Credit: Matthew Neal
Credit: Matthew Neal
Credit: FU Lifestyle
FÜ Lifestyle is the newest Black woman-owned accessories brand designed by fashion designer Eva Moore for modern progressives. With its debossed FÜ logo print, the brand’s Lifestyle bag is a bold statement for the fashion-forward and progressive-thinking alike.
“This is my response to the ubiquitous logo-covered bags we’ve all seen forever,” said Moore, admitting that the FÜ brand had tongue-in-cheek origins. “You like initials? How about these?”
For Moore, a devoted animal and human rights activist, the bag is the vehicle to express her irreverence toward “pretentious” fashion norms and her disgust with the “hate-filled” and divisive politics of the outgoing administration.
Growing up, Moore aspired to a fashion career but abandoned her passion when told that her designs were too unconventional. The 2016 election and the catastrophic last year served as catalysts to launch “hell or high water, which is here and now.” The flagship, regularly $199, has been reduced to $149 to celebrate the launch and features:
• Signature logo paisley lining
• Laptop compartment
• Water bottle pocket
• Key fob
• 3” dual magnification compact mirror with lanyardReminiscent of a pocket watch, the compact’s lanyard clips to the tote’s hardware or, if one prefers, a belt loop. It’s a modern take on a bygone de rigueur style item. Moore asserts that it’s less about vanity and more about “not showing up with kale stuck in my teeth.”
FÜ – A Multipurpose Homonym
FÜ is not only the abbreviation for a familiar expletive; they are also the initials for Moore’s audacious alter ego. Frida Überschätz is an African and German American designer with “unfortunate initials” and an “almost laughable” surname, which means “overrated” in German. Undeterred by her moniker, Frida embraces her name’s uniqueness and uses it to her advantage.
The FÜ bag is for the daring, forward-thinking, and those “willing to give an FÜ to everything wrong in this country and the world. It’s definitely not ‘you- know-who’s’ handbag,” she quips.
5% of profits will go to Planned Parenthood. Learn more at FULifestyle.com
Etsy Shop: Etsy.com/shop/FULifestyle
Instagram: @fridauberschatz
Credit: Nagast
Nagast Footwear, a Black-owned sneaker company, was launched in late 2015 by entrepreneur Tarik Edmonson to honor and celebrate African heritage. Drawing inspiration from the Pan-African flag created by Marcus Garvey in 1920, Tarik created the classic African Pride Canvas sneaker.
The combination of red, black, and green is more than just a color scheme; It is a political movement that calls for African control of African communities. These shoes are collector’s items that capture a moment in time back in December 2015 when Tarik made history by becoming the first to create an internationally successful sneaker line of this kind.
Since then, Nagast Footwear has launched countless other custom sneakers to commemorate the legacy of powerful Black leaders. These sneakers are released in limited numbers and have consistently sold out since the first pair debuted. Upon the release of the Nat Turner Max, named after the Rebellion that is said to have expedited the coming of the Civil War, the shoe sold out within minutes.
“Our mission is to educate and inspire our people through fashion, our goal is for our brothers and sisters to walk in power with sneakers that represent our culture,” Tarik explains.
In honor of their five year anniversary, Nagast Footwear is launching an exclusive apparel line of “teachable wear”. This collection will feature innovative clothing that brings awareness to the power of Black history. The brand honors one of the greatest Black leaders Marcus Garvey, the revolutionary Huey P. Newton, and the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few.
For 50% off your first order, visit NagastFootwear.com and join the mailing list. Connect on social media for daily historical facts and the latest fashions @Nagast.Footwear.
Credit: Emline
Credit: Emline
