About the Founder
Cultural Architect building identity infrastructure through fashion, narrative, and systems
Craig D. Washington is the founder and Cultural Architect behind
Top Notch NME—
a Detroit-founded Cultural Operating System that translates lived experience, resilience,
and strategic intent into physical and digital form.
Raised in Detroit, Washington began creating early—customizing sneakers and apparel for people around him—and developed a design discipline rooted in originality, self-mastery, and long-horizon thinking.
Washington builds beyond seasonal fashion. Every collection functions as a system module—where garment, story, and authored structure converge without sacrificing integrity.
The mission is simple: protect the work, elevate the culture, and build legacy without dilution.
Raised in Detroit, Washington began creating early—customizing sneakers and apparel for people around him—and developed a design discipline rooted in originality, self-mastery, and long-horizon thinking.
Washington builds beyond seasonal fashion. Every collection functions as a system module—where garment, story, and authored structure converge without sacrificing integrity.
The mission is simple: protect the work, elevate the culture, and build legacy without dilution.
Canon & Narrative Notice:
Top Notch NME operates as a Cultural Operating System authored by Craig D. Washington. “2854” is an original framework authored by Craig D. Washington; its internal structure is intentionally undisclosed. The Top Notch Universe is a narrative and symbolic interface within the Cultural Operating System. Characters and symbols are storytelling constructs and do not represent real-world governance, operations, or legal roles unless explicitly stated by Craig D. Washington.
Top Notch NME operates as a Cultural Operating System authored by Craig D. Washington. “2854” is an original framework authored by Craig D. Washington; its internal structure is intentionally undisclosed. The Top Notch Universe is a narrative and symbolic interface within the Cultural Operating System. Characters and symbols are storytelling constructs and do not represent real-world governance, operations, or legal roles unless explicitly stated by Craig D. Washington.
“Legacy is built through authorship, not explanation.”
— Craig D. Washington
— Craig D. Washington
Key Milestones
- 1983: Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan.
- 1996: Began customizing sneakers and apparel at age 13.
- 2012–2015: Studied Business Administration at Baker College.
- 2017: Founded Top Notch NME.
- 2022: Authored Streetwear: The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Own Brand.
- 2024: Released Mastering Streetwear Expansion and received the Award of Literary Excellence.
- 2025: Expanded Top Notch NME as a multi-medium Cultural Operating System across fashion, publishing, and narrative architecture.
A Letter from the Founder
To everyone who’s walked with me—family, friends, supporters, and builders—thank you.
Top Notch NME started as an idea in Detroit, built through discipline, sacrifice, and belief in originality. Every design, every drop, every chapter is a tribute to the culture that raised me—and the responsibility to protect what we create.
I built this for people who understand legacy: those who refuse to be watered down, rewritten, or misrepresented. When you wear Top Notch NME, you’re carrying more than style—you’re carrying intention, resilience, and authored identity.
Keep building. Stay focused. Maintain integrity. That’s how the work survives—and that’s how the legacy lasts.
Top Notch NME started as an idea in Detroit, built through discipline, sacrifice, and belief in originality. Every design, every drop, every chapter is a tribute to the culture that raised me—and the responsibility to protect what we create.
I built this for people who understand legacy: those who refuse to be watered down, rewritten, or misrepresented. When you wear Top Notch NME, you’re carrying more than style—you’re carrying intention, resilience, and authored identity.
Keep building. Stay focused. Maintain integrity. That’s how the work survives—and that’s how the legacy lasts.
Craig D. Washington, Founder