Fashion Designer & Entrepreneur; CEO & Founder of Brandon Blackwood New York; CFDA Award Nominee; TIME100 Next Honoree
Brandon Blackwood Biography
Brandon Blackwood is a fashion designer and entrepreneur who serves as the founder, creative director, and CEO of Brandon Blackwood New York, a luxury fashion house specializing in handbags, footwear, and accessories. While studying neuroscience at Bard College, Blackwood pursued his interest in design, interning at magazines including Elle and Nylon during school breaks. After graduating, he worked at a consignment shop, saving to launch his own brand. With a modest investment and support from friends and family, he established his business and began building his company.
The brand launched after Blackwood designed a backpack for himself, known as The Portmore, which attracted significant attention and led him to make it available to the public. His debut collection of handbags was featured in Essence magazine, followed by coverage in Elle and Galore, signaling early recognition from the fashion press. The brand’s designs, each named after friends, family members, or meaningful places, reflect a personal creative philosophy. This approach earned Brandon Blackwood New York features in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Forbes, the New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, and WWD, as well as retail partnerships with Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, KITH, and Selfridges.
Blackwood’s national profile grew with the release of the "End Systemic Racism (ESR)" tote, which supported the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The bag gained widespread attention, worn by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Cardi B, and Beyoncé, and became a cultural symbol merging fashion and activism. The ESR tote marked a turning point for the brand, as Blackwood expanded from a solo operation to managing a full team, with sales increasing significantly. He continued to grow the brand into footwear, eyewear, outerwear, ready-to-wear through Studio by Brandon Blackwood, and home décor through Home by Brandon Blackwood.
Blackwood has received recognition for his design work and cultural influence. He was nominated for a CFDA Award for American Accessory Designer of the Year, and his first shoe collection earned the Launch of the Year honor at the Footwear News Achievement Awards. He was named to TIME magazine's TIME100 Next list, recognized for his influence across business and culture. Blackwood has also been honored as Designer of the Year at Harlem's Fashion Row, received the Design and Distinction Award from the NAACP New York State Conference, and was appointed to New York City's inaugural Business Advisory Council. He received the Change Maker Award from The Door and Broome Street Academy, an organization he was once a member of as a youth, reflecting his ongoing commitment to community engagement in the fashion industry.
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How do I book Brandon Blackwood to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Brandon Blackwood for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Brandon Blackwood, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Brandon Blackwood or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Brandon Blackwood
Speaking fees for Brandon Blackwood, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Brandon Blackwood are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Brandon Blackwood, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Brandon Blackwood speak about?
Brandon Blackwood is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Art & Design, Black Heritage, Executive Leadership, Fashion, Fashion, Marketing, Social Activism -
Where does Brandon Blackwood travel from?
Brandon Blackwood generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Brandon Blackwood’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Brandon Blackwood for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Brandon Blackwood for your next private or corporate function. -
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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Brandon Blackwood or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
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Brandon Blackwood is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Brandon Blackwood for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Brandon Blackwood generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Taylor K. Shaw-Omachonu, Aurora James, Ruth E. Carter, Morgan DeBaun and Trevor Stuurman. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Brandon Blackwood for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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