MinkeeBlue, Philadelphia-based Black-Owned Handbag Brand, Launches in Macy's Herald Square

PHILADELPHIA - Dec. 2, 2022 - PRLog -- Sherrill Mosee, inventor and designer of MinkeeBlue, set out to solve a problem she calls the 'overload bag syndrome.' Like many women, Mosee carried two or three bags to work—a purse, laptop bag, lunch bag, and sometimes shoes in her purse. She wanted to create an organizational fashion bag for busy women whose role changed throughout the day—from an executive to fitness enthusiast, daily commuter, and mom. MinkeeBlue is her solution!

WHAT IS THE MINKEEBLUE DIFFERENCE?
Mosee, who holds two patents on the bag's functionality, said it's the folding shelf in the middle of the bag that differentiates MinkeeBlue in the market. "I design to solve a problem first," said Mosee, "and then I incorporate fashion."

The MinkeeBlue brand which has quickly become synonymous with style, functionality, and purpose, now includes the first-of-its-kind backpack necklace to make it easier to access essentials such as money and a cell phone. MinkeeBlue fills a "white space" in retail, said Mosee. "There are no other fashion handbags on the market that provide the type of functionality and versatility in my designs."

MINKEEBLUE WINS AMERICA'S BIG DEAL TV COMPETITION
In 2021, the former engineer-turned-entrepreneur appeared on "America's Big Deal," a first-of-its-kind, shoppable live competition series produced by renowned inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano, that invited entrepreneurs to sell their ready-to-ship products on-air to home viewers. The audience fell in love with the product and the founder so much so that Mosee racked up the highest dollar sales and secured a chance to strike a life-changing deal with one of the retail giants behind the series.

Macy's, the largest department store in the United States, made an offer and quickly kicked off work to get MinkeeBlue products on shelves in time for this year's holiday shopping season.

MINKEEBLUE TO BE FEATURED AT MACY'S "MEET THE DESIGNER" DAY
Earlier this year, Macy's announced its investment of $30 million over the next five years to support minority-owned businesses in retail. Macy's most recently published this data in 2018, when it said it had purchased goods totaling $937 million from these businesses.

As part of that investment, Macy's will host "Meet MinkeeBlue Day," an in-store appearance for Mosee to meet new and returning customers and do product demonstrations on Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 1pm to 6pm, in Herald Square located at 151 W. 34^th Street, New York, NY. The event which is free and open to the public is the official launch of MinkeeBlue's availability on Macy's store shelves across 10 locations and online.

"I am thrilled to be part of the Macy's family," said Mosee. "The brand is an inextricable part of American iconography, from being the backdrop to the classic "Miracle on 34^th Street" movie to countless contemporary pop culture references. This is an exciting step in our business's growth story, and I can't think of a better champion and cheerleader for Black-owned businesses than Macy's."

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERSHIP FUELS THE BLACK BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM
"This historic partnership between Sherrill, a longtime Chamber member, and Macy's is what supporting the Black business ecosystem looks like," said Regina A. Hairston, president and CEO of the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE. "Meet MinkeeBlue Day" at Macy's is an investment in her supply chain, drives brand awareness and increased brand visibility, and fuels the brand's expansion in new markets."

"The MinkeeBlue story is one example of the value of belonging to an organization like the Chamber," she said. "Membership has many far-reaching benefits, from providing the kind of information that leads to better business decisions to networking opportunities that lead to better business outcomes that help move the Black business community forward."

According to Hairston, inclusion strategies that just give out money aren't enough. It's performative and it doesn't address and remediate the systemic issues of the lack of access to capital which is one of the biggest hurdles for minority entrepreneurs and business owners. Research shows many Black business owners cannot get the capital they need to cover startup costs, manage emergencies, and scale up their business.

"Small businesses are the economic engine of our cities, so when we support and empower Black-owned businesses, we are creating stronger communities where they are located and the people they serve and employ. We are so excited about what's happening for Sherrill, and we are committed to making sure MinkeeBlue – and other Black businesses – are in position to win, too."

ABOUT MINKEEBLUE

MinkeeBlue CEO Sherrill Mosee is the former president of Family Care Solutions, a nonprofit organization she founded to promote higher education among low-income women with children. The organization awarded over $3 million in childcare scholarships to help women with children stay in school and earn a college degree. Mosee put her degree in engineering to work and came up with the patented MinkeeBlue design which she describes as a reflection of "who we are" and "what we do" in our daily lives and embodies the motto: Your day is in the Bag.

MinkeeBlue has been featured on the Today Show, the Katie Couric Show, QVC, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, and Buzzfeed. Mosee holds a master's degree in electrical engineering from Drexel University. She's also an alum of The Workshop at Macy's and the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator at Macy's. For more information, visit http://www.minkeeblue.com.