CDFA/ Vogue fashion fund winner, creative director and founder of Brothersvellies.
Aurora James is a New York based model/ creative director who founded Brothervellies in 2013. The brand consists of traditional African footwear hand made in South Africa, Kenya & Morocco. The artisans are local African men and women who handcraft African inspired shoes and sandals made from pure leather, recycled denim and tyres.
Aurora James & Brothervellies are inspired by the traditional handwoven techniques and natural materials from Africa. They strive to make a difference by employing local artisans who receive both wages and skill training with efforts to help create a sustainable jobs within Africa.
Brothervellies has been recognized by magazines from Elle to Vogue and has caught the attention of celebrities such as Beyoncé & Kanye West and taken NYFW by storm for Spring 2016.
I personally love Auroras vision of seeing traditional African wear as something of the future, creating a spotlight on the influences of Africa, culturally and the skills wise. Showing that we do have the potential to feature in a much bigger industry.