DESIGNER WATCH: Wildfang

Growing up, I was considered a major tomboy. I was raised with male cousins, and even skid my face one summer trying to ride scooters. Though I eventually grew out of that phase and traded in my sneakers for stilettos, I've never lost my boyish edge. My daily wardrobe usually consists of button down shirts or loafers, and I live for the idea of personal expression and the never-ending evolution of fashion giving us all a medium to assert our style. Which is why I was more than excited to have stumbled across Wildfang.

These girls are killing it.

Co-Founders of Wildfang, Julia Parsley and Emma McIlroy, were comprades at Nike (and also very  comfortable), but knew they needed to follow their dream. They noticed a deficit in the menswear-to-womenswear department and were "tired of stalking items men's department, trying them all on only to leave empty-handed because they didn’t fit us". Good call.

"We created Wildfang for our friends and for their friends," Emma said, "and for all the badass women we haven’t had the chance to meet yet. We think being a tomboy is just as much about attitude as it is about fashion, so in that sense we hope Wildfang will become the home for tomboys." Judging solely off of promotional video and still shots, I'm confident Wildfang can achieve what they are trying to for their demographic.

With that in mind, Wildfang will be home to a launch collection that includes "pieces from over 25 amazing brands – some you'll know and some you won't," Emma said. "We’ve searched far and wide to find a really compelling collection of tomboy styles. Most of our brands are based in LA, which is something we’re really proud of, but there’s also some very cool stuff coming out of Australia and the UK that we’re excited to feature. Every item we bought, we tried on ourselves and made sure it fit well and felt great. So, you'll see Wildfang present a collection with a range of price-points, but with quality, fit, and feel at the center of every purchase."

To help usher in that message, Wildfang has employed some familiar faces as ambassadors in their new launch video. Actress Kate Moennig, musician Hannah Blilie and soccer pro Megan Rapinoe are all part of the brand.

"There are certain qualities that play a big role in the Wildfang brand: cheeky, fun, confident, and inspirational. We wanted to work with women who really embodied those same qualities," Emma said of the women. "Each of these girls is a tomboy. Each of these girls is also a talented, interesting, fun, authentic role model for the Wildfang community. It was an absolute privilege to work with them and we had a blast during the shoot in Portland."

You had me at Portlandia.

Wildfang has yet to launch but you can check out their site for updates, the Wildfang Twitter and Facebook pages, and Instagram for the Wildfang dailies.

Source: AfterEllen
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