The Emergence of a Revolutionary Label
Founding a Movement Beyond Fashion
Founded by Ev Bravado (formerly known for his eponymous brand "Murder Bravado") and Téla D’Amore, Who Decides War (WDW) is more than a fashion label—it’s a social commentary stitched into fabric. Launched in 2019, the New York-based brand rapidly gained attention for its ability to balance craftsmanship, raw storytelling, and community-driven ideology. Emerging from the underground fashion scene, WDW is deeply entrenched in themes of spirituality, redemption, and societal resistance. With each release, the brand challenges viewers and wearers alike to reconsider what they know about war—not just in the military sense, but in the war for identity, justice, and creativity.
Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore come from creative backgrounds rooted in both art and activism. Their combined vision for WDW is born from a desire to reflect their truths, particularly as Black creatives in an industry long dominated by Eurocentric ideals. Through fashion, they explore suffering and redemption, inequality and transformation—often referencing biblical motifs, historic injustices, and modern battles for human rights. It’s fashion for the thinking mind, and it’s unapologetically emotional.
The name Who Decides War itself is a provocation—a demand for introspection. It invites the public to ask not just who, but why, how, and for what purpose war (in all its forms) is waged. Whether on denim or in their conceptual runways, the brand insists on engaging the political through the artistic.
Design Philosophy: Streetwear as a Canvas for Protest
Layering Messages, Materials, and Meanings
What separates WhoDecidesWar from the sea of contemporary streetwear is its masterful approach to storytelling through textile. The garments often feature heavy distressing, hand-painted details, embroidery, and religious iconography. The use of patchwork denim—often deconstructed and reassembled into abstract yet wearable forms—has become one of their most recognizable design signatures. These aren’t just design choices; they are metaphors for broken systems and pieced-together identities.
In many ways, the brand’s aesthetic feels post-apocalyptic yet deeply sacred. Hoodies and jeans might be adorned with crosses, angels, or biblical verses, suggesting a deeper quest for salvation in a world plagued by chaos. At times, the pieces evoke battlefield relics—tattered yet proud, resilient through wear and time. This distressed elegance is not accidental; it's a conscious dialogue with pain, healing, and survival.
Perhaps one of the most powerful elements of WDW's design approach is its intentional imperfection. Each garment feels like a living document—alive with messages, scars, and beauty. From bleach treatments that resemble war wounds to vivid color gradients that mimic divine light, every piece is loaded with intention. It's fashion that forces you to pause, decode, and confront uncomfortable truths.
Moreover, Bravado and D’Amore have infused WDW with a commitment to sustainability and slow fashion. Rather than chase trends, they aim to create heirloom pieces—garments that can be worn, cherished, and passed on. In an industry obsessed with speed and disposability, WDW opts for reflection and longevity.
Spiritual and Political Influences
Faith, Fire, and the Fight for Justice
At the heart of Who Decides War is a spiritual tension that elevates the brand beyond fashion into the realm of modern mythology. Bravado has frequently spoken about his Christian faith, which appears prominently in collections through references to scripture, heaven and hell, angels, and divine justice. These elements serve not only as artistic motifs but also as philosophical anchors in the brand’s storytelling.
But WDW’s spirituality isn’t limited to personal faith—it’s a tool for navigating a broken world. The biblical allusions are not simply decorative; they are reframed to critique societal oppression, racial injustice, and systemic violence. In the WDW universe, the apocalypse isn’t some distant event—it’s now. The judgment is real, and the garments are its testimony.
Political protest, too, is deeply woven into the brand's fabric. Collections have spotlighted the struggles of marginalized communities, addressed police brutality, and questioned the cost of American imperialism. In many ways, each piece is a wearable protest sign. Bravado once described WDW’s clothing as “armor for the modern world”—an apt metaphor for a time when fashion and resistance are inseparable.
The brand’s work frequently draws from the aesthetics of civil rights movements, using rawness and rebellion to underline urgency. It reclaims streetwear’s rebellious roots, aligning more with punk and protest art than commercial trends. While other brands may dabble in political aesthetics, WDW lives and breathes its messages, often putting Black and Brown voices front and center—not as tokens, but as authors of the narrative.
The Art of the Runway: Immersive Experiences and Storytelling
Beyond the Catwalk: Creating Sacred Spaces
WDW’s presentations during New York Fashion Week have become legendary for their intensity, theatricality, and immersive storytelling. Far from traditional catwalks, these shows resemble living altars—complete with gospel choirs, stained glass lighting, and visceral soundtracks that stir emotional response. They are sermons in motion, each model a prophet delivering a fragmented gospel of pain, pride, and power.
One of the most iconic shows, "From the Eyes of God," transformed a Brooklyn church into a runway. Models walked beneath cathedral ceilings wearing pieces that looked like holy relics, reimagined through the lens of postmodern Black futurism. Another show, “American Hell,” showcased garments riddled with bullet holes and soaked in symbolism—blending the horror of American violence with sacred imagery in a chilling confrontation.
These aren’t just fashion shows—they are performances, rituals, and sometimes even exorcisms. They force attendees to engage not only with fashion but with conscience. It’s this commitment to immersive artistry that has earned WDW praise not just in fashion circles, but among cultural critics, artists, and activists alike.
In a world where fashion often feels empty or transactional, WDW’s runways remind audiences that clothes can still shake souls. The line between art and activism disappears, and what remains is something closer to a shared catharsis.
Collaborations, Community, and Cultural Impact
Building Bridges Across Art and Identity
Who Decides War has never operated in isolation. Collaboration is central to their ethos, and their partnerships reflect a genuine desire to amplify voices, not just build hype. From working with Off-White and Nike to linking up with underground musicians and visual artists, WDW situates itself within a broad tapestry of creative resistance.
One of the brand’s most meaningful collaborations came in the form of customized denim for Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton shows. The partnership was less about aesthetics and more about mutual respect between visionaries who viewed fashion as culture-making. Abloh’s support helped catapult WDW into a wider audience, but the brand remained rooted in its principles.
WDW also actively nurtures young creatives through mentorship, community events, and open dialogue. Bravado and D’Amore frequently speak about giving back—both to their peers and to the communities that inspire their work. Whether it’s hosting workshops for Black youth or collaborating with local NYC artists, their model of success is communal, not competitive.
Their cultural impact is further seen in music, where artists like Playboi Carti, Westside Gunn, and Kanye West have sported WDW garments as emblems of creative rebellion. When icons of hip-hop wear WDW, it signals a shift—a recognition that fashion doesn’t need to be sanitized to be successful. It can be loud, confrontational, and drenched in meaning.
In doing so, WDW redefines what a fashion brand can be. It’s not just a label—it’s a language spoken through art, protest, and collective imagination.
Legacy in the Making: Fashion as a Tool for Liberation
The Long Road to Redefining American Luxury
As Who Decides War continues to rise, it’s clear the brand is creating more than just clothing—they’re building a movement. In contrast to mainstream fashion’s often exploitative and trend-chasing tendencies, WDW insists on depth, dialogue, and dignity. They don’t design for algorithms or commercial cycles; they design for memory, for revolution, for healing.
The question of legacy is important here. What will WDW be remembered for? Perhaps it’s their uncompromising commitment to storytelling. Perhaps it’s the way they brought the sacred into the secular. Or perhaps it’s the armor they gave a generation of dreamers, rebels, and visionaries.
WDW challenges the traditional narratives of American luxury. Their pieces don’t just sit on hangers—they haunt, empower, and educate. They push back against the sanitized minimalism that dominates high fashion and instead embrace maximalist honesty. For every patch, burn, and cross, there is a story—a soul. This is luxury not because of price tags, but because of purpose.
In this way, WDW aligns with the great tradition of Black art in America: turning pain into beauty, oppression into resistance, invisibility into power. Their runway is a battlefield, their garments are scripture, and their legacy is being written in real time.
Whether they are viewed as fashion designers, cultural historians, or spiritual cartographers, one thing is certain—Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore are changing the game. They’re not just asking who decides war—they’re answering it, with needle, thread, and fire.