https://www.blackenterprise.com/noir-atelier-fashion-house-luxury-chicago/

Noir Atelier is a new Black-owned luxury brand based in Chicago formed by two locals, Shawn Gibbs and Frankie Favre.

According to Block Club Chicago, Noir Atelier launched in September 2023 by offering a python print leather vegan leather card holder for $129, which Gibbs and Fabre say aligns with their vision to provide luxury at an affordable price point.

The founders did their homework before bringing the initial offering, studying designs from Goyard, Yves St. Laurent, and Burberry in order to gauge what design cues they needed to harness so they could create a profitable product.

Gibbs told Block Club Chicago that the designs are multigenerational and unisex by design. “Everyone can’t afford Louis Vuitton, but if we can give you something that’s going to make you feel good … there’s no gender in this, right?” he said. “You can be a man, woman, 18 years old, you can be 60 years old. You can give this to your mom, cousin or coworker.”

Fabre indicated that of the high-end designers he and Gibbs studied, the one that stood out to him, and the one he most wanted to incorporate aspects of was Goyard.

“One of the biggest things was the colorway,” he said. “A company that has inspired us in terms of having options is Goyard… We wanted people to be able to want all the colors…and then be able to accessorize that with their day-to-day.”

Noir Atelier recently made its wares available on the NTWRK marketplace, which Fabre describes as “the QVC of art, luxury and fashion…We’re sitting next to some of the dopest designers and artists around and here we are getting to rub elbows with that network.”

They plan to expand their offerings and their customer base while building a community. They want to throw a proper grand opening party in Chicago next year to get all of their customers and supporters under one roof. A store in Chicago and another in Paris are also on the wish list.

“We got some dope s— happening, and that requires a lot of money. And so right now we’re being very smart financially with a lot of our decisions with the future in mind … so that way we can give people an experience,” Fabre said.

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