about black/francis

photo by Maria Ponce

black/francis is a full service communications and consulting firm serving the fashion and design industries.

We represent those who share our passion for innovation and beauty, enabling our clients to achieve the highest levels of commercial and artistic success.

The founding partners, April Francis and Heiji Choy Black, gravitated toward each other out of their mutual passion for good design, avant garde fashion and entrepreneurship. They share a combined 15-year history of international, national and local experience and as a result have a deep understanding of global excellence.

Heiji Choy Black

Heiji is a founding partner of black/francis.  She is committed to raising the profile of young designers and businesses in the fashion and design industry. Prior to launching Black/Francis, Heiji created and ran hejfina, a lifestyle boutique that featured avant garde fashion, curated works by local and international artists and furnishings by local furniture designers.  Her work has been featured in magazines such as New York Times Magazine, Lucky, GQ, Metropolitan Home, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Social, Nylon, Details, Vanity Fair, Time Out Chicago and City Magazine.

Her passion for art and design has also motivated her to become involved in various arts organizations in the city.  She is currently a board member of Marwen, a Chicago non-profit dedicated to educating underserved youth through the visual arts.

She received a BA in International Relations from Tufts University in 2000 and previously worked as a senior consultant at Bearingpoint in New York, NY and as a consultant at Siemens Financial Services in Munich, Germany.

April Francis

April is a founding partner of black/francis. She is committed to a mission of innovation and excellence in marketing, communications and aesthetics. Prior to launching black/francis, she earned a loyal following with her personal wardrobe styling service, The Haute Closet, and styling for agency Artists by Timothy Priano. Her work has been featured in Chicago Scene, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Social, Michigan Avenue, Chicago Magazine, Lucky and Real Simple.

Concurrently, April served as the creative force behind concept development and communications for Hyatt Pure, providing Hyatt International with brand strategy, spa concepting and a range of communications for Hyatt spa properties worldwide.

April is a 2004 graduate of The University of Michigan with a BA in English Language and Literature.