Connecting Culture, Planet & People
Founded by Samata Pattinson, BLACK PEARL places cultural sustainability at the heart of its work. Operating across design, fashion, music, entertainment, and education, we deliver representative work to better reflect the world we live in.
Culture is our cornerstone.
Connecting Culture, Planet & People
Culture is our cornerstone.
About BLACK PEARL
Based in Los Angeles, BLACK PEARL collaborates with partners, clients, and communities to authentically embed cultural fluency and representative practices across fashion, design, music, and entertainment industries. We leverage culture to focus on how diverse perspectives can inform and inspire environmental and social progress in creative sectors – an approach we term ‘Cultural Sustainability’.
This is How We Do This:
Cross-Sector Collaborative Activations
BLACK PEARL partners with individuals, brands, and companies to create sustainable impact through event-based activations, alongside presenting in-house offerings. Current projects include Billie Eilish’s Overheated.
Educational programming
We believe education is pivotal for shaping a sustainable future. We develop sustainability curricula and conduct speaking engagements to deepen understanding of social and environmental impact.
Resource Creation
We build accessible sustainability resources that integrate diverse cultural perspectives and environmental best practices.
Media Content Story-Telling Sustainability
We are working on transforming sustainability narratives through TV shows, documentaries, and animated shorts that inspire and educate.
Apparel Merchandising & Styling for the Entertainment Industry
We provide merchandising and collaborate with stylists to deliver services for the entertainment industry with a focus on social and environmental values.
Cultural Sustainability As Our Framework
Courtesy of Fashion Values, our Founder Samata Pattinson beautifully explains the concept, applicable to all creative industries, not solely fashion and design.
For BLACK PEARL, Cultural Sustainability refers to preserving, recognising and enriching diverse cultural aspects – lifestyles, values, traditions, and beliefs that define communities – while ensuring their continuity alongside sustainability pursuits. It emphasizes integrating diverse cultural perspectives across factors like age, race, identity, disability, socioeconomics, religion, and education.
By understanding how different communities engage with sustainability, particularly in fashion, design, music, and entertainment industries, enhances inclusive problem-solving. We embrace this cultural cornerstone to develop unique, representative solutions.
Recognising Diverse Cultural Identities: It’s vital to preserve and promote diverse cultural identities in an increasingly globalised world.
Dynamic Nature of Cultures: Cultures are not static but evolve; cultural sustainability ensures that this evolution is respectful, protected, and representative.
Valuing Cultural Commodities: In creative industries like entertainment, fashion, and music, culture itself is often the core commodity and inspiration. Cultural sustainability ensures these industries value, preserve, and uplift the cultural origins they draw from rather than exploiting them.
Protection Against Cultural Exploitation: It guards against cultural exploitation in industries where cultural elements are often commercialised without due consideration for their origin or significance.
Promoting Ethical Behaviour: Encouraging ethical behaviour and respect for the cultural sources of inspiration is paramount.
Our Work
Unveiling a New Era of Cultural Sustainability
BLACK PEARL promotes cultural sustainability through a host of offerings across design, fashion, music, entertainment, and education to serve partners, clients and communities’ needs. If you believe a fresh cultural perspective is needed, talk to us.
Latest News
BLACK PEARL addresses Washington State House of Representatives on Fashion’s Environmental Impact
BLACK PEARL Climate Week Summary: Cultural Collaborations for the Planet
BLACK PEARL’s Culture@ initiative launches, from COP 28 to Climate Week NYC
BLACK PEARL teams up with HIP HOP CAUCUS for We Shall Breathe Premiere
BLACK PEARL presents at Sustainable Fashion Awards, Milan
LA Climate Week Closing Ceremony
About Our Founder
A British-born Ghanaian entrepreneur working across design, fashion, music, entertainment, and education, Samata Pattinson is CEO of BLACK PEARL. She is passionate about cultural sustainability and connecting the dots between people, communities and the planet with her team.
Pattinson’s design, educational, and commercial initiatives such as Red Carpet Green Dress (RCGD) have driven sustainable fashion to the Oscars and seen her educating on the topic of sustainability on reputable platforms and academic institutions in around the world. Her impressive portfolio includes collaborations with notable figures such as Maggie Baird and Billie Eilish at the Annual Academy Awards (notably, Samata authored the Sustainable Style Guide for the 95th and 96th Annual Academy Awards).
Samata has actively contributed to educational programs at the Hollywood Climate Summit 2022 and holds producer credits in influential film projects like Andrew Morgan’s acclaimed ‘TEXAS, USA.’ Additionally, she appeared in Billie Eilish’s ‘Overheated’ documentary on climate change alongside notable personalities such as Billie Eilish, Maggie Baird, Finneas O’Connell, Vivienne Westwood, and Yungblud.
Pattinson played a pivotal role in developing the Climate and Fashion focus for Maggie Baird and Billie Eilish’s London Overheated Festival and participated in the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) as part of the SHE Changes Climate initiative. Later, she delivered a keynote address during the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt on Designing for Sustainability, and chaired the closing ceremony for 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
Samata holds advisory and mentorship roles at Cambridge University’s Institute of Sustainability Leadership. She has spoken at prestigious institutions like Yale School of the Environment, Berkeley, and SXSW Eco. Her expertise led her to be invited to Number 10 Downing Street to address two British Prime Ministers on sustainability, business, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, in 2020, Cambridge University selected Samata to champion their ‘Future We Want initiative’ for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and she provided insights for the inaugural IPBES Global Biodiversity Podcast – Nature Insight.
In 2021, Samata earned recognition as one of the Top 100 Women in the ‘Green Women Power List 100′ by LOHAS Magazine for her impactful work in driving sustainable change. She shares this honor with distinguished individuals like Jane Goodall, Susan Rockefeller, Marina Abramović, Lil Miquela, Clare Farrell of Extinction Rebellion, and Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu of UNFCCC.
On the board of The Hollywood Climate Summit, Samata holds the distinction of being a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and contributes to Rothys’ sustainability council, focusing on the correlation between biodiversity, climate, and apparel production. As a published author (THE TRIBE Empowerment Journal 2018, The Fashion Designer’s Resource Book – Bloomsbury Publishing 2013), Samata delivered her inaugural TED talk, hosted the Global Fashion Agenda | Copenhagen Fashion Summit, and chaired the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards in Milan in 2023.
“Culture is a definitive turning point when it comes to driving sustainability, and I understand it deeply and powerfully. We are here to unapologetically get the work done that we have seen is not getting done.
My passion has always been to bridge the gap and help people recognise that they have always been part of the sustainability conversation. I work to cast a spotlight on culture and help people establish connections with sustainability based on their own experiences. It is particularly vital to me that a diverse range of black creatives and women of colour can form a visible, safe, respected, and active part of the industries we are so passionately engaged in working to protect.”
Samata
Mission & Values
Mission Statement
Bridging perspectives from Los Angeles to London, BLACK PEARL pushes for diverse cultural perspectives across environmental and social pursuits across design, fashion, music, entertainment and education. Recognising culture as the tapestry defining communities’ lifestyles, values, traditions and beliefs, we are a pioneering organisation fusing thoughtful cultural insights with sustainable practices to uplift both people and planet.
Key ValuesInterconnected Harmony We embody the synergistic relationship between people, nature, and wildlife – an interconnected system akin to minerals, rocks, soil, and water that allows all life to flourish. Our vision is an inclusive world where diverse individuals coexist with the natural environment, weaving a collective narrative.
Authentic Origins Standing on our word means being true to our origins and recognizing that every individual’s story is connected to this planet we all call home. We look back to these authentic roots to move forward with integrity.
Unconventional Innovation As outliers who embrace unconventionality, we leverage an innovative, open mindset to reimagine possibilities. We create bold work outside constraining norms, painting on a fresh canvas rather than seeking acceptance within existing boxes.The BLACK PEARL Lens
Akin to the nuanced hues of Tahitian black pearls, BLACK PEARL looks beyond surface-level sustainability to deeply understand its nuances through cultural lenses. Our work ensures diverse communities see themselves authentically reflected by applying our unique Pioneering, Expert, Accessible, Rare, and Luxury (PEARL) lens.
Pioneering
Guided by cultural diversity’s rich tapestry, BLACK PEARL infuses pioneering spirit with global perspective understanding. We fearlessly explore new horizons, delivering cutting-edge solutions that harmonise people, planet and culture.
Expert
With a diverse team deeply rooted in various cultures, we blend our wealth of knowledge and experiences, and those of our community. Our pride lies in mastering our craft, and the broad and deep pursuit of knowledge.
Accessible
We ensure accessible sustainable solutions and platforms for representative communities as experts, removing barriers. We provide opportunities for all to positively impact people and planet with uncompromising excellence in sustainability efforts.
Rare
Our curated work across design, fashion, music, entertainment and education mirrors global communities’ uniqueness and their world. We push for diverse representation, making space for unique stories to inspire.
Luxury
For BLACK PEARL, luxury equates to meticulous detail, durable solutions, dedicated community belonging, and personalised sustainable experiences – an unwavering commitment to enduring quality, not mere monetary value.
Articles
Gathering Spaces and Sustainable Development: A Historical and Cultural Perspective
Gathering Spaces and Sustainable Development: A Historical and Cultural Perspective
Ensuring Accurate Understanding of ‘Indigenous’ in Creative Industries for Effective Representation
Ensuring Accurate Understanding of ‘Indigenous’ in Creative Industries for Effective Representation
The Devil Wears Prada Prepares for a Return: A Chance to Address Sustainable Fashion and Representation
The Devil Wears Prada Prepares for a Return: A Chance to Address Sustainable Fashion and Representation
Build Community
We believe in the power of community engagement and invite you to be part of this exciting journey. Connect with us to join our growing community, or to find out more about how BLACK PEARL can work to support you through education, collaboration or story-telling!
We truly believe different cultural perspectives really matter in the sustainability landscape.
Keen to build community, we sit on the board for:
Quinsera
Quinsera is an online sustainable fashion community information hub aiming to redefine the Ghanaian fashion industry through the female lens. Quinsera exists to drive sustainability at the core of Ghanaian fashion businesses through the provision of women-led novel sustainability information and education.
Hollywood Climate Summit
The Hollywood Climate Summit is an annual multi-day conference that creates a community space for thousands of cross-sector entertainment and media professionals to take action on climate.
We love the work these organisations do:
Support+Feed
Founded in 2020 by Maggie Baird, mother of Grammy Award-winning artists Billie Eilish and Finneas, Support+Feed is committed to mitigating climate change and increasing food security by driving global demand, acceptance, and accessibility of plant-based food. Support+Feed has reached 41 cities globally, has a consistent presence in eleven anchor cities in the US, and is now expanding through partnerships in the EU, UK, and Australia.
