Exclusive Interview
A one-hit wonder?
Brandon Blackwoodhas a self-described love-hate relationship with the handbag that put his brand on the map.
What were you doing before launching your own brand?
I went to school for neuroscience and American studies.
I was working at Crossroads Trading, which I don’t know if you’re familiar with.
It’s like aBuffalo Exchange just buy, sell, and trade clothing.
That’s when I made my first bag, and I made it solely for myself.
I literally just Googled “handbag manufacturers one day.
From there, everyone would compliment the backpack that I made it’s now myPortmore Backpack.
That’s why I knew I needed to at leasttrymaking a brand.
I would show them my backpack, and they’d be like, “Oh my God.
you gotta make it.
you oughta sell it.”
I found out about the brand on social media.
From [working at] Crossroads to 2020, that was five years of slowly building the brand.
That was completely through social media.
That really blew up.
The first time I posted it, it was insane.
So many influencers and bloggers were buying and wearing them, and so many people going to protests.
I didn’t realize how impactful that bag would be.
I think a lot of people found out about me through that bag.
Youve expanded a lot since then.
Did you have a vision for what you wanted the brand to become?
I want to be the next big accessories moment in general.
But I’m always going to be a little bit more affordable.
I want to make a good product, and if it’s good, people will like it.
You just see them online and in photos, and that’s it.
I want to be a brand that’s out there in the world that is Black-owned.
It doesn’t exist, and I feel like I’m this close to making it happen.
Who are your favorite designers?
I loveLoewe.Marnihas super simple yet constructed shapes, but their textures are next-level.
I love the gaudy, kind of crazy tapestry moment thatGucci was having with Alessandro [Michele].
Do you think the old guard is open to embracing new designers in the space?
I think the old way of rising in fashion is almost archaic now because it was very guarded.
Everyone needed a connection.
Now, we have social media.
I love that because it levels the playing field.
It used to be more about being connected than creative.
I think the new brands are also building communities, whereas older brands didn’t really do that.
It was more like having a fan base.
That strength in community makes a budding designer hard for the industry to ignore.
Fashion evenlookscooler this way, because no one’s thinking, “I hopeX, Y,orZlikes this.
People are creating for their actual customer base, instead of for two or three people.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
