Black fashion designers matter: A qualitative study exploring the experiences of Black female fashion design entrepreneurs

Abstract

<p>Black female fashion designers come from a rich heritage that uniquely prepares them for entrepreneurship. The societal challenges and limitations they have faced throughout history and continue to face today have served as motivational factors, often pushing them to seek solace through self-employment. The historical past of Black women's involvement in the textile, apparel and fashion industries is important in developing the complex understanding of the motivation that drives them to succeed today despite the limitations that are still placed before them. Through in-depth interviews the researcher inquired into the characteristics, personality traits, background, education and life experiences of 15 Black female fashion design entrepreneurs. The barriers and challenges they face in regards to their race, class, gender and other factors; their motivational factors for starting and maintaining a business; how they define and measure success; as well as an identification of resources that they benefit from were also explored.</p>