• She Deserves: How We're Celebrating the Mothers in Our Lives This Year

    It goes without saying that there are a lot of ways to be a motherโ€”not all of them biologicalโ€”but in a year that has demanded more of parents and caregivers than anyone couldโ€™ve expected, how do you adequately say โ€œthank youโ€? Suffice to say, Motherโ€™s and Fatherโ€™s Day might look a little different this yearโ€”especially if youโ€™re still far away from the person who raised you (or, in this writerโ€™s case, been quarantining with them the entire time)โ€”and to those of you commemorating the day without your parent, our hearts out to you. Add to that the fact that for many of us, our finances may look a little different this yearโ€”come May 9, how can we adequately celebrate the women who gave us everything? Thanks to some of our favorite Black-owned brands, weโ€™ve got a few ideasโ€”and weโ€™ll be sharing them with you over the next week…because she deserves.

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    Cedric Brown Collections

    Designer Cedric Brown calls his line of gorgeously patterned kimonos and scarves the โ€œintersection between wearing art [and] making a fashion statement.โ€ We agreeโ€”and if the mother figure in your life was a fan of Lady Maeโ€™s (Lynn Whitfield) gorgeous silk kimonos on Greenleaf, she may already be in love with Brownโ€™s designs. A little beyond your budget? Brown also makes scarves, pillows, and face masksโ€”as well as pocket squares and socks for the father figures in your world, if youโ€™re shopping early. Right now, get 15 percent off with the code SPRING.

    Kaleidoscope Beauty

    Itโ€™s likely the mother figure in your life does for everyone else before she treats herselfโ€”which is why we love the idea of getting her a statement piece that says sheโ€™s worth it. The stunning yet affordable brass jewelry from Kaleidoscope Beauty does exactly that; crafted by Kenyan artisans, these unique and evocative pieces not only look good but do good, โ€œdesigned to make an impact in more ways than one.โ€

    Estelle Colored Glass

    If you feel she deserves a splurge this year, how about investing in her interior life with a gift from Estelle Colored Glass? The saturated hues of this Black female-owned, Poland-crafted luxury glassware puts a vibrant and modern spin on classic silhouettesโ€”while reminding her that her days of hosting elegant gatherings are far from over.

    Organi Grow Inc.

    Sheโ€™s a queenโ€”but whenโ€™s the last time she was treated like one? If her beauty routine could use a boost (whose couldnโ€™t, at this point?), Organi Growโ€™s Queen Box ($175) is a inclusive yet indulgent upgrade full of practical yet pampering gifts from an array of Black-owned brands that will last well beyond Motherโ€™s Day.

    Bisa Butler: Portraits

    If she loves the intersection of Black art, culture and history, sheโ€™ll no doubt love the exhibition book from artist Bisa Butlerโ€™s first (and still ongoing) solo show at the Art Institute of Chicago. Butlerโ€™s vibrant tributes to Black life in America, rendered in exquisitely detailed quilts, leap off the page in this hardcover volume, which comes in at a very reasonable $35.

    Create the Culture Embroidery

    If sheโ€™s more prone to handiwork herself, perhaps an embroidery kit from Create the Culture is something sheโ€™d loveโ€”or better yet, lean back into the days of school arts and crafts projects and make her something special yourself.

    Golde

    Her health is your priority, so why not make her a superfoods-rich gift basket of Golde products? This start-up has done big things in the past yearโ€”because it does big things to help boost internal health and wellbeing…and what better way to say โ€œI love youโ€?

    Violet Summer

    Full disclosure: This lifestyle brand was founded by one of G/O Mediaโ€™s own, Melissa Hendersonโ€”but after getting our hands on a few of her scents recently, we got attachedโ€”quickly. Specifically, her โ€œPurposeโ€ Interiors Spray ($45) is exactly the refresh needed for a life lived predominantly indoors these daysโ€”and how can you go wrong getting Mom a candle (also $45) called โ€œMother Oceanโ€?

    Do you want more? Stay tunedโ€”weโ€™ll be bringing you Black-owned brands to shop all week…

    Straight From The Root

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