It takes merely a few seconds into a meeting with Aurora James to see her force of nature within. The Toronto native, who spent some of her childhood years in Jamaica, dabbled in modeling and street racing, but found her true fashion calling on a flea market, when she created a sustainable collection showcasing traditional African designs. Brother Vellies earned her the top prize at the 2015 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, among other awards. Her Fifteen Percent Pledge, conceived in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, was transformative not just for the fashion and retail industry – but also for James.

As she publishes her memoir “Wildflower” with Penguin Random House, we caught up with the designer, activist, and CFDA board member to talk about the book, her fashion trajectory, the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and more.

“Wildflower” is available to purchase here.

Congratulations on the release of Wildflower. Why did you decide to do the book now?

It felt like time to lay bare just how strange, wild, and unexpected my journey to here has been. I don’t think many people know how I started my shoe brand in a flea market, nor do they know about some of the really difficult stuff the book covers, from relationships within my family to body image and mental health.

What inspired you to get into fashion?

I had a brief stint in modeling, but it was really when I traveled to Africa and began to see the communities that created beautiful designs that I began to think about trying to do something different that could incorporate tradition with a modern flair.

Tell us about Brother Vellies and how you started it.

I started Brother Vellies in 2013 after falling in love with the traditional southern African veldskoen. Most people don’t realize that what we know today as a “desert boot” is actually a traditional African shoe called a “vellie.” I went on to win the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2015, two years after launching at a flea market in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This is part of why I’m so ecstatic to be a judge for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund now.

How did the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund factor into your career trajectory and success?

The Fashion Fund provided me with an incredible platform as well as a much-needed financial boost at the time. On average, it costs women of color $125,000 more to launch a business. Things like higher interest rates, less capital access, more stringent payment terms, and overall lack of market trust impact Black female entrepreneurs dramatically. It was so incredible to have the 10 judges for CVFF as allies in the years ahead.

The Fifteen Percent Pledge has been transformative in multiple ways. Take us back to the day that you came with it and how you came up with the idea.

After the police murder of George Floyd, dozens of corporations issued statements of solidarity with Black communities and made commitments to racial equity with zero level of accountability. That is when I took to Instagram and posted my call to action, challenging companies to dedicate 15 percent of their shelf space to Black businesses. It was not a long-planned idea— but within the first 10 days, Sephora became the first retailer to take the Pledge. And since then, we’ve grown into a full nonprofit organization.

How difficult was it to open up and share so much about yourself in the book?

Very challenging at times, very scary. But when I see it on the page and I know that others might find hope in it, it’s all worth it.

Is there anything you learned about yourself while writing the book?

That it takes more courage than I thought to be and stay vulnerable.

What do you hope are the key takeaways for readers?

That all whales have barnacles and those should not stop you from swimming after your dreams.