September Collective is Making African-Inspired Decor Accessible Beyond Black History Month.
We’ve all seen it. You go into a store, looking for home decor, and there’s a corner dedicated to ‘bohemian’ style. Maybe the pieces have obscure prints that evoke a tribal pattern, or they use fringe, wicker weaving, or styles that you know evoke African themes. A lot of these styles can be appropriative, problematic, or, honestly, just bad taste. September Collective was founded out of a need to make more readily accessible modern African home decor.
Leslie Rivers started September Collective while shopping for herself and saw the gap firsthand. “After moving into a new home, I wanted to furnish it with pieces that reflected my culture and my heritage, with objects that felt like an extension of who I am. Instead, I found myself navigating endless searches, international vendors, and complicated shipping arrangements. And once the items arrived, there would be unexpected customs fees and duties that had to be paid. The process was really time-consuming and expensive, and it was somewhat discouraging.”
Leslie knew she couldn’t be the only one experiencing this exhausting shopping process. After spending 30 years in a corporate career, Leslie used her frustrations to pursue her passion and start solving this problem. September Collective is a response and a platform dedicated to curating timeless, high-quality pieces that bridge the gap between heritage and modern living, available 365 days a year.
Because so many brands are only highlighted during Black History Month, Leslie wanted to know what happens after February has ended. “Too often these collections are just like small seasonal things,” she shares. “I believe that this particular model unintentionally reinforces the idea that Black design is just momentary. Our pieces are available year-round. We don't treat Black and African artistry as a seasonal spotlight. We treat it as a permanent contribution to how we live, design and curate our spaces.”
