Princess Jenkins-Greene was inspired to enter the fashion world after watching Diana Ross play a fashion designer in the 1975 film Mahogany, and she acted quickly on her passion, founding her first fashion company, Jazz It Up, in Brooklyn in her early 20s. Following a lengthy career as a motivational speaker, entrepreneurial training consultant, and makeup artist, Ms. Jenkins-Greene reignited her love of fashion in 1998 when she founded The Brownstone in Harlem, a fashion retailer specializing in unique clothing inspired by Ms. Jenkins-Greene’s African-American heritage. 

Ms. Jenkins-Greene lived in Harlem for many years before opening The Brownstone, which she founded with the idea to be the type of boutique fashion retailer she herself wanted to see in her neighborhood. It turned out many others shared her view, and The Brownstone became a successful business and community staple. More than two decades after opening, Ms. Jenkins-Greene approached Renaissance in early 2023 seeking funding to further differentiate her products, and that April, she received $75,000 in financing to purchase inventory as well as a new embroidery machine.

She did not top there. On August 24, 2024, Ms. Jenkins-Greene celebrated the grand opening of her newest venture: Notable New York, a gift shop located, like The Brownstone, in Harlem. She described the shop as “a celebration of Harlem’s unique culture,” and to this end, it offers locally-crafted products including art pieces, jewelry – and of course, given her decades-long love, fashion accessories. Renaissance congratulates Ms. Jenkins-Greene on her new venture!

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