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Five black-owned online businesses to visit on Black Friday

ON THE MAP: North London-born couture designer Ozwald Boateng

WITH SO many bargains floating around each year at this time, it's easy to disregard January as shopping month and focus attention on November's Black Friday where fashion, technology and homeware alike join almost every other shop in offering major discounts; both offline and on the Internet.

£300 billion is the figure arrived at in 2012 by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, when estimating the "purchasing power" of the UK's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) population. The ever-present rally-call to harness this economic power has been made to black consumers in the UK and America alike, with varying degrees of fervour and publicity from the mainstream media; depending on the political climate of the day. The Black Lives Matter movement across the Atlantic began to urge citizens to use their dollars to disrupt infrastructure by going 'on strike' for a day and failing to spend any money or work in order to show often oppressive institutions that black lives were valuable to the states in many ways, not least in their contribution to the economy.

We had fun putting together a list of 10 fashion businesses owned by black, UK-based entrepreneurs; in tribute to the notion of supporting and strengthening the 'black pound' and the communities that many of us live in - we hope you find something nice!

For household-name brands and massive discounts via the shops featured, go to Brit Fashion London (BFL) which describes itself as;

"...the only online shopping mall offering a mix of shops, fashion ideas, blogs and sales for high street stores in the UK."

Men can pick up bespoke tailored suits made from "the best fabric" via college friends turned menswear specialists, Morts&More.

In-keeping with an idea made popular recently by Apprentice runner-up Bianca Miller and her range of tights for every skin tone; ladies can treat themselves to sumptuous lingerie as well as tights whilst checking out beautiful photography of the pieces on Nubian Skin who offer "a different kind of nude".

Uptown Yardie features shoes designed by Founder Rohan Clarke who makes pieces with "style, elegance and exclusivity" for both men and women.

Last but not least on our list is Sapelle, who currently offer first-time visitors 15% off pieces such as dresses, skirts, tops, jackets and textiles "combining African prints and classic silhouettes".

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