Rhesa Teesdale, creator of the faith-based streetwear brand Prophet | Envoy, is accustomed to packing up orders to send to his growing list of customers. After six years of building his brand, the 23-year-old Dorchester resident has developed a large following with his hoodies and t-shirts accented with Bible verses and Black luminaries like Maya Angelou.
This month, he’s sending his signature designs to the world’s fashion capital— Paris—to be featured on the runways at one of the Fashion Week shows on March 7.

Teesdale, who honed his business skills as a student at Babson College, said the opportunity is “surreal. I am delusionally confident that when people see my work in person, they’re going to want to work with me, whether it’s wholesale or getting in a couple of stores.” He visited Paris last year and came home convinced that he could get his big break in the industry.

Landing a spot on a Paris runway has long been Teesdale’s goal. His older brother and parents have been key advisors and boosters. His mother inspired him to sharpen his vision, suggesting that he use his love of fashion to sell T-shirts accented with Bible verses. 

“I said, ‘Mom, as much as I love the Lord, I don’t want to do that.’”

His friend Jorge Peña, a former classmate at City on a Hill Charter Public School, helped him conceive of the brand name— Prophet | Envoy— which means “messenger of good news,” a phrase aligned with Teesdale’s Christian values and, he says, a “universal” message of love and positivity. 

He also found inspiration at stores in his own neighborhood such as Expressions and Laced, and the casual wear he’d seen on the streets of the city.

It’s a “clean look,” an elevated version of a simple white tee. Inspired by his mother’s idea, Teesdale and Peña designed a T-shirt featuring a Bible verse in a circle. 

Once they solidified the design, they ordered a box of 25 Gildan T-shirts at a high price point and released the finished product during their first week at Babson College. Teesdale kept releasing new designs, hoodies, and varsity jackets throughout college and in the process gained social media traction. 

Eventually, Peña left the brand to allow Teesdale to execute his specific vision.

Teesdale said he studies trends to see how he can offer something unique to his customers. In July 2022, uniqueness came in the form of following the Big Head Tee trend – but by offering Tees depicting historical Black figures including Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Shirley Chisholm, and Ruby Bridges.

Teesdale’s upbringing in the church influenced him to release Tapestry Jackets, catapulting his brand. A friend from Rhode Island School of Design helped to inspire Teesdale’s vision of creating a mural-like piece featuring the four figures pictured on his t-shirts in front of churches.

Prophet | Envoy sold 15 jackets during the February 2023 release, but Teesdale refused to pull them from the website. “I told everybody: This is going to be the thing that’s profitable,” he said in an inteview.

Once a TikTok video went viral and social media celebrities posted the piece, orders started rushing in. “I’ll never forget it. I came out of an acupuncture session and made $1,000. It was only an hour,” Teesdale recalled. 

Models strut the runway clothed in the Prophet | Envoy brand.
Photos by Will Parker

Versions of the jacket featuring Malcolm X and Maya Angelou followed. Eventually, the design made its way onto NFL Network and onto the backs of people all over the country after Matthew Judon, a Patriots linebacker, wore it on screen.

As the brand’s presence grew, so did opportunities. Teesdale sent 150 emails to companies hoping to secure a spot at Paris Fashion Week. Boutique Fashion answered with an offer to feature his work in its New York and Paris showcases.

Since receiving the invite in early November, Teesdale has been finalizing travel plans, finding sponsors, and inviting guests from the industry. On his dad’s advice, he finalized his plans before sharing the big news more widely. He then shared the big news with his parents on Christmas Day.

“My dad does not cry, but he cried when he heard about this. They both did. They know how big of a deal Paris is,” he said.

Teesdale says he can’t wait to get a place where he can create an initiative for young designers in Dorchester to start their brands. He wants to ease the struggle he endured for several years.

“I want to be able to create a space and at least get them off the ground. Everything shifted for me when I got my first sample,” he said.