Enigami Studios: An Empire

© Ogechi Ochuba
Enigami Studios: it’s “imagine” spelled backwards. It’s also a company where consumers are encouraged to wear their imagination on their sleeves.
CEO’s Johnathan Shanklin, 20, and Kebba Mbye, 20, do not take this statement lightly. In fact, it is something they have integrated into their new clothing collection, #UniversalConscious, that was revealed on August 4 at Coze in Atlanta.
“We make sure we have a hidden message [in our designs],” Mbye said. “There is something behind every thing we make. We don’t want someone to automatically think, “This is nothing new…’. I love to think. Whenever I find an object that takes me a second to piece together exactly what it is, I feel a much closer bond to it in the end. I want to share that feeling with my consumers.”
Which is exactly what they do. With its bold colors, brash contrast, and stand-out designs, the Enigami brand is truly one of a kind. Each piece is carefully designed to speak to each consumer in a different way.
© Kebba Mbye
“We want people to think about how they are going to wear it like their own,” Mbye said. “We want them to express their imagination—their individuality.”
“It’s fun doing that,” Shanklin added. “It’s like that first day of school, finding something you love to wear and making it your own. We all know how big of a deal that is.”
Balancing their workload along with college, the duo spends their free time at the drawing tables, trying to develop designs that speak to a wider audience.
“I just want everybody to be wearing my clothes,” Shanklin said. “Whether it’s my 80-year-old grandma or a 16-year-old kid.”
Enigami is not just about clothing, though. Mbye and Shanklin have expanded the company to include music, sports, art, and entertainment. By managing several rappers and sponsoring international bands and local skateboarders, the company helps promote artists on the rise while building valuable connections and press for its own name.
“We definitely want to see our artists grow,” Shanklin said. “We really want to give back and just let people know this is all for them.”
Mbye and Shanklin have founded their company with their consumers being the central focus. Whether it’s a press release, an interview, or a personal statement from one of the two, their words are minimally edited, completely down-to-earth, and relatable.
“I love trying to redefine what business is supposed to be in America,” Shanklin said. “Everyone is supposed to be suit and tie. But I want you to think I am a regular person. No amount of money will ever change that.”
So by putting customers first, rapidly expanding their business to include new artists and entertainment platforms, and pushing the brink of abstraction and creativeness within their clothing line, Mbye and Shanklin are en route to transforming Enigami Studios into the vision they have had since the beginning.
“[I want] to build an empire that will change the lives of millions and give opportunities to many,” Shanklin said in a press release.
“The possibilities are endless,” Mbye said.
For more information, visit www.enigamistudios.com!
Featured image © Kebba Mbye