In 2011, I made the difficult decision to exit Jimmy Choo, the company I proudly co-founded and built. In 2016, I co-founded my namesake brand with a simple premise: to keep designing beautiful shoes, but to create a culture and community that deeply cares for the women buying them.

Over the last four years, equal pay has been our main cause. We’ve marched, had sales, and hosted panels — all more than once — in order to bring attention to the wage gap.

But one area of this that we haven’t spoken up about enough is how the wage gap is significantly worse for Black women. On average, women in the U.S. make $0.82 on the dollar to white men. For Black women distinctly, that figure drops down to $0.62.

Today on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, we’re pledging our commitment to work with The Black in Fashion Council for the next three years, and be part of an equality index score to demonstrate our commitment to Black employees at all levels — in terms of equal pay and beyond.

This would serve as a yearly public report and report card to hold us accountable for the work we’ve done, and the areas that need improvement. 


Because our mission is to walk the walk for all women. Full stop.

xx,

Tamara Mellon

We’ve committed to the following work in partnership with BIFC over the next three years:

1

Partner with BIFC Executive Board Members who will provide feedback, insights, and counsel on inclusivity plans

2

Check in with BIFC Executive Board Members every three months for a progress report and temperature check to keep the relationship transparent

3

A D&I survey to be completed in 2021, beginning with a Human Rights Index survey