Tremaine Emory approaches fashion as a form of memory, carrying history, emotion, and responsibility, with a perspective that blends global systems with a focus on African Diaspora history. His work treats clothing as a site of meaning, where culture, politics, and lived experience intersect.

In 2019, he launched Denim Tears to mark the 400th anniversary of slavery in America, using fashion to explore the history and legacy of the African diaspora. The project made a clear statement by working with cotton and denim to confront the materials’ histories rather than treating them as neutral, with the cotton wreath becoming an enduring symbol of remembrance and accountability.

With the introduction of Denim Tears’ first in-house denim program, Emory reinforced his commitment to authorship and process. Across his work, clothing functions as a vehicle for truth-telling, grounding design in people, history, and cultural moments.