Black-Owned Fashion Brand Hanifa Pausing Production Indefinitely After Nearly 15 Years In Business

Hanifa

Black-Owned Fashion Brand Hanifa Pausing Production Indefinitely After Nearly 15 Years In Business

Sad news.

After nearly 15 years in business, fashion brand #Hanifa has announced it is indefinitely pausing production. In a statement to The Cut, designer and founder Anifa Mvuemba opened up about the difficult decision, saying, “I don’t want to rush just to prove resilience. I don’t want to pretend everything is fine just to keep momentum. The years I’ve poured into building this. The time away from friends and family. The moments with my children I won’t get back. Is it all worth it? Was it? I don’t have a perfect answer.”

Hanifa’s hiatus follows scrutiny the inclusive luxury label faced over delayed Black Friday orders. While some customers received their packages on time, others reportedly waited months due to manufacturer delays tied to pre-orders. Although the brand ultimately fulfilled the outstanding orders and offered refunds to those who no longer wanted their items, the experience left some shoppers frustrated. Addressing the backlash, Mvuemba shared, “Somewhere along the way, it stopped being about the problem and got personal. We’re a brand, but we’re also people.”

She continued, “Right now, I’m reflecting. I’m protecting what matters to me in this season. And I’m allowing myself to be human in the process. I don’t know exactly what the future of Hanifa looks like at this very moment. And for the first time in 14 years, I’m okay with saying that out loud.”