Most people think of New York or Los Angeles when fashion comes to mind, but there is a growing community of fashion designers and clothing brands right here in the Show-Me State. With the holidays coming up, check out these Missouri-based clothing brands for the fashion-forward person on your shopping list. For other great gift ideas, check out the Missouri Gift Guide.
Kansas City
Charlie Hustle set out on a mission to bring back the vintage t-shirts from years past with a fresh twist you can incorporate into your current wardrobe, hence their motto: Vintage Made Fresh. The brand is designed with the Midwest’s civic pride and blue collar friendly attitude in mind. The line boasts a variety of product lines such as the KC Heart Collection, Collegiate Collection and Hometown Collection that includes iconic Kansas City places or products. If you want a shirt that brings back a sense of nostalgia, stop by Charlie Hustle on the Country Club Plaza or click here for a list of other retailers where you can pick one up.
WHITNEYMANNEY is a ready-to-wear independent fashion label that gets inspiration from street art and cultural movements, and creates wearable art using hand-created textiles that are digitally manipulated. The line concentrates heavily on color, pattern and texture. This is the perfect clothing and accessory line for someone who wants to make a fashion statement but also wants comfort. Shop WHITNEYMANNEY at the Museum Shop at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, SouveNEAR at KCI Airport and the Museum Store at the Nelson-Atkin’s Museum of Art.
Tadej is a leather goods company that specializes in individually handcrafted pieces. Each piece is thoughtfully designed and uniquely crafted and only gets better with age. The collection consists of clutches and shoulder and duffel bags. Local boutique We Are Sincerely Yours carries a variety of TADEJ items or shop online.
Chelsea Lensing is a zero waste clothing designer – all products that go into making her pieces are used or reused. All materials and dyes used in her line are natural and sustainable. Her line consists of a variety of organic items such as shirts, shorts, bags, totes and reusable tissues. All pieces are made to order at her Kansas City studio. Visit her website to place your custom order.
St. Louis
The Normal Brand began in Jimmy Sansone’s parents’ basement in 2015. Brothers Jimmy, Conrad and Lan Sansone wanted clothing that would bridge the gap between city life and country life. Growing up in the Midwest, they wanted “normal shirts” that were versatile and durable, but also rugged and stylish. The collection consists of clothing mainly for men, with a few women’s pieces, and includes outerwear and accessories. Comfort, durability and versatility are top of mind in all their products. Click here for a complete list of retailers in Missouri that carry The Normal Brand.
Arch Apparel was started by Aaron Park, who originally came to the United States as an exchange student from Australia in 2006. He now calls St. Louis his home and wanted to create a brand that would allow people to represent St. Louis all over the world. Arch Apparel is a streetwear brand that focuses on quality and fashion and proudly promotes St. Louis with words and graphics. Stop by their warehouse showroom in St. Louis or click here for a list of other Arch Apparel retailers.
SKIF International is a collaborative design studio in St. Louis that creates clothing for the free-spirited type. Items include sweaters, pants, skirts, cardigans, pullovers and vests, and no one garment is exactly the same. Their specialty is knitwear, and each piece is handmade by local artists in the workspace and showroom on The Hill in St. Louis.
Show-Me Love was created to connect young adults in the St. Louis metro area with career skills and resources to set them up for future career success. The company is based on a culture of showing love to one’s self, neighbors, and the community. Show-Me Love specializes in loungewear, like graphic tees, hoodies, and jogging pants. Their products are sold online and in Hudson Group retailers in St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
Springfield
Five Pound Apparel was started by a group of college students and is based on the principle of offering quality products that “help make the world a better place.” For every branded item the company sells, the owners donate five pounds of food to the Ozarks Food Harvest. The company creates and prints its own product line including the “Missouri is Awesome” shirt as well as limited edition designs and also offers products from similar companies that give back to communities. Stop by the store downtown or at Farmer’s Park Building 1 and make a purchase you can truly feel good about.
Written by Jadrien Bopp