We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Makayla Hopkins-Davis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Makayla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope Broozi is remembered. Not so much for me, as the body behind Broozi but for how the art of Broozi made them feel. Even if those feelings might be negative, emotion and Broozi come together always. Intention always present. Experiences embedded in every thread. Broozi is a journey, a wave that I agreed to ride. But the community is always with me and that makes me feel connected more deeply than the transactions. It’s a community sharing space of love, growth, resources, time and energy. The community is forever growing and with that growth more community outreach and that’s probably going to be the legacy of Broozi. A legacy of love.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Broozi is a clothing brand, focused on reusing materials we already have to create a 1 of 1 unique art piece. Broozi puts quality over quantity and always has the softest garments. The earth comes first with Broozi, our mailers are compostable, the wrapping materials is made from recycled newspapers and all materials used are reused. As the artist behind the brand, it’s not the best for sales, yet! But, I make it work by accepting commission work and running a Broozi Embroidery service as well. You can find my products at BR-OOZI.COM and @_broozi on Instagram.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Broozi started as Broozie Threadz on Instagram. I met a friend at work after moving to Philly and they showed me how to sew, airbrush and the importance of reusing the clothes we already have instead of buying new and adding to the waste piling up in land fields. I didn’t think to make it business or even had a name for it, I just knew I wanted to keep sewing and putting my art & designs on clothes. So I hand sewed everyday until getting my first machine, and now having the ability to do embroidery opens creativity up to a complete other level. Broozi was my nickname as a kid and seemed fitting and unique enough to not have to worry if it was taken. Now, people call me it all the time, so much so, some don’t know my real name and I’m completely okay with it. Follow Broozi on Instagram @_broozi

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Small clothing brands often have “drops” where they share the work they’ve done for a specific collection. Well every drop is special and has a backstory to something I was experiencing. It’s a deep connection between me & each collection that it can be hard when the work isn’t perceived that same way by its viewers. That’s where the most of my resilience has built up lately. Right in that spot where you have to be so confident and sure of your craft and the ways in which it maneuvers that the lack of recognition for its glory doesn’t phase my feelings towards it. My biggest lesson as an artist I’ve had to learn.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://br-oozi.com/
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/_broozi/
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/br00zi/
• Linkedin: https://LinkedIn.com/in/makayla-Hopkins-Davis/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/_br00zi

Image Credits
Bucio Photo Tee Dadly Alexis