Thomas Sankara | Unisex Organic Oversized T-shirt

Material: 100% organic combed ring-spun cotton

Fabric weight: 200 g/m²

Fit: loose, with dropped shoulders

Set-in sleeves

1 × 1 ribbed neckline

Self-fabric neck tape at the inside back

The fabric of this product is certified for its organic cotton content.

To create this artwork, Joy drew inspiration from a photograph showing Sankara walking in military uniform alongside Blaise Compaoré.

Our first artistic liberty: we got rid of Blaise! 😉

But the most interesting part lies in the transformation of Sankara’s uniform.

While watching a documentary about African printed cloths, Joy learned that their patterns formed a genuine social language, used particularly by our mothers to convey messages, take a stand or express an idea in public.

One pattern especially caught her attention: “Conseiller”, meaning “Adviser”.

In the account she discovered, wearing this cloth meant embodying wisdom, maturity, sound judgement and trustworthiness. A way of showing that you are someone others can count on.

Joy then decided to replace Sankara’s military camouflage with the patterns of the “Conseiller” cloth.

THE MAN OF INTEGRITY
THOMAS SANKARA (1949–1987) — BURKINA FASO

Thomas Sankara, a Burkinabè revolutionary and visionary, was more than a powerful orator: he sought to reshape ways of living, acting and thinking about Black emancipation. As Burkina Faso’s leader, he introduced concrete, radical reforms: confronting corruption head-on, pursuing ambitious education and agricultural policies, promoting self-sufficiency and making women’s advancement a political priority.

Leading by example and through action, he gave the country a new momentum rooted in autonomy, dignity and social justice. His charismatic leadership left its mark on African political history and continues to inspire people far beyond Burkina Faso’s borders. Overthrown in a coup in 1987, Sankara left a powerful legacy, a symbol of an Africa able to determine its own future.