Amira Rasool
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Amira Rasool is an American entrepreneur and former fashion journalist.[1] She is the founder of The Folklore, a company that distributes fashion and lifestyle products from Africa and the diaspora.[2][3]
Early life and education
[edit]Rasool was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey. Rasool developed an early interest in fashion and started a fashion blog during high school. While attending Rutgers University, she interned at various magazines, including Women's Wear Daily and Marie Claire.[4] She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in African American and African Studies from Rutgers and later earned a Master of Philosophy in African Studies from the University of Cape Town.[5][2]
Career
[edit]Rasool worked as a fashion assistant at V Magazine and has contributed to Marie Claire, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and others.[6][7] Her work primarily focused on Black culture in relation to fashion, travel, music, visual arts, and social justice.
In 2018, Rasool founded The Folklore, an e-commerce platform offering fashion and lifestyle products from Africa and the diaspora.[8][9][10] The company initially began with a $30,000 investment.[11] It later expanded to include The Folklore Shop, an e-commerce platform offering a curated selection of sustainable and diverse global brands.[12]
In 2022, Rasool raised $1.7 million for The Folklore, making her one of the youngest Black women to raise over $1 million in pre-seed funding.[13] In 2024, she raised an additional $3.4m in funding for The Folklore, led by the venture capital fund Benchstrength.[14]
In 2024, Rasool was included on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Sessoms, Janelle (2024-06-19). "How Amira Rasool Went From Fashion Journalist to Entrepreneur". Fashionista. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ a b Malinsky, Gili (2023-02-26). "27-year-old who raised over $1 million to build a platform for diverse designers: 'Create solutions'". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Deczynski, Rebecca (April 7, 2022). "Starting With 30 Designers and 15 Retail Partners, This 26-Year-Old Founder Wants to Build the LVMH of Africa". Inc.com. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- ^ Cliche (2020-07-20). "Q&A: A Conversation with The Folklore's Founder and CEO Amira Rasool - Cliché Magazine". Digital Online Fashion Magazine | Free Fashion Magazine | Best Lifestyle Blog. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ "Africa's coolest fashion designers will soon have their clothes in a store near you". Fast Company. 2022-08-16. Archived from the original on 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ "Why The Folklore Founder Amira Rasool Says Aspiring Entrepreneurs Should "Fail Fast"". Bustle. 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ McDonald, Samantha (2020-08-31). "Black Business Spotlight: Amira Rasool Wants to Build the 'LVMH of Africa' — Here's How". Footwear News. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ "How a 27-year-old raised over $1 million to build a platform for African designers: 'We know our problems better than anybody else'". www.cnbcafrica.com. 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Hahn, Rachel (2018-09-11). "This New Online Concept Store Is Bringing Africa's Coolest Designers to the U.S." Vogue. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Hasan, Zoya. "How This Under 30 Founder Is Bringing Africa And Asia's Boutique Retailers To Bergdorf's". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Huber, Eliza (2020-02-12). "Amira Rasool Wants The Folklore To Be The LVMH Of Africa". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Boyd-Griffith, Shelton (2024-09-12). "The Folklore Shop Relaunches Online, Expanding Support for Global, Independent Brands". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Duncan-Smith, Nicole (2022-05-24). "How a 26-Year-Old Entrepreneur Became One of the Youngest Black Women to Raise Over $1M In Pre-Seed Funding". Finurah. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ Njanja, Annie (2024-04-17). "B2B marketplace The Folklore bags $3.4M seed to get brands into global stores". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ "Amira Rasool". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-12-29.