Three Of Tuskegee’s Proudest Sons Bring Bold, Heritage-Focused Designs To Life With Taliaferro Union, HBCU Excellence Ensues [Exclusive]

Proud sons of Tuskegee shaped by its storied history, Alvin and Alarie Percival and David Banks are honoring Booker T. Washington’s vision with every stitch of their Taliaferro Union clothing line.

The brand takes its name from Washington’s middle name, “Taliaferro,” derived from the Italian “Tagliaferro,” meaning iron cutter or blacksmith. The Percivals and Banks draw on this symbol of strength and craftsmanship to guide their work, linking their designs to Washington’s teachings on labor, skill, and self-determination.

“We are three sons of Tuskegee, not just the university but the city,” said David Banks, born on campus like his co-founders, whose great-grandfather was named Taliaferro and has a rich family history with the school. “We grew up in the shadow of the school, spending summers at camps, going to all the football games and you’re kind of just itching for your turn because your dream is to one day be at the university.”

Similarly, the Percival twins have deep ties to the historic Alabama institution. Their parents graduated from Tuskegee, and the brothers spent much of their childhood immersed in the rhythms of campus and town life. Alarie Percival described growing up working the land, reflecting the agricultural foundation Washington promoted.

“We’re from the country, so we all grew up basically on farms,” he told BOSSIP. “My dad was also a Tuskegee University alum, majored in agriculture. So we grew up working the land, growing whatever you can think of under the sun and raising herds of sheep and goats. So we just felt like what Booker T Washington stood out to do at Tuskegee Normal, which is now Tuskegee University, aligned with us having a similar background in agriculture and our interest in clothing and fine tailoring. We felt like it [Taliaferro Union] was a perfect fit.”

“It kind of like that full circle moment,” added his brother Alvin Percival.

Taliaferro Union’s collections draw directly from Tuskegee’s archives and history. The Archive Revival Collection revives century-old campus uniforms and athletic apparel, including collegiate cardigans, chenille-letter pullovers, and yellow tracksuits once worn by the Tuskegee swim team.

“One of Booker T. Washington’s most famous quotes was, ‘Cast down your bucket where you are,’” said David. “And that’s kind what did here. We didn’t have to search far and wide for inspiration. We literally just searched right under our feet. Tuskegee has such a rich visual archive and legacy that it didn’t take much digging to uncover things that inspired us.”

The Singing Windows Shirt stands out as a centerpiece of the collection.

Inspired by the stained glass of the Tuskegee University Chapel, the windows depict the liberation of the Israelites and the African American journey from slavery to freedom.

“This is an iconic piece that sometimes gets overshadowed, because a lot of people are more familiar with the Booker T Lifting the Veil monument on campus, but not a lot of people acknowledge the stained glass windows, which are encased within the TU chapel,” said Alvin. “So that was kind of a goal for us, which David pieced together beautifully. We were able to just replicate that on a shirt and in a beautiful way.”

The designers see their brand as a reflection of Tuskegee’s unique culture and the energy that comes alive amongst students and alumni. Tuskegee is known for “The Shed,” a section where fanatical undergrads don their school’s crimson and old gold and belt out their famed “Ball and Parlay” chant. The pride is infectious, permeating the air of the east-central Alabama town with a spirit that rivals, and often surpasses, that of other HBCUs.

“My theory on that is, Tuskegee is a small town in Alabama, it there’s no real major city close by, so a lot of what you have to do to entertain yourself is on campus with your peers,” said Alvin. “So I think us not having as much proximity to other things, I think that gives us that leg up on camaraderie and school spirit that no other school rivals.”

That same pride extends beyond the campus gates as Taliaferro Union channels its school spirit into action, giving a portion of each sale back to Tuskegee University.

“I think a big part of our mission too, is not only just to tell the story, but to do something impactful as well,” said David. “So all the support that we get, we put also back into the school.

Alarie also emphasized that the brand fills a gap in the market for well-made, lasting collegiate apparel.

“When you look at the background of some of these vintage pieces,you learn about the school having a tailoring program,”said Alarie. “They learned to sew their clothes and do all these trades and we kind of got away from that because in today’s times, we’re inundated with fast fashion. I wanted to get back to quality pieces that are meant to last.”

He continued,

“A big driver for me personally with this project is during undergrad, I didn’t really purchase a lot of school paraphernalia. Some things were okay, but I just didn’t find anything that really spoke to me that I wanted to keep. I thought that as a whole, we could fill a gap of what the market’s missing. That’s really what I think the legacy I’d like to leave is, that we want to put something out there that we can be proud of. Quality driven, that leaves a lasting impression, and scratches the creative bug in all of us.”

“We want to create future heirlooms,” added David Banks.

Ultimately, the founders see Taliaferro Union as an ongoing connection between past and present that reverently honors their beloved T.U., thou pride of the swift growing South.

“It’s about storytelling and being the keepers and tellers of our own story from our own perspective,” said David. “It’s just still showing that you can do a thing that you set your mind to.”

“Our clothes speak volumes to the entire storyline of Tuskegee University as well as us and how we help to bridge the gap of sharing that vision of something that we admire,” said Alvin. “Hopefully, people can appreciate that.”

Find Taliaferro Union online and on social media @TaliaferroUnion, where every piece comes stitched with TU pride.

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