The sheer amount of work Brain Dead has done to bring attention to the movement is staggering. Aside from the donations—which currently number in the hundreds of thousands of dollars—as early as June 1, founders Kyle Ng and Ed Davis were shutting down the brand warehouse in order to actively protest, publishing guides on how to do so safely, providing resources on legal aid for those embroiled with the law and partnering with leaders such as musician Dev Hynes.

Following a more than half a million dollar donation split between the Movement for Black Lives and the LGBTQ Fund from pre-orders on a single T-shirt, the brand made more concerted efforts—ranging from a vegan burger collaboration with Los Angeles-based Burgerlords (with proceeds going to the NAACP legal fund), to a rock climbing shoe (Ng is a noted bouldering enthusiast) with outdoor brand Evolv, whose sales fund grassroots communities providing underprivileged youth access to climbing facilities.

More than simply bring awareness to racial justice, each project and donation was highly personal, a reflection of not just worthy causes but items and places that resonated with the brand founders themselves. Though not Black or Brown himself, Ng, an Asian-American, clearly recognized it was up to him as a citizen to demand equality for all, and immediately found a way to utilize his brand and platform in order to do so. Of course the ensuing items were great—most Brain Dead pieces are—but the thought and precision allowed the label to quickly raise not just attention, but desperately needed funds. A masterclass in fashion activism.

For more info on what Brain Dead is doing to help, visit its Instagram here.

Jerry Lorenzo’s brand Fear of God proudly defines itself as American luxury so, naturally, you would assume it would speak up during an unprecedented, distinctly-American crisis. That said, both the label and Lorenzo himself are no stranger to activism, famously donating countless sneakers and cotton basics to Los Angeles' large homeless population. Given Lorenzo’s status as a celebrated and massively successful independent Black business owner, many looked towards him for guidance, particularly given the recent focus and celebration of Black-owned businesses.

Rather than wax platitudes, Lorenzo kept things short and sweet, flipping the "FG" Fear of God logo to “GF”, as in Gianna Floyd, George Floyd's daughter. Available in two colors, the T-shirt was available exclusively on the Fear of God website, with all proceeds pooled into a fund for Gianna.

Not only did Lorenzo raise thousands of dollars for the Floyd family, but he enlisted fellow Black and minority business owners to collaborate and spread the message, ensuring the widest possible audience was made aware. The partners, whose names and stores appear on the back of the shirt, include Union Los Angeles, Denim Tears, Awake NY, Just Don, Off-White, Noah, Pyer Moss and more.

Of course, Lorenzo’s intention was to raise as much money as possible for the six-year-old, but he was astute with the realization that—by slapping so many notable brands and retailers on one shirt—the piece would become immensely hyped. In other words, buyers who sadly were unaware of the cause—or worse did not care—would still be interested, expanding the consumer base and raising even more funds.

Given Fear of God’s insatiable fan base (and those of the endless string of collaborators), Lorenzo was practically guaranteed to raise a sizable sum for a girl who truly needs it.

For more info on what Fear of God is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

Quite literally born and bred in Los Angeles, Born x Raised documents the various minority-driven subcultures that dominate the city, ranging from graffiti and lowriders to gentrification and showcasing who the city truly belongs to. Co-founders Spanto and 2Tone are both noted community activists, and when Black Lives Matter marches started popping up throughout their native city, you can bet they were right out on the front lines. Sure enough, the brand designed both a long sleeve and mask feature its signature Old English typeface and with the common protest cry: “No Justice, No Peace.”

Unlike other labels, not only were 100 percent of proceeds donated directly to Black Lives Matter, but Born x Raised even dropped its price point to ensure that anyone who wanted to participate could. Of course, it didn’t help that the shirt sold out nearly instantly.

Beyond the shirts and masks aesthetic appeal, for Angelenos (and others), the level of authenticity and speedy response made the Born x Raised release stand out. Days before fellow brands began issuing T-shirts or donations, the true people’s advocate was attempting to defund the police in its native LA and beyond.

For more info on what Born x Raised is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

New York-based 18 East may be relatively small in comparison to other brands on this list, but, like the label’s outsized influence on the current state of menswear, its donations measure up.

Partnering with graphic designer and ALLCAPSTUDIO founder Saeed Ferguson, founder Antonio Ciongoli converted his activism into significant contributions in both his native Philly and adopted home of New York via an online flash sale. Ferguson—also a Philadelphia native—designed a Black Lives Matter graphic which appeared on both the front and back of an 18 East blank. In just 10 hours the two managed to raise over $100,000. Though the official total wasn’t disclosed, given the massive sales in the first few hours, one can only imagine what the two labels managed to do in three days.

Split equally between the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund and COVID Bail Out NYC, the brands—like many independent labels on this list—the initiative donated to regional, grass roots initiatives as opposed to national or even global charities, choosing to contribute directly to the cities in which they live and work. This local approach not only feels genuine but directly influences the consumer, teaching them the power of giving back to their own community. For that reason alone, 18 East and ALLCAPSTUDIO deserve recognition.

For more info on what 18 East is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

Though the term “woke” streetwear is a bit on the nose (particularly considering the pun), Awake NY has always been at the forefront of activism through fashion, with founder Angelo Baque involved in everything from highlighting authors and creatives of color to collections benefitting migrant groups and the protests at Standing Rock. So, as demonstrations broke out across the country demanding racial justice, Baque was bound to be at the forefront.

While his recent philanthropic efforts haven’t raised the sort of massive donations as others on this list, his numerous endeavors—which rival even Brain Dead—have contributed to a number of important and often underrepresented causes, including New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and the New York Immigration Coalition.

Growing up in South Richmond Hill, Queens, Baque was immersed in New York’s vibrant immigrant culture and clearly understands the importance of recognizing and giving back to that community. By focusing on immigrant rights groups, he is clearly doing just that.

After over a decade as Supreme brand director, Baque boasts a unique understanding of the many ways street culture has co-opted Black and Brown cultures, and through his new endeavor, the creative is rightfully bringing light to these previously one-way relationships. To that end, months from now when the news cycle unfortunately but inevitably moves on, Baque will still find a way to contribute. A rarity, and a noble one at that.

For more info on what Awake NY is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

Given Pyer Moss’ standing at the forefront of Black fashion—an arguably unfair and unclear term—designer Kerby Jean-Raymond is often put on a pedestal. Still, given his prodigious talent and unwavering commitment to both craft and message, time and again the Vogue Fashion Fund winner manages to set new standards for racially and politically aware fashion.

As opposed to the now stereotypical limited edition commemorative T-shirt, Raymond instead recontextualized his label's upcoming Reebok sneaker. Building off of the already palpable hype, Raymond chose to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Innocence Project, an initiative which aims to clear wrongfully convicted felons using DNA evidence and other modern technology. Not only did Raymond completely overhaul the sneaker’s accompanying campaign, he additionally created a short film highlighting the statistics surrounding wrongful convictions, the vast majority of which are handed down to Black and Brown people.

Though the sneaker was already in development, it's refreshing to see a label divert funds from a mainline product—particularly a sportswear collaboration, from which brands receive a huge and often much needed cash influx—as opposed to a simple T-shirt thrown together last minute.

Given how sneaker collabs always make headlines, linking the drop to a noteworthy cause guaranteed drawing attention far beyond what would normally be the case. Additionally, knowing full well the sneaker would sell out, Raymond (via his personal Instagram account as well as the brand’s) encouraged customers to donate to the cause directly, highlighting his opinion that direct donation is arguably even more valuable than transactional support. Unlike others hopping on the bandwagon, Raymond put his cause, namely criminal justice reform, front and center.

For more info on what Pyer Moss is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

The world’s streetwear juggernaut, Supreme has riffed on—and profited off of—Black and Brown subcultures for decades, with often little in the way of donation. So, when the racial justice movement broke out in full swing, many had their gaze firmly fixed on the New York brand to see how it would respond to the crisis (though a now-debunked viral story linking notable Supreme investor, the Carlyle Group, with riot police tear gas did not help).

On the heels of a charitable Takashi Murakami box logo and a The North Face capsule with 100 percent of funds allocated to COVID-19 relief worldwide, streetwear's leading label was frustratingly slow to respond to the tragic deaths outraging U.S. citizens. A message, a commemorative box logo T-shirt or hoodie—something.

Instead, Supreme simply opened up its checkbook.

Split four ways between Black Lives Matter, the Equal Justice Initiative, Campaign Zero and the Black Futures Lab, the $500,000 donation was a much needed step in the right direction. While charitable drops are great, sometimes, a check does just as much—if not more.

Though we would love to see the label drop a piece—hell, even an entire collection—with proceeds donated to one of the many worthy causes following years of profiting of black and brown culture, the public announcement and explanation at why each cause was chosen was a good start.

For more info on what Awake NY is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

Long recognized as one of—if not the—best boutiques in Los Angeles, Union set the template for the street-meets-runway look we all currently adhere to.

Though the original store (which opened in 1989) was located in New York, former employee Chris Gibbs bought the rights from Undefeated founder Eddie Cruz and opened a sister/follow-up shop in Los Angeles a few years later.

Today, Gibbs operates two Union locations—including one in Tokyo—standing as one of the most respected men’s buyers in the business. Though the store does have an in-house label, Union is essentially just a retail shop, which makes its activism all the more impressive. While its in-house line is growing, Union is best known for its well-curated brand selection and (more recently) Jordan I collaboration. Still, a respected minority business owner, Gibbs is well versed in his adopted home and using his platform to partner with the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter was a no brainer.

Working on two separate T-shirts, one featuring the Union logo and the other the David Hammons flag, Union raised over $70,000 through sales, with all proceeds donated entirely to the Black Lives Matter network.

The T-shirt was so successful, that Gibbs began another project, this time working with fellow LA label Real Bad Man on limited collaborative tee. Given both parties LA roots, the shirt benefitted SUMMA EVERYTHANG, a local community center in the South Central neighborhood who provided groceries for those in need during the pandemic.

Obviously both shirts were dope—Union has specialized in sourcing the best graphic tees for decades—but beyond that each felt uniquely personal and true to the brand, which is exactly what has always set Union apart.

For more info on what Union Los Angeles is doing to help, visit its Instagram here

These are those who rise to the occasion and there are others who–sometimes have to make a mistake before getting on the right path. At this point, we are sure you're well aware of Abloh's blunders at the outset of the George Floyd protests—broadcasting what appeared to be an underwhelming $50 donation at a time when others (without Abloh's position or platform) were donating several times that.

Now, it should be noted we are not here to downplay Virgil Abloh’s numerous philanthropic endeavors, no one can argue his altruistic bonafides. Still, posting his paltry $50 donation to a bail fund was clearly in poor taste and the ensuing memes were in many ways justified. Though Abloh later responded to critics explaining he had personally donated more than $20,000, the damage was done: The now-memable phrase, “Keeping it two Virgils” spread like wildfire.

Whether simply a response to the onslaught of comments and judgement, Abloh’s next steps were admirable. First there was a raffle for a signed pair of Off-White Jordan IVs with all proceeds going towards Black Curriculum and Inquest UK, an organization with the goal addressing the lack of Black British history in the UK school system.

Then came “POST-MODERN,” a potentially multi-million dollar scholarship fund for Black creatives, in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund. Raising a million dollars pre-announcement—seemingly a large portion from Abloh himself—the fund’s purpose is to pave the way for creatives to achieve (and eventually surpass) Abloh, quite literally changing the face of the fashion industry.

Most recently, Abloh held a raffle with Notre—one of the most celebrated boutiques in his native Chicago. Raffling off a pair his then-recently released Jordan IV "Sail", the event raised over $180,000 for Hugs No Slugs—an organization aiming to change the cycle of gun violence in the city of Chicago, particularly in communities of color.

Though a lot of criticism can be hurled in Abloh's direction—especially when considering that, as an LVMH artistic director, he is one of the most powerful men in the business—creating a platform to elevate Black voices is a noble effort. Though it’s unclear how many scholarships are available, who will receive them or what exactly receiving one will entail, hopefully Abloh truly makes good on his promise and provides a much needed vehicle for change. If anything, Abloh’s brief internet shame led to a much more important (and public) declaration of support and intent. Many of us would be wise to follow in his stead.

For more info on what Virgil Abloh is doing to help, visit its Instagram here