Every day, Black women elevate the world. We are trendsetters and visionaries; the shapeshifters that lead by virtue of presence alone. In a world that sells our identities for consumption, we remind everyone that joy is our birthright and the grace we carry will always be authentic. Our existence is not a social experiment but a crafted emblem of perfection. And for that, we deserve everything good this world has to offer.
With that, xoNecole created the ElevateHER Shop, a here-to-stay online marketplace. For Black women, by Black women. While there are multiple places to shop Black online, which we champion, #ElevateHER provides a way for consumers to directly support small Black Women-Owned businesses! Just in time for Juneteenth, we aim to celebrate not just our joy but our ancestors and kick summer off the right way.
We're launching our first curated iteration "Summertime Joy" to celebrate everything we are and everything we aspire to be. ElevateHER will continue to grow and have iterations reflecting other seasons and life events relevant to us all. We got the range. Everything from beauty (Summertime Fine) to home decor (Dope Abodes), personal development and entertainment (Booked & Boujie) to food and wellness (Guilt-Free Pleasures) to personal style (Here to Slay)—we've got it.
To complement our ElevateHER Shop launch, we're celebrating non-stop with a slew of immersive moments for our audience to share in the Joy. See below for interactive ways to share in the joy and uplift womenpreneurs of color:
Custom AR filter
Wondering what Black-owned product to shop next? No worries, our Instagram AR Filter has you covered! Our filter scrolls through dozens of fabulous products from the ElevateHER Shop randomly landing on a different product each time. So what are you waiting on? Try it out on the @xoNecole Instagram page here and don't forget to tag @xonecole and use #ElevateHER so we can repost you!
Joy Gifting
xoNecole welcomed 50 influential queens to the sunshine season with a special delivery that radiated Black Girl Joy. They were delivered a delicious array of Black-owned summertime joy with a candle on behalf of Collins House Global and the finest of wine made with love by the McBride Sisters. Not to mention stunning floral arrangements from Barbara's Flowers, The Petal Effect and Lemiga Events.
Instagram Guides
We curated 5 user-friendly Instagram Guides that each serve to represent products from every shopping category in the ElevateHER Shop: beauty, style, home, books and wellness. We shared some of our favorites amongst favorites that are worth investing the coins in this summer and beyond, for Black women by Black women.
Editorial Series: Black Woman Owned
This Marketplace was curated not only to shop and support these founders, but also to discover. We've been fortunate enough to get insight into the lives of Black women entrepreneurs who are featured in our shop. Explore the Black Woman-Owned editorial section on the shop homepage to learn more about the brains behind the businesses + brands. These stories are meant to inspire and be of motivation.
The journey of Black entrepreneurship is difficult for many but when we share information while being unafraid to share our stories, we are capable of accomplishing everything we set our minds to! ElevateHER soars by shining a light, a special one, for all of us.
ElevateHER 100
We created Instagrammable graphics for our 100 womenpreneurs who were featured in their audiences to celebrate this notable moment and encourage their followers to bask in the joy.
ElevateHER is for the current and future. To our Summertime Joys and beyond: we will always elevate.
Click here to experience the ElevateHER Shop.
Featured image designed by Kyra James
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VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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