fashionably black

Building an original editorial franchise from pitch to platform

**Black American Culture Was Missing From The Met Gala Red Carpet**

**Olivia Joan Went Viral**
**Highlighting Her Grandmother’s Fabulous Wardrobe**

Ruth E. Carter On The Evolution of Shuri’s Style In *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*

**Danielle Prescod Talks Being Black In White Fashion Spaces**

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**Black People Are The Blueprint For Sustainability In Fashion**

**NYFW Isn’t Dead. These Black Culture Highlights Prove It**

Overview:

Noticing that Refinery29 Unbothered lacked a dedicated space for long-form exploration of Black fashion culture, I pitched and won approval for an original editorial franchise dedicated to long-form Black fashion culture. The goal was to position Unbothered as a serious cultural authority on Black fashion, not just a lifestyle destination.

Concept & Structure:

Each installment paired a 1,000-word feature with original social content distributed across Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook. Publishing once a month over eight months, Fashionably Black was designed to be evergreen and culturally resonant, which built Unbothered's authority over time rather than chasing short-term traffic.

Highlights:

Danielle Prescod on being Black in white fashion spaces
Black communities and sustainable fashion
Olivia Joan inheriting her late grandmother’s Joan Johnson (co-founder of Afro Sheen) fashion garments
Ruth E. Carter on designing Shuri’s visual identity for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Strategic Takeaway:

I identified the gap, built the framework, secured buy-in, and executed a franchise that took Unbothered somewhere it hadn't gone before. Find what's missing, build something that fills it, and make sure it lives everywhere your audience does.