Although Tiffany Fick and Kayla Turner are big fans of luxury products, they weren’t always satisfied with the high-end shopping experience. The Atlanta-based duo recalled the ways in which they felt uncomfortable and sometimes overlooked in major department stores, where Black designers and Black-owned brands were significantly underrepresented.
“As luxury consumers and Black women, the shopping experience hasn’t been very positive,” Fick told WWD. “Whether it’s going into Saks and having to hunt down people to help you, or not being able to find sizes that aren’t Eurocentric, there are some gaps. We want the community to be able to invest in each other and make smart buying decisions to keep the dollars circulating.”
Enter The Carpentry, Fick and Turner’s newly launched e-commerce platform dedicated to Black designers and Black consumers. The self-funded luxury platform offers timeless, statement pieces by brands and creatives that are relatively unknown. The concept store’s first drop, titled “I Can’t Stand the Rain” after Missy Elliott’s debut solo single, delivers women’s apparel, accessories, home goods, and art. The initial capsule includes everything from a Wave Body Suit from Monet by Liaa, the Liberation Scarf from Miitra, the Mercury Pillow from Stud Pillows, the Bowery Lace Demi Bra from Liberte, and the Clearn Panel Raincaot from MELI.
“We want to bypass the traditional gatekeepers of fashion and showcase designers who are doing really great work but may not have the platform, funding and financing,” Fick said. “… Black people have contributed so much to fashion and are not seen a lot of the time.”
You can shop the “I Can’t Stand the Rain” collection at The Carpentry’s website. The duo are planning to drop a new curated collection every quarter.
