Written by: Ariam Tessema
December 16th, 2024
When owning a clothing company, there are a plethora of factors you need to consider. Of course there are the obvious ones, like what your product looks like, feels like, if it is cool and different enough from what it is already out there. Subsequently, you are left with potentially bigger questions about what you want the clothing to say about your values and pillars, and if you are committed to reflecting them in an earnest way. EVERYTHING’s collaboration with Madaniya NYC checks off the latter box.
The old adage, “it’s a small world,” rings true here, as the first point of collaboration between the two teams was through mutual connections. Madaniya NYC is a collective devoted to raising awareness and money for the ongoing Sudan Civil War. This cause particularly hits close to home as EVERYTHING founder, Abdulalim Jemal, is of Eritrean descent. Neighboring country, Sudan, is one of the main places Eritreans fled to while seeking refuge during the Eritrean Independence War from 1961-1991. Inevitably, Sudan has suffered great physical devastation, as well an economic crisis stressing EVERYTHING’s desire to help and get involved. It feels only right to return the favor and highlight this humanitarian crisis how EVERYTHING knows best.
Originally, Madaniya NYC wanted to utilize EVERYTHING for production assistance on shirts. However, EVERYTHING provides clothing design and production as a service which leverages their in-house team, ultimately leveraging their expanded production network. So it only felt natural that EVERYTHING supported the design process and took on the full production workload on this collaboration. The designs were made, the date narrowed, and the venue booked but executing the production of 150 shirts presented itself as the next challenge for the team. Over the course of one weekend and 30 hours later, both Abdulalim and Merwan Jemal, EVERYTHING’s Director of Fashion Design, brought this vision to reality.
Just 3 weeks from the first meeting, on October 11, 2024, the Madaniya NYC team and the EVERYTHING team met in New York City to show the community what they had been creating. To help spread exposure, Madaniya NYC leveraged artists from Sudan and the Sudanese diaspora such as Sami Al Magrabi, Bas and DJ Moma. Shirts were made only available at the event and then made available online for a limited time. All proceeds going to the Sudan Solidarity Collective (@sudansolidaritycollective). This collective passion, coordination and organization paid off as there was an amazing turnout for such an exigent issue, generating $54,366 for the relief efforts in Sudan.
WHAT'S YOUR EVERYTHING
Photoshoot Production:
Creative Direction: @thisgirlfatuma
Photographer: @drefidalgo
Assistant lighting: @lil_vinny21