Aurora James and Brother Vellies

Primed for the Pledge

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Maybe she was born for the role, but the founder of Brother Vellies and the 15 Percent Pledge is named Aurora, the mythical goddess who traveled from east to west announcing the dawn. As a young designer captivated by fashion’s ability to “help us escape to a magical place,” Aurora James sought to represent an inclusive worldview of beauty. Traveling in Africa, committed to promoting artisan work, after meeting the crafters who make “vellies,” the local leather walking boots, she created a pipeline to market their goods. As Brother Velllies became a model of ethical production and sustainability, Aurora saw an opportunity to encourage fairness and the future by asking retail companies to pledge that 15% of their products be produced by Black businesses. New beginnings can make very fashionable, equitable endings.

Gwynned Vitello: Now that you have established the 15 Percent Pledge, what is the status and what has been the biggest, and maybe unforeseen, challenge?

Aurora James: What an incredible journey this past five months has been. I think we have all learned so much about our World, our country, each other and our collective pain. All of this learning is important so we can then focus on our progress, how we can march confidently forward, together, in the direction of change.

I am incredibly proud of the companies that have committed early to the 15 Percent Pledge. This benchmark was a very foreign idea when I introduced it, but it resonated with people, and I have no doubt that it will eventually be the norm in the country. Retailers like Sephora, Macy’s and MedMen are at the precipice of change, not just in their stores but in their industries. I am incredibly proud of