that we have allowed continued thinking that these two words are associated with each other and means nothing good. So with that said, I wanted to take it and change one mind set at a time”.
Since the beginning she wanted her clothing to make statement. She didn’t want a logo of emptiness but something meaningful. “BU is not only an acronym for Black & Ugly, but it also holds a double message in telling the wearer to “Be You” and embrace your culture and history in everything you do including the clothes you wear”. The label includes women’s, men’s, children’s apparel, caps, and pins which range from $7-$32.
Images courtesy of BLACK & UGLY
Fashionbystander 