Black Lives Matter Movement Secures Apparel Licensee, Adds Committee Members

Black Lives Matter Movement has welcomed Fashion U.K. as its new apparel partner, rolling out collections across daywear, nightwear and accessories at leading retailers through the U.K. and Europe.   

“Fashion U.K. are delighted to have secured the license and look forward to engaging with retailers on the Movements opportunities on the high street and online arena,” says Mikey Mattu, managing director, Fashion U.K.  

“It is imperative that any partner who joins our licensing program not only understands, but has a true appreciation for the Movement,” says Saphia Maxamed, founder, Black Lives Matter Licensing. “We are in the infancy of building our brand and are excited to partner with Fashion U.K. to translate our message through products which will unite consumers and retailers alike.”   

In addition, the committee has announced two new members, Jordan Davids and Trevor Sylvester. As graphic designers and Black men within the licensing industry, both Jordan and Trevor will drive design and add more input into the movement from a Black man’s perspective.  

“This is an exciting time for the committee,” says Maxamed. “Through having Trevor and Jordan on board, we have diversified our committee even further and ensure we are inclusive at every level, whilst also listening to the perspectives of Black communities.”   

The team has also created a style guide with a careful consideration of the core message of the Black Lives Matter Movement.  

“Our creative will reflect our consumers wherever they may be on their journey, we will have designs for the more bold amongst us who are confident wearing color and print and being loud about our message, as well as calmer color and design for people just starting out in supporting our message,” says Kim Saxelby, senior design manager, Universal Brand Development Group, NBCUniversal International and also a member of the committee. “We aim for our product to be available for all ages and people of every walk of life so we will be covering off- and on-trend directional designs based on current market trends as well as more traditional designs.”  

The BLM Committee has also been working solidly on a governance framework alongside the licensing program roll out. The team has been in talks with several organizations to establish give back programs to the Black community. For each program the committee launches, all revenue will be invested back into bettering the lives of Black people. More details will be shared shortly.