POPSUGAR: How have the past three years impacted you personally and professionally?
Teresa Ebagua: For me, the racial reckoning of 2020 was actually a blessing. We used to be a wholesale model, but we launched our e-commerce site in September. I felt like my voice was being undermined by one of the big retailers, so I really wanted to do something colorful that I love. So I decided to cultivate my own consumer and following. I didn’t know what the response would be, but the racial reckoning gave me the courage to step out in my purpose. I was scared, but I wanted to create shoes that spoke to my African roots, with my own colors and prints. I told myself, “Let’s use this as a powerful moment.” And the response from the consumer level and from the retailers that reached out to us was amazing. But I was also cautious because I didn’t want this to be a fad. I didn’t want it to be a passing thing. So I was very selective about who I wanted to sell to. I valued diversity, craftsmanship, quality, giving back, and sustainability. So I only wanted to partner with people who understood and supported these ethos.
POPSUGAR: How has your initial support changed over time? Has it stayed consistent or decreased?
Teresa Ebagua: Take Shopbop, for example. They reached out to us during the movement and they’ve been supporting us ever since. So there are brands that continue to support us. But I think it’s definitely waning. I’m not getting as many opportunities as I was in 2020. But I think I’m more respected as a brand. The opportunities that I’m being given show that they’re doing a lot of preparation before they approach me. And while it certainly doesn’t feel as hot and intense as 2020, I think it’s taught Black creators that we have a voice and we can demand better.
And I now use that to my advantage: Are you coming to me for diversity? Or are you coming to me because you truly believe in diversity? Or am I just filling a seat for you? And I have to look at retailers and media practices, that you are actually working to be more inclusive and more diverse. It’s not just Chelsea Paris coming into your product mix to fill a void or be the only Black designer you carry. So now I have the power to ask the right questions before I agree to any partnership. [the support] While we have declined, our integrity, self-worth, and sense of purpose feel like they have grown.
