Mãe Afro is born from the beginning of a dream and from a deep need: to reclaim the pride, beauty and self esteem of being an Afro Brazilian woman.
The brand was founded by Carla and Stefanny, mother and daughter, driven by the desire to create garments that tell real stories, embrace real bodies and celebrate the ancestry that lives within us. Mãe Afro emerges from love, affection and the wish to see Black women recognizing themselves as powerful, beautiful and worthy of occupying all spaces.
Carla was a highly skilled seamstress, with a long career working for major fashion brands in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. For many years, she sewed garments for models who fit standards that never represented her. She created pieces that she herself never wore. Tired of remaining in a supporting role, Stefanny encouraged her to change that narrative and to create clothing that could be worn by her, by her friends and by all real women.
Today, Mãe Afro is also a living memorial honoring Dona Carla, who passed away in March 2025. Her story, talent, sensitivity and love for sewing remain present in every choice, every fabric and every piece created. The brand exists to honor her memory and keep her legacy alive.
Mãe Afro is a slow fashion brand that prioritizes a conscious and committed production chain. Whenever possible, we work with suppliers who are other mothers and Black women, strengthening a network of care, work and autonomy. We primarily use natural fiber materials and develop custom prints that honor Afro culture and its ancestral roots.
In addition to fabrics with original prints, we create pieces designed for Brazilian women to wear African textiles in their everyday lives, in a contemporary, comfortable and meaningful way. Our supply chain involves print designers, fashion designers, pattern makers, photographers and seamstresses, all Black women, reaffirming our commitment to representation and professional appreciation.
The Diaspora Collection was imagined to celebrate Afro descendant women living in diaspora. Diaspora refers to the displacement of African Black peoples around the world, marked by resistance, reconstruction and the reinvention of identities outside the African continent. This collection honors women who carry their roots, stories and ancestry, even far from their land of origin.
The Diaspora Collection will be relaunched in March 2026, during the Festival of Diaspora, in Puerto Rico, reinforcing the international, ancestral and political nature of Mãe Afro.
Mãe Afro is affection, memory, resistance and future.
It is clothing with history, made by Black women, for Black women.
Empower yourself with us.
Mãe Afro Team✨
