Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 by Aurora James to keep traditional African shoemaking alive and pay the artisans who practice it properly. The Brooklyn-based luxury label works with makers in South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Ethiopia and beyond, producing handmade sandals, mules, boots, heels and leather handbags using vegetable-tanned leathers, hand-dyed fabrics and techniques passed down through generations.
Each piece is made to last and to carry a story about where it came from. James is also the founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, the campaign that pushed major retailers to devote shelf space to Black-owned brands, and that same intent runs through the company.
Brother Vellies sells online and through select luxury retailers; the Greenpoint storefront is no longer open, so the website is the place to shop. If you are looking for investment footwear with genuine craft and a Black woman founder behind it, this is the one.
Brother Vellies