Culture

Empowerment or Exploitation? Exploring the Dual Impact of Racial Capitalism on Black Women in Fashion Entrepreneurship

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Abstract

This study examines the duality of racial capitalism as empowering and exploitative in the entrepreneurial journeys of Black women in the fashion industry. Although Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States, they face disproportionate barriers to funding, visibility, and sustainability. Through in-depth interviews with twenty Black women fashion entrepreneurs, findings reflect themes of conditional empowerment, systemic exclusion, and internalized barriers. While some participants benefited from targeted funding and mentorship, others experienced exploitation through performative inclusion by mainstream corporations. Psychological challenges such as “Imposter Syndrome” and pressures of “Black Exceptionalism” emerged as critical factors shaping self-perception and entrepreneurial resilience. Persistent gatekeeping and declining DEI initiatives further constrained opportunities, yet exclusion often accelerated innovation. The study calls for ethical frameworks and empirical studies addressing the exploitative undercurrents of racial capitalism while recognizing Black women fashion entrepreneurs as key agents of economic and cultural transformation.

Keywords: Fashion Entrepreneurship, Black Women Entrepreneurs, Culture, Diversity, Racial Capitalism, Black Exceptionalism, Entrepreneurial Resistance

How to Cite:

Doran, U. & Hodges, N. J., (2025) “Empowerment or Exploitation? Exploring the Dual Impact of Racial Capitalism on Black Women in Fashion Entrepreneurship”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21909