Why Representation Matters in the Apparel Industry: A Love Letter to Black Women

Representation in the apparel industry isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. It’s power. It’s visibility. It’s healing.

As the founder and designer of Designs by MTK, my mission is personal. I didn’t create this brand for the sake of fashion trends or fast-money T-shirts. I created it to celebrate, empower, and support Black women. Period. Because for far too long, we’ve been the blueprint—yet treated like an afterthought.

The Fashion Industry’s Blind Spot

Let’s be honest: the fashion industry has a history—one that often tells us we’re too dark, too loud, too curvy, too “ghetto,” too much. Meanwhile, the very culture we create is stolen, watered down, and repackaged by others who don’t share our lived experience. Our hairstyles, our slang, our confidence, our rhythm, our curves—plastered on runways and Instagram feeds without giving credit where it’s due.

And if we do see someone who looks like us? She’s often the exception, not the standard. Fashion has glorified Eurocentric beauty—thin bodies, pale skin, and straight hair—while sidelining the real trendsetters: us. The erasure is exhausting. The impact is real.

But here’s what they don’t want to admit: Black women have always been at the center of style and culture. From music to fashion to beauty, we are not just part of the conversation—we start it.

We’re Not Waiting for a Seat—We’re Building the Whole Table

At Designs by MTK, we refuse to shrink ourselves to fit into someone else’s mold. Instead, we’re building a brand that makes space for the full, unapologetic presence of Black women—every shade, every size, every story. Our designs don’t whisper—they speak loudly the truths we’ve always known but weren’t always allowed to say.

Take our “Thick Thighs Save Lives” shirt—it’s more than a cute slogan. It’s a celebration of our bodies, our strength, and the way our curves have always been beautiful, long before they were trendy on social media.

Or our “Black Mixed with Black” design—a bold affirmation of identity in a world that constantly tries to water us down. It’s a reminder that being Black is enough. More than enough. It’s everything.

These aren’t just T-shirts. They are declarations. They are armor. They are love letters to Black women everywhere who deserve to see themselves front and center—not just in fashion, but in every industry.

The Future is Black. And It’s Beautiful.

Representation matters because when Black women see themselves celebrated, something shifts. We walk taller, dream bigger, love ourselves a little harder, and pass that power down to our daughters, our sisters, and our communities.

Designs by MTK is for the Black woman who has been overlooked and underestimated. It’s for the woman who’s always had to work twice as hard to be seen. It’s for the woman reclaiming her beauty, her voice, and her joy.

Because we’re not going anywhere, we are the culture. And it’s time the world catches up.

To every Black woman reading this:

You are worthy of being seen. You are already enough. You are not a trend—you are the truth. Designs by MTK was made with you in mind.

Let’s keep showing up. Loud. Proud. Unapologetically Black.

🤎

Melinda King

Designs by MTK