Name: SHOP_BLK Launch Event
Start: 2023-02-07T17:00:00-05:00
End: 2023-02-07T20:00:00-05:00
Location: Hudson's Bay Queen Street | 2nd Floor

SHOP_BLK Launch Event

Hudson's Bay x Fifteen Percent Pledge

Join us for a panel discussion featuring Black Canadian designers.
Enjoy light bites, drinks, merch, a portrait studio and beauty services.

Hudson's Bay Queen Street | 2nd Floor

Join us for the launch of SHOP_BLK, hosted by Hudson’s Bay x Fifteen Percent Pledge. Discover and shop local Black-led and Black-owned brands. Enjoy an evening featuring insights from leading Canadian designers and live music, food, drinks, a photo studio, and complimentary beauty services from local Black creators. PANEL DISCUSSIONOpening remarks from Aurora James followed by an intimate discussion with George Sully, Emefa Kuadey, and Tyler Ferguson. Moderated by Vanessa Craft, our panel will explore the economic power of Black businesses, opportunities for emerging Black-led and -owned businesses, and the current retail landscape.LIVE PERFORMANCES<ul><li>DJ Revy B</li><li>THEHONESTGUY</li><li>Jon Vinyl</li></ul>FOOD AND DRINK<ul><li>Bites from The Heartbreak Chef</li><li>Beer samplers from Mascot Brewery</li></ul>EXPERIENCES<ul><li>Fades by One Touch Barbers</li><li>Brow touch-ups by MYNC Beauty</li><li>Photo studio by Tony Gebrehiwot</li><li>Art gallery by Nia Centre for the Arts</li><li>Exclusive merch by Bully</li></ul>E﻿VENT PERFORMANCES<ul><li>T﻿HEHONESTGUY - 5:20PM</li><li>P﻿anel Discussion - 6:00PM</li><li>J﻿on Vinyl - 6:45PM</li></ul>ABOUT THE PANELISTS<a href="https://aurorajames.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Aurora James</a> (she/her), Founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, Creative Director and Founder of Brother Vellies<ul><li>Aurora James is the Creative Director and Founder of luxury accessories brand Brother Vellies and Founder of the non-profit advocacy organization, Fifteen Percent Pledge. Through her work, Aurora is leading a movement to make the global economy a more equitable place for historically excluded groups. </li></ul><a href="https://georgesully.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">George Sully</a> (he/him), Designer, Founder of Black Designers of Canada. <ul><li>George Sully is an award-winning multidisciplinary designer, entrepreneur, and creator of the Black Designers of Canada (BDC). He is also a Bata Shoe museum inductee, co-founder of House of Hayla and creator of the break-out brand Sully &amp; Son Company.</li></ul><a href="https://www.instagram.com/emefa_ik/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Emefa Kuadey</a> (she/her), Fashion Engineer, Founder of ISRAELLA KOBLA. <ul><li>Emefa Kuadey is a Civil Engineer turned Fashion Engineer and Founder of ISRAELLA KOBLA, the women&#x27;s clothing and accessories brand that is redefining minimalism with pieces highlighting an appreciation for architecture and timeless design. In 2022, Emefa was the recipient of the first ever &#x27;The Bay Fashion Fund&#x27;.</li></ul><a href="https://monoxidestyle.com/pages/about-monoxide" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Tyler Ferguson</a> (she/her), Owner &amp; Lead Designer, Monoxide. <ul><li>Tyler Ferguson was born in Canada and raised in The Bahamas and Toronto. She founded Monoxide in 2012 and has been sharing it with the world ever since. Her collections have been showcased at London Fashion Week and featured in Forbes and Elle Canada.</li></ul><a href="https://www.instagram.com/vanessacraft/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Vanessa Craft</a> (she/her), Global Head of Lifestyle &amp; Education, TikTok. <ul><li>A trailblazing thought leader, Vanessa has built a career around inclusive content direction, trend architecture and amplifying next generation talent. She is the Global Head of Lifestyle &amp; Education at TikTok and was previously the Editor-in-Chief at ELLE Canada, holding the historic position as the first Black woman across 44 global editions of the magazine to hold this title. In 2021, Vanessa was named to Variety’s 2021 Global Impact list.</li></ul><ul></ul>

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