A reflection from Dominique Macklin, founder of Artfull Empire Designs I want to tell you about a piece of art that refused to stay still. It started, like most of my work does, as a mixed-media piece—layers of texture, paint, and meaning built up the way memory itself is built, one stratum at a time. I wasn’t setting out to design a t-shirt or launch a collection. I was trying to answer a question that had been sitting on my chest for a long time: how do we hold our history and our humanity in the same hand? That question led me to two words I have carried with me for years—Sankofa and Ubuntu. The Bird Facing Backward, Walking Forward Sankofa comes from the Akan people of Ghana. It’s often pictured as a bird with its feet planted forward and its head turned back toward its tail, reaching for an egg, or as a stylized heart. The literal translation is “go back and fetch it.” I have always loved that image because it isn’t about being stuck in the past. It’s about retrieval. It’s about understanding that you cannot build a resilient future on a foundation you never examined. When I sat down to create the artwork that would become Urgent Message, I kept coming back to that bird. I thought about my own Wolof heritage, about the ancestors whose names I may never know but whose survival made my existence possible. Sankofa permitted me to look backward without shame and without getting lost there — to retrieve wisdom, not just grief. To ground myself in identity so I could move forward with something sturdier than trends or trauma. The Pulse Underneath It All But Sankofa alone felt incomplete. A map tells you where you’ve been, but it doesn’t tell you how to walk together. That’s where Ubuntu entered the picture—a Nguni Bantu philosophy that translates roughly to “I am because we are.” Ubuntu rejected everything I’d been taught about the isolated, self-made individual. It insisted, instead, that my humanity is bound up in yours. That to lift someone else is to lift myself. That we are not separate threads floating in space but fibers woven into one tapestry—and what happens to one of us ripples through all of us. So the artwork became a conversation between these two philosophies: Sankofa, the wisdom of looking back, and Ubuntu, the heartbeat that keeps us moving forward together. One gave me roots. The other gave me rhythm. Where the Raised Fist Comes In The piece needed one more element to bridge reflection and action—because remembering our history means nothing if it stays silent. That’s when the raised fist holding a microphone entered the composition. It became the visual hinge of the whole piece: Sankofa is the quiet, essential work of looking inward; the fist and mic are the moment that wisdom becomes voice. I wasn’t just making something to look at. I was making something that said, “We are called not merely to remember the past, but to amplify it. The layered textures in the piece—paint over paint, material over material—became a metaphor for exactly that: laying the lessons of our ancestors onto the urgent issues of today so that history stops being a silent record and becomes a living tool for change. That’s why I named it Urgent Message. Because it was never meant to just hang on a wall; it was meant to speak. And Then Someone Asked for a Shirt Here’s the part of the story I love telling most. I never planned for Urgent Message to become a fashion line. It was a physical mixed-media art piece—something meant to be witnessed, sat with, maybe hung in a home or a gallery. But a customer saw it and asked me a question I wasn’t expecting: “Can I wear this?” She wanted the piece on a t-shirt. Not a print of it, not a reference to it — she wanted to carry it. She wanted Sankofa’s bird and Ubuntu’s pulse, and that raised fist close to her own body, moving through the world with her. That request cracked something open for me. I realized the message wasn’t meant to stay still in a frame. If Ubuntu teaches us that we are interconnected, then the art itself needs to move through the community the way people do—on backs, on chests, into rooms I would never personally enter. A t-shirt could carry the message further than a canvas ever could. So I took the piece through a technical transformation—from physical, textured mixed media into a precise digital format—without losing the soul of it. The tactile, layered look you see in the final designs is intentional. I wanted you to still feel the brushstrokes, the built-up materials, even in fabric. That fusion of ancestral heritage and modern technical execution is exactly what Artfull Empire Designs stands for: bridging the old and the new so that neither one gets lost. That one customer request became the seed for what is now the full Urgent Message Design Collection—a Sovereign Apparel line where every piece asks you to remember, to connect, and to speak. More Than Fabric I think of Urgent Message as artfull—nourishment for the senses and the soul, not just something to look good in. When you wear it, you’re wearing a philosophy: that your history matters, that your voice matters, and that neither of those things exist in isolation from the people around you. We are all threads in one tapestry. We are all part of one family, collectively responsible for one another and for this earth. Sankofa asks us to go back and fetch our history. Ubuntu reminds us we are because we are together. And the raised fist reminds us that once we know that truth, staying silent is no longer an option. That’s the urgent message. I’m honored it found a body to live on, and I’m even more honored that it started with someone simply asking to carry

By Dominique Macklin I have always known I wanted to be a designer. Long before I was visualizing collections or building a brand, I was communicating through cloth, color, and cut. Born and raised in the heart of Detroit, my creative vision was forged in a city that embodies resilience, innovation, and unwavering spirit. Today, my mission is simple: I create inspirational designs crafted to uplift, empower, and ignite positive action in the people who wear them. From Childhood Stitches to Custom Closets My fashion journey wasn’t a sudden discovery; it was a lifelong calling nurtured from a very young age. Surrounded by the vibrant textures and patterns of the fabric store where my mother worked, my fascination with textiles was encouraged early on. Age 10: I began learning the rhythm of the sewing machine, taking my first steps into garment construction. Middle School: While other kids were shopping off the rack, I was designing and making my own clothes, treating the school hallways as my first runway. Today: I blend decades of self-taught craftsmanship with digital design to create wearable art that speaks volumes. Grounded in Detroit, Rooted in Wolof Heritage My aesthetic is a dialogue between my hometown environment and my ancestral lineage. Growing up in Detroit instilled a sense of grit, raw authenticity, and community pride into my work. Parallel to that urban energy is the profound influence of my Wolof roots. The Wolof culture—historically known for its vibrant artistry, intricate craftsmanship, and strong community ties—serves as an anchor for my designs. By merging the bold, unapologetic energy of Detroit with the rich, storytelling elements of my West African heritage, I create apparel that is both modern and timeless. The Brand Pillars: More Than Just Apparel   Design Mission How It Manifests in the Apparel Uplift Utilizing dynamic colors, comfortable fits, and compelling text-based designs to elevate your daily mindset. Empower Creating bold silhouettes and culturally resonant motifs that remind you of your personal power and heritage. Inspire Action Designing statement pieces that spark conversations and encourage community building and creativity. Every piece I design is created with intention. When you wear my collections, you carry a specific energy with you.Whether you are looking to express your own story or simply find apparel that resonates with your spirit, my designs are crafted to move you forward. Frequently Asked Questions Who is the designer behind Artfull Empire Designs? Artfull Empire Designs is created by Dominique Macklin, a Detroit artist and designer whose work blends the city’s raw, resilient energy with the rich artistry of her Wolof heritage. As a Detroit artist and designer, she translates that story into inspirational apparel designed to uplift, empower, and inspire action. What inspires the designs? As a Detroit artist and designer, every design draws from a dialogue between two worlds: the grit and community pride of growing up in Detroit, and the storytelling and intricate craftsmanship of West African Wolof culture. The result is apparel meant to uplift, empower, and inspire action in the people who wear it. What makes Artfull Empire Designs different from other streetwear brands? Each piece is created with intention, not just aesthetics. Rather than following trends, the collections are built around three brand pillars — Uplift, Empower, and Inspire Action — using bold silhouettes, culturally resonant motifs, and text-based designs that spark conversation and reflect personal power. Are the pieces on this site handmade? No, the ready-to-wear pieces on artfullempiredesigns.com are not handmade. For handmade art and bags by Detroit artist and designer Dominique Macklin, visit dominiquemacklin.com. For custom apparel, visit shop.artfullempiredesigns.com. Who is Artfull Empire Designs apparel made for? The collections are made for anyone looking to express their own story, celebrate their heritage, or wear apparel that carries meaning. Whether you’re drawn to the Detroit energy, the Wolof-inspired artistry, or the empowering messaging, each piece is designed to move you forward. Where can I shop the collections? Ready-to-wear collections by Detroit artist and designer Dominique Macklin are available at shop.artfullempiredesigns.com, with new Detroit- and Wolof-inspired pieces released regularly. For handmade art and bags, shop directly at dominiquemacklin.com.   Dominique Macklin Mixed-Media Artist, Designer, and Poet Join me on my artfull journey. Shop Custom Apparel Handmade by Dominique Macklin The Artfull Ethernet Artfull Inspirations