Fatima Smith and Robert Frampton of Color & Culture (Photo by Julianne Tripp)
A business was borne of frustration for Henrico resident Fatima Smith.
She wanted clothing options that represented Black and brown children for her baby, Santana, but her search came up short. “I wanted to find stuff that was empowering and not just rainbows and unicorns,” Smith says. “I wanted [Santana’s] library and clothing and all areas of her life to be reflective of empowerment and a celebration of her culture.”
She shared her disappointment with her father, Robert Frampton.
“He was just like, ‘You have an art background, you should just make the shirts that you want Santana to have,’ ” Smith says.
But she was hesitant: Her art background is in sketching and printing, not design. But in August 2019, Smith took the plunge and partnered with her father to open Color & Culture, apparel for children and adults.
The business began as a children’s clothing pop-up shop, and due to demand, it expanded to include adult sizes. However, the pandemic quickly quashed that model, so Smith and Frampton transitioned to online sales.
The father-daughter duo behind this local Black-owned business has made it their mission to support regional causes that are personal for them. Smith is a survivor of domestic violence and a social worker by trade who has seen various unmet needs in Richmond, everything from support for LGBTQ youth to a lack of school supplies in classrooms.
A portion of Color & Culture’s proceeds is donated to organizations such as YWCA Richmond, Side by Side and HEAL-LLC.
Shirts that read: “Black Minds Matter,” “Born Winner” and “I Am Black History” are about both empowerment and education. “When people shop with us, I hope they feel that no matter the size of their purchase, their impact matters,” Smith says. “Hopefully people will find out about these nonprofits [that we’re supporting] and will want to learn more, and it will be a conversation starter beyond buying this cool T-shirt.”
“To be able to give back more to the community, I’m big on that,” Frampton says. “That’s the main goal: to help.”