Did you spot these Black-Owned brands in Netflix’s ‘A Different World’?
From Amir’s Telfar backpack to Deborah’s Pattern Beauty, Netflix’s “A Different World” put a spotlight on Black-owned businesses. “A Different
From Amir’s Telfar backpack to Deborah’s Pattern Beauty, Netflix’s “A Different World” put a spotlight on Black-owned businesses.
“A Different World” has debuted to a new generation and despite the new characters and storylines, one thing has prevailed in the decades since the show’s final episode aired int 1993: the intentionality.
“We’re going to be true to the authenticity of who Black people are culturally, and that is a voice that needs to be heard on television right now,” executive producer Debbie Allen told theGrio.
And part of that authenticity lived in the show’s details. From the return of OG “A Different World” cast members like Charmaine to references to some of the sitcom’s hit episodes (I heard someone is accustomed to beggin’, IYKYK), one of the most powerful easter eggs in the continuation of the show was the presence of Black-owned brands throughout the 10 episodes on Netflix. From product placements to wardrobe choices, Black-owned brands were sprinkled throughout the show.
Telfar
There are two things to know about Amir, played by Jordan Aaron Hall, he was UNHOUSED and loves a good Telfar accessory. Throughout the show, he is seen wearing the red medium Telfar x Eastpack backpack, Telfar earrings, and necklaces
Capital City Mambo Sauce
When Debbie Allen joined “A Different World” for its second season in 1988, actors Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Guy recall her bringing the flavor to Hillman College, instilling new rules to add authenticity to the set. And just as she enforced adding hot sauce to the tables at “The Pitt” many years ago, the show’s sequel features hot sauce and Capital City Mambo Sauce, a Black family-owned company that produces a sauce native to Washington D.C. (a.k.a Chocolate City).
Playa Society’s Love and Basketball T-Shirt
As Deborah went back and forth about her relationship with Shaquille she was spotted wearing a shirt by Playa Society, a Black-owned brand paying homage to Black culture’s most debated love stories, Monica Wright and Quincy McCall in “Love & Basketball.”
Pattern Beauty haircare
Like any Black girl in college, Deborah did not play about her haircare routine, which is why viewers spotted Tracee Ellis Ross’ Pattern Beauty hair mousse, gel and leave-in conditioner on her desk/vanity in the show.
Made For Locs
The ladies of Hillman College are not the only ones who didn’t play about their haircare routines. Shaquille Johnson appeared to take care of his locs using Made For Locs’s Aloe Spray.
Black Girl Vitamins
Towards the end of episode 8, Black Girl Vitamins Omega-3 and “Hair Skin and Nails” vitamins were spotted on Candace’s nightstand.
Actively Black
Throughout the show, Shaquille Johnson, played by Cornell Young IV, was seen wearing Actively Black’s Logo Performance Shirt in multiple scenes.
Kroy Korn Gourmet Popkorn
Kroy Korn Gourmet Popkorn, a Black mother-son-owned popcorn brand, seemed to be the Hillman students’ favorite snack, appearing multiple times in The Pitt and Gilbert Hall.
Vontelle Eyewear
Blending the old with the new was an intentional part of the “A Different World” sequel and one of the most notable elements fans saw throughout the previews and episodes was Dwayne Wayne’s daughter wearing his iconic flip glasses. While in the fictional truth, Deborah would find and keep her father’s old glasses from the 80s, the reality is that the star is actually wearing Vontelle Eyewear’s “DEEMED” collection created in collaboration with Hardison.
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True Laundry Detergent
As Rashida, played by Alijah Kai, teaches Deborah how to do laundry, viewers spotted True Laundry detergent, a Black, veteran-owned brand, sitting at the top of the campus washer.
Wisdom of Age
In episode 5, Hall’s character Amir is spotted wearing Wisdom of Age’s zip-up cardigan. While the cardigan is not currently available on its website, this Black-owned brand blends streetwear and knitwear to create high-quality, stylish products.
A Ma Maniére
In episode 6, Andre, played by Joshua Suiter, was spotted at the club wearing a varsity jacket from the Black-owned luxury streetwear brand A Ma Maniére.
And if you’re looking for Hillman College merch by Black-owned vendors, check out Chipmunk Chronicles and Power in Black.
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