Fashion Minority Alliance is excited and proud to be on the selection panel for the ADAN x Zalando Black-Owned Fashion Accelerator 2024 Programme.
Throughout the underrepresented community, and the stories shared with us, we’re keenly aware of how many incredible global brands and passionate founders don’t always receive the recognition they deserve, not because of any weakness in their business model or softness in demand. They often miss out on opportunities because they lack the critical access to investors, retailers or other backers who could help them take their business to the next level.
This initiative by Zalando, one of Europe’s major fashion e-commerce platforms, is a unique opportunity to concretely realise the goals of growing the pipeline of Black-owned fashion brands on e-commerce platforms. This aids not only in serving all customers and delivering products and experiences consumers now want and expect but also creates financial opportunities for the Black community. The bob Accelerator is a clarion call and the momentum that should drive other retailers in Europe to commit more of their shelf space to underrepresented talent which will have a real impact in increasing the number of Black-owned brands they do business with and will create meaningful opportunities for Black businesses and communities and effect systems change.
It’s a six-month online program, running from September 2024 to February 2025, covering brand building, marketing, product safety, logistics, and finance, and concluding in an in-person Pitch Day in Berlin. Ultimately the Accelerator will help the brands selected scale their creative processes, strengthen their business and help them to build international capacities.
The programme is targeting Black-owned fashion brands (i.e. brands where at least 50% of the owners identify as Black) that have a EU VAT number. They should already be actively selling their products online (e.g. via their own website), have a yearly business turnover between EUR 20,000 and 499,000 and be interested in scaling their business via Zalando.
Applications are open until 14th July 2024 so spread the word or, if you are a Black-owned brand and meet the criteria, APPLY HERE.
We look forward to receiving your applications!