The Folklore is an innovative online retail concept that connects customers with high-end and emerging designer brands from Africa and the diaspora. 

Their whole ethos is based on selecting the very best designers, putting together carefully curated product lines, and raising awareness about the brands that they work with worldwide, and especially in the US. 

Founder, Amira Rasool previously told Refinery29 that “For so long, these brands — either because they were overlooked by international retailers or didn’t have the capacity to run a D2C [direct-to-consumer] e-commerce businesses — have not had the opportunity to cultivate a massive global audience”.

The emphasis is on luxurious, thoughtful, and boundary-pushing design, with collections that are often limited edition or even exclusive to their online store. 

It really is a delightful shopping experience. You can browse by country, item, or designer’s name - so if you want to shop Kenyan brands exclusively, for example, it’s easy. 

There’s also an excellent ‘Editorial’ page, which serves as a kind of cultural hub, and where you can find their podcasts or read about brands that The Folklore are currently working with. You can explore The Folklore’s site for yourself here. 

Other sources:

Refinery 29: Farfetch & The Folklore Teamed Up to Showcase African Fashion Brands