Reparations: Style + Soul is Black Fashion's Big Payback. It's a unique coffee table book because it uses fashion to tell stories about culture, race, relationships, spirituality, and the history of us-all unapologetically. Written by Fashion Activist James R. Sanders, the project features over 90 stunning high fashion images all shot by Black photographers with Black models styled by a team of Black hair and makeup artists. Through personal essays, the author writes about Black history, finance, discrimination, health, friendships, and romance as if no one is in the room. This book isn't here to make "INSERT THEM HERE" feel comfortable. It is a visual home and receipt for the ancestors who were taken, and, got things taken from them.
James R. Sanders a New York City based fashion activist. His mission is empowerment through knowledge of self by any means necessary. He is a stylist specializing in soulful moments on the red carpet and in print. James's work has appeared in Ebony, Blavity, Vogue, Glamour, GQ, and HuffPost. In 2020, he founded the social justice publication BALDWIN, and manages a staff of writers who cover culture, sports, and entertainment. He is also a News Editor at Complex Magazine. James is the author of The Mod¨ Book: How to Break into Fashion Journalism and Knowledge of Self: A Guided Journal. James holds a BA in Journalism and an MA in English.
Industry Reviews
"James' passion for fashion advocacy is emotionally rooted in his upbringing. His testimony gives hope to other fashion lovers who look like him - as those who came before him have inspired his journey. Reparations: Style + Soul is truly a window into how Black fashion has remained a blueprint." --Amber Corrine, Staff Writer, VIBE
"This will ultimately be one of the most important books written for this generation. The information, fashion and images will last a lifetime as sort of a preservation of black culture. James explains in detail, fashion and race and blends the two together effortlessly. With this project, there will be change in both areas."--Seleah Bussey, Producer, TMZ