Fashion career profile
Aurora James
Aurora James is a Canadian-American fashion designer and entrepreneur, born in Toronto and based in New York. She is the founder and creative director of Brother Vellies, a luxury accessories label established in 2013 to sustain traditional African design practices and artisanal work. The brand’s early products drew on African footwear traditions, while its production network has since included artisans in several countries. James also founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge in June 2020, a nonprofit advocacy organization that works with retailers to increase shelf space and purchasing from Black-owned businesses. The Pledge began as a public call for retailers to commit 15 percent of their buying power and developed into a staffed organization with retail partnerships. James received the CFDA Founder’s Award in honor of Eleanor Lambert in 2021 and was named to TIME’s 2021 list of the 100 most influential people. Her profile therefore covers two distinct kinds of work—fashion authorship and retail-focused economic advocacy—without treating the nonprofit as a fashion brand.
- Role
- Founder & Creative Director, Fifteen Percent Pledge
- Nationality
- Canadian-American
- Age
- 42
- Fifteen Percent Pledge — Founder2020–End not documented · status not documented
- Must Read: Aurora James and the 15 Percent Pledge Sued for Fraud, H&M Group Sales Rise by 1% in Q3Fashionista · 2026-09-24
- Brother Vellies: Founded in 2013James founded the accessories label to preserve traditional African design practices and sustain artisanal jobs. · Fifteen Percent Pledge
- Fifteen Percent Pledge: Founded in June 2020The nonprofit partners with retailers to diversify shelves and increase purchasing from Black-owned businesses. · Fifteen Percent Pledge
- CFDA Award: Founder’s Award in honor of Eleanor Lambert, 2021The CFDA presented James with the Founder’s Award for the Fifteen Percent Pledge. · CFDA
- Recognition: Named to TIME100, 2021TIME included James among its 100 most influential people of 2021 for her fashion and retail-advocacy work. · TIME
- CFDA: Member since 2016The CFDA member profile records her membership and work as founder of Brother Vellies. · CFDA
- 2013 — Founds Brother VelliesThe accessories label supports traditional African design practices and artisanal jobs.
- 2015 — Wins CFDA/Vogue Fashion FundThe CFDA profile records James as a Fashion Fund winner.
- 2020 — Founds the Fifteen Percent PledgeJames establishes a nonprofit initiative that works with retailers on Black-owned business representation.
- 2021 — Receives CFDA Founder’s Award and joins TIME100Two major recognitions mark her design and advocacy work.