FROM VISION TO VIABILITY: HOW BLACK-OWNED BRANDS ARE SCALING THROUGH ZALANDO’S SIX MONTH ACCELERATOR
By: Prachi Khatri
Despite the cultural influence and talented designers, Black-owned fashion businesses remain underrepresented on a global scale. Less than one percent of fashion brands being sold in major retailers are Black-owned. This reflects a gap in system inequality and longstanding barriers.
Even for brands with strong creative DNA, one of the major challenges that remains is to overcome the difficulty of scaling business. Lack of access to venture capital, fewer mentorship opportunities, and cultural bias in retail buying decisions are other common barriers for Black-owned brands.
The ADAN X Zalando is a Black Owned Brand Accelerator six-month program, which provides a platform for Black-owned fashion brands to scale their business and overcome structural issues. The program aims to build equality and overcome the challenges faced by minority designers from operational know-how to retail onboarding.
Source; Zalando website
ADAN (Afro-Diasporic Academics Network) is a non-profit association that aims to promote diversity and networking for Black people and people of color in Germany and beyond. Combining its efforts with Zalando, Europe’s leading fashion e-commerce platform, BlackOwned Brands Accelerator is set on a mission to close the gap between creative talent and scalable Black-owned businesses.
Launched in September 2024, the program seeks to showcase and promote diversity in the business world. Zalando is committed to “Do Better” for underrepresented groups, and this partnership stems from their mission to continuously advocate for underrepresented groups. Zalando aims to onboard seventy Black-owned brands and support them in their success through the platform. Even though the larger focus is on underrepresented groups, the initial phase of the mission starts with Black-owned fashion.
Source; Zalando website
Small brands with less than 5 years in operation, typically lack knowledge, experience, and compliance support for contract requirements of the e-commerce platform. These Black-owned fashion brands can now apply to 6-month digital modules through The ADAN X Zalando Black-Owned Brands accelerator for support on various streams. Some of these include brand building, marketing, logistics, supply chain, operations and much more.
Not only does the 6-month accelerator equip Black-owned brand owners with business tools, but it is absolutely free of charge. Selected brands don’t have to pay a penny for the resources and even get a travel allowance to pitch in person to Zalando buyers at the end of the program.
According to the Zalando website, “such programs are not just about supporting the brands with their work; they are about rectifying historical inequities and empowering Black entrepreneurs to thrive in the competitive fashion industry,”
The programs target brands where at least fifty percent of the owners identify as Black with a yearly turnover from EUR 20,000 to 500,000. The focus on structural support translates the program vision into a viable approach that demonstrates deep commitment to inclusion.
Source; Zalando website
The program acts as a turbocharger for Black-owned brands, providing accelerated growth and a level playing field to showcase their talent and increase visibility. Empowering Black-owned brands with tools to navigate the complexities of the fashion industry is what the fashion industry needs to bridge the historic gap in the industry.
By providing Black-owned brands the infrastructure, ADAN × Zalando Accelerator gives knowledge to sustain success and not just visibility support. Black-owned designers get business education on models, strategies, and equipment that matters more than just a performative effort.
It is only by upskilling these brands that we can rectify the systemic imbalances and enrich fashion with fresh perspectives, innovation, and craftsmanship never seen before. We all should have the right to equal opportunities regardless of the color, ethnicity, or community we come from.
Cover Image Source: Abimbola Olurin / @abbyolurin1