Story and Photo by: Casey Hepler, Metro.us
Breanna Moore founded LaBré fashion line with a mission to increase economic growth in Ghana through job creation.
Breanna Moore thought she had it all figured out.
The University of Pennsylvania alum planned to get a job at the state department after graduating with a dual major in African American studies and International Relations. But after traveling and studying abroad twice in Ghana, Africa, her life changed forever. The 24-year-old from Sumter, S.C. works as an experience manager at Pennovation Center for Innovation by day, but she’s a fashion designer by night.
“You see African prints made in China like a fake print I’ve seen in Forever 21 before. There is no such thing as African fabric, it was stolen by the Indonesian Batik style.”
Moore founded LaBré fashion line with a mission to increase economic growth in Ghana through job creation. With this platform, she wants to give Africans and designers of African descent increased access and exposure to the international market.
Metro caught up with Moore recently to learn more about her endeavor.
Q: What inspired you to start LaBré?
A: It’s a combination of my sister’s name, La’Vette, and mine. After studying abroad in Ghana twice, I noticed the African-inspired fashion was so beautiful and should be accessible while helping the economy in Ghana. They have cultural Fridays where they wear inspired fashion, a lot of times previously colonized countries are much more structured. Launching a year after graduating from school last summer, I became enamored with the experience and fashion. After realizing the major point of access I had to African-inspired fashion was through festivals, online stores, pop-up shops and flea markets, I was inspired to create LaBré Agency. I wanted to be able to walk into a Forever 21 or H&M and purchase a design from the continent, made in that continent. People still need to try on clothes in a physical location even though online sales are popular.
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