Originally Published June 26, 2023.
It’s summertime, and the guys and gworls are ready to head outside! With a bit of help from these Black-owned LGBTQ+ brands, everyone will surely be stepping into the sun in style.
Brandon Blackwood
Brandon Blackwood is helping the summer babes check the perfect swimsuit off their summer shopping list with his BB Swim collection. Blackwood’s swimsuits feature one- and two-piece designs in colors including black, red, pink, orange, and brown. The New York fashion brand is a one-stop shop to complete your summer look.
BB SWIM DROPS TOMORROW AT 12pm EST 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/x7p7NXUYS0
— Brandon Blackwood (@BBlackwoodNYC) May 11, 2023
K.NGLSEY
Head to the beach in one of K.ngsley Gbadegesin’s K.ngsley swim briefs, a collection made in Italy and designed with ribbed ECONYL, an Italian-sourced regenerated nylon. The collection features a selection of summer colors: black, green, light blue, orange, and more. Choose your favorite or grab them all. These partially lined briefs were made for the summer.
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The first-generation Nigerian-American designer says his brand aims “to reclaim and redefine the Black, Queer, Femme body and to create the tangible, direct support communities need today.”
Coco and Breezy
Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays with a pair of sunnies from Coco and Breezy, a Black- and queer-owned eyewear company founded by twin sisters Corianna and Brianna Dotson. Choose from frame shapes such as aviator, cat-eye, rectangle, round, and square. Shop its new STUDS collection for an iconic look.
Make like our friends @cocoandbreezy and adventure out in the new Hurricane XLT2 Ampsole Brite, an all-gender style celebrating out in all its expressions. 🌈✨ pic.twitter.com/ZbC1st1849
— Teva (@Teva) May 11, 2023
Telfar
Queens-born designer Telfar Clemens has a bag fit for your lineup of colorful summer outfits. Telfar continues to take fashion by storm with his collection of vegan leather bags in different shapes, colors, and sizes. The Telfar bag collection includes the popular Shopping Bags, Circle Bags, Duffle Bags, Patent Shoppers, and Puff Shoppers.
Clemens told the Gay Times that his brand is an ode to black culture, New York City, and queerness. “Growing up, I wasn’t allowed by my parents to wear or buy womenswear, so I started to make my own clothes,” Clemens told the outlet. “I wanted to make a line that was genderless and spoke to people like me.”
OUT NOW!! CIRCLE BAGS 🎶🍨⚪️🟤🌺 🛒 https://t.co/EpbOnsgxIz pic.twitter.com/InegRjaz7H
— TELFAR (@TELFARGLOBAL) June 12, 2023
If you haven’t found the perfect wardrobe yet to go with one of the famous bags, the Telfar brand also has you covered, with clothing and accessories that challenge the norms of the “male” and “female” closet.
Stuzo Clothing
Tees and tanks are staples of every summer wardrobe, and Stuzo Clothing is helping you celebrate Pride all summer long with their collection of tops. Founded by African-Panamanian designer Stoney Michelli Love, the trendy, gender-free tops are stamped various words and phrases that represent the LGBTQ+ community. Parade around in tees that read “Yup, Still Gay,” “Gender Free,” “FemBoi,” and a “Gays of the Week” design.
Per its website, Stuzo is “inspired by love, people, and life. Whatever shape or form you choose to exist in, we celebrate that!”
Bowtie Behavior
More formal plans call for one of Robin Williams’ handmade bow ties. The Black queer-owned brand has a very cool collection of colorfully designed neck accessories made with high-quality fabrics. “Bowtie Behavior was founded to create bold and flavorful pieces that outfits are built around,” the brand’s website says.
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