Today we’d like to introduce you to Ninmah Askia Wallace.
Hi Ninmah , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I became a small business owner in 2022, and I wish I could tell you that we went from surviving to thriving overnight—but that’s simply not our story.
I’ve always had a desire to create something meaningful—to serve others, make an impact, and leave people encouraged. I just didn’t know what that “something” would be. Graceful Threads became the answer to that prayer.
What began as an act of hesitant obedience—simply showing up each day and trusting God with the next step—has grown into our forth year of entrepreneurship. Today, we’re still praying, pursuing, learning, creating, and growing. While we haven’t reached every goal we’ve set for ourselves, we’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited about where God is leading us.
Our story isn’t one of overnight success; it’s a story of faith, perseverance, and choosing to keep showing up one day at a time. And I believe that’s where lasting growth is found.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. Building a small business has been one of the most rewarding and challenging journeys of my life. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. There have been long days, moments of self-doubt, financial challenges, learning curves, and seasons where I questioned whether I should keep going. Building a brand takes patience, consistency, and faith—especially when the growth doesn’t happen as quickly as you hoped.
But through every setback, God has remained faithful. Each challenge has strengthened my resilience, deepened my trust in Him, and reminded me that success isn’t just about reaching a destination—it’s about becoming the person He is shaping me to be along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Graceful Threads creates family-driven, faith-based apparel designed to encourage people to wear and share their faith with confidence. Every collection is inspired by Holy Scripture and created with the hope that each piece will spark conversations, offer encouragement, and remind people of God’s truth in their everyday lives.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the apparel we’ve created—it’s the impact we’ve been able to make through the brand. Hearing stories of people being encouraged, inspired, or able to share their faith because of something they wore is incredibly humbling. Knowing that God can use something as simple as a T-shirt to start meaningful conversations is what makes this journey worthwhile.
What sets Graceful Threads apart is our intentionality. We don’t create designs simply because they’re trending or popular. We prayerfully seek God’s direction and strive to release collections that align with what we believe He wants us to share in each season. Our goal has never been to follow trends—it’s to faithfully create apparel that points people to Christ.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories was visiting my Aunt Helen with my sister, Josie, every other weekend. She would pick us up from the Southside of Chicago and drive us along Lakeshore Drive to her home on the Northside of Chicago.
Those weekends felt like a sense of escape for me. They were my “vacations,” as my grandmother, who raised me, did not have the means to take us outside of Chicago. My aunt created special moments for us that allowed me to experience something different and gave me memories I still cherish today.
I remember the smell of fresh flowers in the spring, the warmth of the sun on my face during the summer, the golden leaves covering the sidewalks in front of her apartment building in the fall, and the inches of snow I would roll and play in during the winter. Every season brought a new memory, and those moments will forever hold a special place in my heart.
A special shoutout to my late Aunt Helen Ford. Thank you for creating those moments and showing me love in such a meaningful way. I love you and will always carry those memories with me.
Pricing:
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://shemadeyalook.shop
- Instagram: gracefulthreads20
- Facebook: shemadeyalook
- Other: TikTok: gracefulthreads20
