About Us

WHO IS BUILT LIKE KINGS

Built Like Kings is more than a clothing brand, it’s a movement rooted in Black excellence, resilience, and royalty. Born from pain, purpose, and pride, we honor the legacy of our ancestors and the brilliance of our culture through every stitch, design, and drop.

We represent the spirit of those who rise from the block to the boardroom, from the struggle to the throne. Every piece we create is a reminder that we come from greatness, we move with power, and we speak with the voice of a people who have always been more than enough.

Whether it’s bold streetwear inspired by New Orleans’ flavor, or poetic tributes to the young queens and kings rising every day our mission is simple:

To wear our truth. To uplift our people. To reign with pride.

This is fashion with a message. Style with a purpose.

We are Built Like Kings. And so are you.

 

The Logo

 

The Symbol of Strength — Our Logo Explained

The Built Like Kings logo is more than a design — it’s a declaration of legacy, resilience, and royalty. Every element in this symbol carries deep cultural meaning and reflects the spirit of who we are and what we stand for.

🔴 The Red Stripe

A bold red stripe runs down the lion’s face — echoing the sacred war paint worn by ancient Zulu warriors. It symbolizes:

  • Sacrifice

  • Resistance

  • The bloodline of kings and queens who came before us

🦁 The Lion Face – A Zulu Warrior Mask

At the heart of the logo is a stylized lion’s face shaped like a Zulu warrior mask, honoring the strength, strategy, and spiritual depth of Africa’s fiercest defenders. The lion represents:

  • Courage and leadership

  • Royal power and protection

  • A voice that roars through oppression

🖤 The Black Mane

The sharp, jagged black mane embodies:

  • Unapologetic Black identity

  • Boldness in the face of struggle

  • Unbreakable presence and energy

💚 The Green Accents

Two green blades emerge from the crown of the mane, representing:

  • Growth

  • Abundance

  • The lush beauty of the African homeland

👑 The Crown with “BLK”

At the top sits a gold crown etched with “BLK” — the initials of Built Like Kings. It reflects:

  • Royalty that cannot be bought or borrowed

  • A crown earned through survival, purpose, and pride

  • The elevation of the Black legacy — past, present, and future

❤️🖤💚 The Colors of African Pride

The logo is built on the powerful Pan-African color triad:

  • Red – the blood of our ancestors and the fire of our resistance

  • Black – our people, our identity, our pride

  • Green – the richness of the land and the growth of our future

This is not just a logo. It’s our shield. Our voice. Our crown.

When you wear Built Like Kings, you don’t just wear fashion —

you wear the story of a people who never stopped rising.

 

Mission Statement

Wear your crown. Walk in your power.

Built Like Kings exists to uplift and empower the Black community through fashion that speaks truth, honors our legacy, and reflects the royalty within us all. We design bold, intentional pieces rooted in cultural pride, spiritual strength, and generational excellence.

This isn’t just streetwear it’s a movement, a reminder that we come from kings and queens, and we are building dynasties of our own.

 

Origin Story

 

Born from pain. Built on purpose. Created in her honor.


James McDonald, born & raised in Detroit, MI graduate of Hampton University and long time Manager at Enterprise Rent A Car; changed his life forever after losing his wife to Brain Cancer in March 2025. After a four year battle he made a vow to carry the shared vision that he & his wife had forward. Her strength during her battle with cancer led them to a holistic, conscious lifestyle and opened his eyes to the power of living with intention.

Built Like Kings began as a tribute to her, to our culture, to the resilience that lives in us. Every design is a reflection of our truth:

We are more than survivors we are creators. Innovators. Royalty.

From the little Black girl with barrettes looking toward the horizon, to the young king holding his head high in a world built to break him this brand is for them. For us. For the ancestors.

For the culture. For the legacy. For the crown.