Concept E-Commerce Retailer Spotlights Cultural Merchandise And Women-Owned Brands

As the founder of FRTWN (Shop Freetown), Gina Lewis seeks to highlight the wares of the diaspora.

Written by Atiya Jordan

Online shopping has become a way of life. No longer are consumers beholden to big-box stores with the same clothing choices and home decor. Conversely, consumers no longer have to go out of their way to access small boutiques to access rare wares. Multicultural products are at everyone’s fingertips—just one click away.

Gina Lewis is one of the people who makes interesting and distinct cultural pieces accessible.

Lewis is the owner and founder of FRTWN (Shop Freetown), a digital e-commerce platform. As the founder and lead merchant, Lewis selects all designers and products for FRTWN’s digital e-commerce platform, which emphasizes cultural merchandise, woman-owned brands, designers of color, and products ethically made in Africa and the broader diaspora. Lewis spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about her inspiration and goals as she moves forward in e-commerce.

Please give us a little background for those unfamiliar with you.

My name is Gina Lewis. I am a career buyer and merchant and founder of FRTWN. We focus on the style, aesthetics, and inspiration of the women of the African diaspora.

How would you describe your relationship with fashion? How did it begin?

Like so many people, especially Black creators, I feel like that inspiration from your grandmother is always a common thread. My grandmother, Dora, used to make my Easter dresses and Halloween costumes from my sketches as early as seven years old. It’s just a lifelong journey of curiosity, loving dresses, and being drawn to clothing and exploring.

How would you describe your style right now?

I’m really about maximalism, embellishment, and texture; I love having conversation pieces. They break down barriers, especially when we meet people for the first time. My favorite designer is Kente Gentlemen, which we carry on FRTWN.

Can you share some lessons you’ve learned from the venture accelerator program at UCLA?

FRTWN was selected to participate in its venture accelerator programming. It helped in the infancy of our journey with FRTWN to envision what scaling looks like and think about those key networks and relationships.

There is a language and ecosystem in startup culture and fundraising culture. Being immersed in that support system that can help you think about what it means to communicate the entire capacity of your vision is really important.

What were some of the best strategies you used as a global buyer for Home Goods that you use now?

I would say that it’s constant curiosity, having your eyes open all the time. That is an innate skill set that I have that I think makes for good taste. The next thing is relationship building. It’s complex. I think I’m just kind of developing a merchant mindset.

How do you collaborate with these amazing artisans and creators as the founder of FRTWN?

I just kind of felt this urgency to explore these things through my lens with what I know. Who knows how long it would have taken for someone to green light a trip to the continent of Africa to explore what I wanna explore and be able to buy. Kente Gentlemen and all these incredible things. I think it’s really just like passion and drive and kind of seeing an opportunity and wanting to take it and wanting to try it. Thank God for social media—the proliferation of Instagram and being able to find all of these incredible things that are being made.

How do you know what the consumer wants?

It’s really thinking about what feels unique and different. In general, we aim to operate in the niche, so sometimes you are taking a little bit of risk, especially in the beginning.

What do I love as a consumer? And from that entry point, then you’re in conversation with the customer. Just kind of doing this dance, you don’t get it right all the time, but it’s moving, and it’s dynamic.

You launched your first product in 2021. What was it?

We started with Madam Wokie from Freetown, Sierra Leone. So, I went to Sierra Leone. I went to Freetown in 2018. I was able to meet the founder, Mary-ann Kaikai.

I spent about 10 days there and just went to the market with her and visited her store. We did photo shoots, and we did a curated collection of ball skirts that we ended up getting styled for someone for the Wearable Art Gala in 2019.

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Lewis’ independent travels to Africa allow her a first-hand look at well crafted, high quality merchandise. She continues to add new and unique products from around the globe to FRTWN’s inventory.

I’m really striving to explore the nuances that make us who we are, make us different that’s really important to me. We just want to continue growing to create excitement that’s going to make people engage with us, find us, and create joy.