• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Fashion

Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style

Ashley Walker is on a mission to break the chains of the past and celebrate the culture through fashion.
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
By Dominique Hobdy · Updated October 23, 2020

Black creators are setting the trends, moving the needle and informing where the worlds of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle are headed. In our series, Shop Black, we talk to entrepreneurs about their journeys, their brands and the realities of being Black business owners. Through ‘Shop Black’ you’ll be introduced to some game-changing style stars and have the opportunity to shop and support their work.

Words have immense power, especially those rooted in oppression, and designers like Ashley Walker are banking on our ability to take that power back. Started in 2017 by the Howard University graduate, Leimert Park Threads is a reflection of Walker’s love for the Black diaspora. Using the loaded word “colored” throughout his line, Walker is not shying away from controversy. ESSENCE caught up with the designer at the 2019 Essence Festival to chat about his journey thus far and where Leimert Park Threads is headed.

Name: Ashley Walker

Location: California, USA

Website: https://leimertparkthreads.com/

Instagram: @leimertparkthreads

Tell us a bit about your journey to Leimert Park Threads:
Leimert Park Threads started in late 2017 as a love letter to the culture. My mission has always been to raise awareness with people of color and to create an opportunity for conversation. When deciding to put “Colored” on a shirt I knew that it was controversial, but I also knew it could be a catalyst for a cultural shift. 

I chose the word “Colored” as an introductory clothing franchise for my brand because it represented an era within the black experience here in America when our community was at its strongest. We were self-sufficient and demanded civil rights – our equality was non-negotiable. The negative connotation for the word comes from the era, but it represents power. 

If we as a people could embrace a word like “Colored,” which is weighted with so much negative emotion during a time of strife, it could be a chance to clear some dark clouds and replace it with self-love and admiration for people of color around the world. 


Describe Your Brand with a song title:
If Leimert Park Threads was a song title it would be “Army Arrangement” by Fela Kuti. 

What has been your biggest victory thus far?
For me, my biggest victory has been continuing to push for forward once starting the brand. My clothes have been featured on Insecure, Chadwick Bozeman, Beyoncé, Lena Waithe and other influencers of color. The true victory for me is following through on an idea regardless of other peoples opinions and trusting that my vision for the brand is positive and necessary to move our people and our thoughts forward. 

Advice to aspiring designers?
My advice to young designers is:
– JUMP! You’ve got to be able to take the risk, be prepared to fail and get back up again. 
– Have confidence in your creativity regardless of what others have to say. 
– Surround yourself with a group of people who inspire you. 

Who or what has been your biggest creative inspiration?
My biggest creative inspiration is the world around me. I can be inspired by literally everything and anything. 

Favorite pieces from your current line?

For Essence Festival I created a collection of repurposed French workwear. This was meant to be a commentary on people of color in the workforce. I decided to embellish the workwear with African fabric, beading and vintage table clothes featuring the mammy caricature adored and honored by changing her clothes and adding accents or royalty like headdresses.

01
The Reclamation Dad Cap, $30
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park
available at Leimert Park $30 Shop Now
02
Colored Tie-Dye Crop Top, $45
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park
available at Leimert Park $45 Shop Now
03
Endurance Heritage Work-Shirt, $175
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park Threads
available at Leimert Park Threads $175 Shop Now
04
Afro Future Plain Tee, $65
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park
available at Leimert Park $65 Shop Now
05
Cropped Colored Jersey, $52
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park Threads
available at Leimert Park Threads $52 Shop Now
06
Faded Afro-Futurism Cap, $35
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park Threads
available at Leimert Park Threads $35 Shop Now
07
Mix-Match Heritage Scarf, $85
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park Threads
available at Leimert Park Threads $85 Shop Now
08
Neon Varsity Colored Tee, $40
Shop Black: This Brand Is Healing Old Wounds With Forward-Thinking Style
Leimert Park Threads
available at Leimert Park Threads $40 Shop Now
TOPICS:  2019 essence festival colored essence festival fashion leimert park threads shop black
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now