Handbag Designer Brandon Blackwood Joins Mayor Mamdani's New York Business Advisory Council

Brandon Blackwood, the founder and CEO of Brandon Blackwood New York, has been named to Mayor Zohran Mamdani's newly established Business Advisory Council, a 15-member group of executives tasked with advising the city on economic matters (WWD).

The council will meet quarterly with Mamdani and Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su, according to WWD. It brings together leaders from fashion, food, sport, consumer goods and technology — a roster designed to span the breadth of New York City's economy.

Alongside Blackwood, the members include Kruti Patel Goyal, CEO of the handmade-goods marketplace Etsy; the chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson; Keia Clarke, CEO of the WNBA's New York Liberty; and Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of the yoghurt company Chobani (WWD). The full complement of 15 executives was assembled as Mamdani sought to build a standing channel between City Hall and the private sector. The New York Times reported on August 26 that the mayor had persuaded more than a dozen executives to join (New York Times), while The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that a 15-member council of CEOs and executives was expected (Wall Street Journal).

Mamdani was sworn in as mayor on January 1, 2026, having previously served in the New York State Assembly representing the 36th District, which covers Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway and Astoria Heights in Queens (nyc.gov).

For Blackwood, the appointment places a New York-born accessories label at the policy table. His company, Brandon Blackwood New York, is best known for its handbags and small leather goods — a category that sits squarely inside the city's garment and accessories trade, an industry long central to its manufacturing and retail identity. The council gives that sector a direct line to a mayor who built his political career on economic-justice issues.

The council's quarterly cadence means the first meetings will fall in the early months of Mamdani's first term, a period when his administration is setting priorities across housing, transit and labour policy. Whether fashion and garment manufacturing surface as specific agenda items will depend on what the members bring to the table.

What gives the roster its character is its range. A yoghurt founder, a basketball executive, a celebrity chef and a handbag designer share no obvious business line. They share a city — and, for the next four years, a standing invitation to shape how it is run.