06:00, 04 November 2024
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
Co-CEOs AJ Majumdar and Scott Sussman are businessmen with a difference. Since the inception of their women’s clothing brand, they have been using it as a vessel to give back to the community.
“Area Stars is a sustainable, charitable and ethical brand that Scott and I founded seven years ago to really empower women to become a star in their own area,” explains AJ. “It's predominantly a women's apparel brand, a full lifestyle collection for women from day to evening, work, casual vacation, whatever her needs may be.”
Area Stars uses fashion as a vehicle to create a positive impact in the world - something AJ and Scott have been determined to do since they first began.
Scott says: "Personally, we’ve donated a lot of our clothing and accessories. It was a natural transition to take our business excess and donate it to Housing Works, an organisation we’ve supported for years."
“Since our industry has created so many toxic elements, we wanted to find a way that we [could be] sustainable even before we started producing,” adds AJ. “So we partnered with an organisation called Housing Works.”
Housing Works is a nonprofit organisation based in New York City with multiple thrift stores and a website where they sell high-end merchandise for resale. They are working hard on an incredible mission, to support the twin causes of the HIV/AIDS and homelessness crises.
Any waste from Area Stars, including samples and excess production, is either sold or donated to charities like Housing Works where they can be sold again to raise funds for the charity.
Earlier this year, Area Stars was recognised by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce as an LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE®).
"We’re the only nationally certified fashion brand that’s nationally distributed,” says AJ. “We hope our certification not only grows our business but helps bring credibility to other LGBTQ+ companies."
Scott adds: "People want to support businesses that align with their values and do good. If more companies focused on positive impact, they’d see growth, and it would benefit everyone."
Area Stars has been committed to giving back since the very beginning and as they continue to grow, they are partnering with more and more charities and communities.
The latest is the ENVSN Foundation, a charity started by two young women of colour in Brooklyn, who became incredibly successful and decided to empower other, younger women of colour too. They first began in New York City, but the charity has grown nationally, and today they are helping young women of colour across the USA.
One of the main things ENVSN do is provide young, disadvantaged women with clothing - things they may not otherwise be able to afford.
AJ says: "We’re partnering with ENVSN to support women of colour in NYC. From providing prom dresses to interview outfits, we’re giving them confidence and the wardrobe to match their ambitions."
"We aim to grow with like-minded partners who want to support quality, ethical products,” adds Scott. “Together, we can take positive steps to offset the challenges our industry faces."
The thing that sets Area Stars apart is how eager AJ and Scott are to actually get stuck in and make a difference. They aren’t doing these things to tick a box, but to make meaningful change, not just to the communities around them but for themselves and how they see the world.
“Scott and I are Gen X, and Gen X is very much known for apathy,” says AJ. “We are being educated on a daily basis on what is going on in the world that we can affect. If we can [help] one young woman get a job … that is a very empowering thing.”
If you would like to get involved with Area Stars or have any questions for AJ and Scott, you can contact Scott through his email: [email protected].
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Childhood Trust. The Childhood Trust is London's child poverty charity, dedicated to alleviating the impact of poverty on children in the capital. Support them here.
Beyond Equality. This charity is disrupting harmful norms and creating possibilities for positive change, working with men and boys towards gender equality. Find out more here.
Race Equality Foundation. A national charity tackling racial equality in public services. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Reduced Inequalities and Partnerships for the Goals.
