By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
Get our newsletter
ROCKFORD — In the hour before Rockford City Market begins, Taylor Lukowski hangs up T-shirts decorated with her original designs and hand-printed messages such as “Empathy for all,” or “Women are powerful.”
It’s a weekly ritual for Lukowski, a 20-year-old artist turned entrepreneur who blends her design work and advocacy in her business, Triple T Creation Co.
Lukowski’s foray into clothing design started because she didn’t like her high school’s spirit wear, but now it’s much more. She envisions her business as a safe space for every identity, and she uses her hand-drawn and hand-dyed designs to provide messages of empowerment and encouragement.
“She has this passion to change the world and spread love, kindness and equality,” friend and former classmate Madison Johnson said. “She puts her heart and soul into her work and everyone who supports her as well.”
This is Lukowski’s second year at Rockford City Market, and she said her business has grown largely.
More women in business: Vegan food truck in Rockford advocates for a plant-based, delicious diet
The Harlem High School graduate has a passion for creating art and found herself drawing designs she thought would fit well on T-shirts. She also holds a strong belief in activism and wanted to be able to advocate for minority groups in a creative way.
With her friends consistently requesting original pieces, Lukowski began to experiment with making clothing with unique designs and inclusive messages.
She officially launched Triple T Creation Co. on Instagram in December 2019 and did predominantly online orders during the onset of COVID-19.
Lukowski is the sole operator of her business, learning to hand-print from YouTube videos and continuous practice while working out of her parent’s home.
“Everything is just me and my basement,” Lukowski said.
(story continues below photo)
While she wanted to share her belief in advocacy, she also wanted to give back.
“I started realizing I could make art that people really liked on T-shirts, and I could also use the money that I made from it to go back to groups of oppression,” Lukowski said.
In June 2020, about a month after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked protests across the country, Lukowski created a collection of shirts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Customers who purchased those shirts were given an array of organizations to choose from and could donate the proceeds from the sale in their name. She’s also donated funds to Planned Parenthood, anti-bullying foundations, Palestine support organizations and other charitable causes.
Lukowski also created a collection to raise funds for Johnson, who was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in late October. Johnson recently went into remission.
“Where I looked at my life as falling apart, I was constantly reminded of the support that was around me. Still to this day, whenever I see anyone wearing anything Taylor made it makes me smile,” Johnson said. “I was blown away with the kindness from Taylor and the idea.”
More in Rockford: The ‘Season Worth Waiting For’ has arrived at Starlight Theatre in Rockford
Demand for Lukowski’s designs grew even more after joining the Rockford City Market vendor list in May 2021. This gave her the opportunity to connect and build relationships with customers in person.
“The support from the community has been insane, I never expected that,” Lukowski said. “Just making connections, talking to people and learning their life stories, that is so important to me.”
She describes her designs as bold, trendy pieces that take inspiration from ’70s fashion. But the most important element is making a statement.
“I want people to see my shirts and say ‘oh my gosh, what does your shirt say?'” Lukowski said.
Lukowski wants her pieces to turn heads and be fashionable, while still spreading awareness and acknowledging current world issues.
“If you look at her line, you can see her stance on equality for all and inclusion of the whole society,” Johnson said. “She is exactly like that in real life. Everything that she puts out in her business is genuinely how she views life and people.”
The end goal for Lukowski is a storefront, but for now she’s busy at Rockford City Market and other traveling market events.
More features: Meet Rockford’s accidental influencer: Jeniece Smith helps launch Tomboy X Pride prints
To celebrate Pride Month, Lukowski will have a variety of shirts with designs supporting the LGBTQ+ community with proceeds going to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization offering resources to anybody who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community.
Lukowski will also provide the opportunity to tie-dye Pride month T-shirts at her City Market table.
How to reach Triple T Creation Co.
Lukowski can be reached on Instagram @tripletcreationco or on her website at tripletcreation.co
This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent