Dominique “Domo” Wells stepped into a role that few in professional sports have ever held: creative director for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League. In just a few months, her designs have turned the team’s jerseys into the league’s best‑selling merchandise, outpacing even the most iconic kits.
A Culture‑Driven Merchandise Strategy
The Spirit’s apparel earned the NWSL’s Club Retail MVP award in May, a testament to the surge in sales and fan engagement that Wells has sparked. Six of the league’s top eight best‑selling jerseys belong to Washington, led by forward Trinity Rodman’s shirt, which has become a staple in both stadium stands and streetwear closets.
Wells credits her success to a culture‑first mindset. Rather than imposing a uniform aesthetic, she works with each city’s unique narrative, embedding subtle nods to local history, art and music into knit polos that are cut for unisex sizing. The result is a collection that feels personal to fans in Washington, D.C., while still resonating across the broader NWSL market.
From Beats to the Pitch
Her journey to the soccer pitch began a decade earlier behind a DJ console, where she curated playlists for a major streaming platform’s regional markets. That experience taught her how sound, rhythm and regional taste intersect, a lesson she now applies to fabric, cut and color on the field.
In 2023 Wells founded the creative firm Dead Dirt, a studio that serves as the production hub for her NWSL collaborations. The partnership, which spans all 16 league teams, features limited‑edition drops that blend sport with street culture, and early sales data show that nearly half of the first collection has already sold out.
Among the most anticipated releases is the Cherry Blossom drop for Washington, a design that references the city’s springtime bloom while maintaining the league’s modern aesthetic. Though the drop remains available, demand has been so high that restocks are being considered for future seasons.