Hidden Gems from Hidden Brands, Part 2

Come discover five (more) incredible female-led brands!

Back in August I wrote the first installment of this two-parter, without actually realizing it would be a two-parter! But the weather has shifted (finally!) here in So Cal which means I’ve been thinking about my favorite fall/winter pieces, many of which are designed by some incredible independent, female-led brands. The time felt right to come back with a part two that explores a few more of these under-the-radar labels that you may or may not have heard of, alongside the pieces I own from each that I’m either wearing on repeat or excited to dip back into now that temps are cooler!

Before I kick off I’ll say that now, more than ever, it’s critically important to consider how you spend your money and who you support through your patronage. According to Business of Fashion in 2022 (the data may be slightly outdated but I doubt it’s massively changed), only around 14% of the top 50 major fashion brands are run by women. FOURTEEN PERCENT! Of an industry that is almost entirely supported and kept afloat by women and our spending power. It really is so disheartening, so I’m excited that each brand featured below is female-owned!

Part 1 of this installment was also one of my most popular posts this year, which gives me the warm & fuzzies! It’s a testament to the fact that we’re all curious about fashion and eager to discover new talents, all in the name of a) honing our personal style and b) supporting other women.

I realize not every brand on the below list is super obscure; many of you may have heard of or even own pieces from them. But they’re still niche enough that they’re not really getting the attention they deserve—prob bc almost none of them are on affiliates. (Sad that this may impact their awareness, but true.) And also why I’m excited to shine a light on them today!

Sister Katie

I cannot begin to describe how much I adore this brand. Sister Katie is founded & designed by Katie Roach out of New York. Her design ethos is to create simple and comfortable wardrobe staples that are inspired by laid-back California minimalism meets 90s Greenwich Village. (As someone who’s lived in both NYC and CA, you can see why this appeals to me!) The brand also integrates sustainable practices and partners with ethical manufacturers.

is this not a Top 5 sweater or what?! she didn’t reissue it this season but maybe next! jeans, old Chukkas via Zara, these look good or splurge for these!

Sister Katie operates on a seasonal drop model. Each season she debuts roughly 8-10 laser-focused pieces that are exactly the kinds of clothes you want to live your life in both immediately and forever. I only own two of her sweaters so far, but both of them are in the top 5 of all sweaters I own. (That is really saying something bc I own a LOT of knitwear…more on that next week!) I really appreciate her tight, seasonal offering—there’s something so comforting in a brand that prioritizes quality over quantity.

Sizing: On the whole, this brand runs a touch big, bc everything Roach designs is made to be comfortable! She’s also a mom of young kids so she really ‘gets’ women and our daily lives & needs.

Some other pieces from her newest collection I’m loving:

everything is just so easy & wearable! one, two, three, four

LAUDE The Label

Right up there with Sister Katie is LAUDE The Label. The brand was founded in 2014 by Carly Burson as a platform to employ and empower women worldwide. How can you NOT want to support this mission!? She seeks to contribute to the preservation of families through living wages, educational training, safe work environments, and access to the global marketplace for more makers. Need I say more?

i adore this brand! LEFT: my ideal WFH outfit on chillier days. LTL sweater is old but this looks like this year’s take. old The Row pants via TRR, try these or these. old Zara shoes (similar or OG). RIGHT: LTL sweater dress that’s as cozy as a cocoa cloud- and on sale! old Toteme belt but found one here, old Marant boots (similar on sale or these are a bargain), sold out COS cuff (similar or try it in gold)

If the mission alone wasn’t enough….the clothes! They’re classic, well-made and so wearable. I own six of her pieces, which I’ve purchased slowly over time. Similarly to Sister Katie, LTL is very mindful of the breadth of its collections. Again I appreciate the tighter edit; it actually makes for a much saner shopping experience when I’m not inundated with a million choices and I know someone’s done the culling for me. They’re based in Fort Worth, TX and apparently have a store there…any Dallas-area readers, please shout if you’ve ever been!

Sizing: LTL runs TTS! But nothing feels “tight”—again, an emphasis on clothes to live life in.

While many of her gorgeous knits are sold out, here are some other pieces definitely worth checking out:

everything is easy and chic. one, two, three, four

Heidi Merrick

This LA-based brand may be one of the more well-known ones on this list thanks to Meghan Markle. She’s worn a few Heidi Merrick pieces to recent events, which is no surprise given that the brand has a showroom in Summerland, CA (just a stone’s throw from Meghan’s Montecito digs). But I digress! Merrick’s brand still feels relatively quiet to me, all things considered, as I don’t see much of it out there and I’m confused as to why? She’s been designing since 2006 and has dressed a ton of other celebs outside of just Meghan. I really respond to her unique mix of relaxed elegance meets surf culture.

i get so excited when i find new ways to wear very specific items in my closet- like swimwear! Heidi Merrick swimsuit, old Massimo Dutti pants (this year’s take, also similar-ish), sandals

I’ve always considered her a swimwear designer first and foremost, which is why I only own two of her swimsuits so far — BUT —as you can see above, I wear it as regular clothing bc it’s so well-made and elevated.

Sizing: Her swimsuits run TTS, but I’m unclear on her apparel. Imagine it’s similar.

Here are some other stellar pieces I have my eye on…including Meghan’s dress!

i love that she shoots all her e-comm imagery at the beach- SO California! one (MM’s dress!), two (top and bottom), three, four (sweatshirt—her SRF LA tees & sweats are next on my list—and bottoms)

Tercette

We’re back to knitwear, bc it’s fall after all! This time, a very unique and niche brand that I’m so excited to have recently discovered. Tercette is a women's knitwear brand based in Portland, Oregon and founded in 2023 by friends Alice Wang and Jenny Nieh. Their goal is to design wardrobe essentials tailored for contemporary life. The twist: all of their knitwear incorporates yak wool. If (like moi) you don’t know what yak wool is, it’s a natural fiber sourced from the soft undercoat of yaks! Yak wool is known for its luxurious feel and sustainable nature, and even though it’s less-widely recognized than cashmere as a luxury fiber, yak wool is considered just as soft, warmer, and more lightweight and breathable than cashmere. I had no idea!

wore this the day after Thanksgiving to a friend’s house when all i wanted was to be in loose-fitting sweats! Tercette sweater is sold out but this is the same style in a different color. pants, flip flops

As a knitwear connoisseur of sorts, I came across this brand somewhere on social a few months back and decided to follow. They recently hosted a very small BF sale, and that’s when I snapped up the above sweater for quite the bargain. I can confirm that yak wool may as well be cashmere, or better than—it’s SO soft and not itchy at all.

Sizing: I snagged the L as it was the only one left in this color BUT I don’t mind an oversized knit. I’d say it runs TTS if not a little roomy.

Other gorgeous Tercette knits to consider:

one, two, three (on crazy sale!), four

ESSE Studios

Our final brand takes us down under to Sydney, where founder and creative director of ESSE Studios Charlotte Hicks is designing some of the most elegant and sophisticated pieces I’ve seen in a long time. The best way I can describe the brand is as the Australian Toteme, but with a greater focus on sustainability thanks to their slow release deliveries (she only produces two collections a year).

i love classic pieces with a twist- such an easy way to add more styling ideas to your tried-and-true formulas! old Esse shirt, this one looks fab. pants are ancient Target! these and these get raves too. old The Row Cybil mules (similar)

This is the brand I’d exclusively wear if I was a childless “EIHG” (thank you

tariro makoni

!!) who traveled the world on a whim and spent my weekends in obscure European cities (I do speak three languages though so maybe there’s hope for me yet!) But since I have to worry about kindergarten drop-off and Zoom meetings instead, I’ll have to settle for incorporating just a few gorgeous ESSE pieces into my wardrobe to make me feeeeeel like I’m the EIHG I used to/want to/dream to be. All this to say! It’s an incredibly chic brand with gorgeously-designed pieces, like this unique take on a button-up shirt above.

Sizing: I only own one piece (hope to change that one day!) but feels very much TTS.

A few other ESSE pieces I’m truly gaga over:

painfully chic…one (dress and underskirt), two (sold out but SO good i had to include. this bodysuit is the next best thing), three (top and bottom), four (top and skirt)

I hope you enjoyed learning about or at least getting to better know some of these incredible female-founded brands. I truly enjoy discovery in fashion, and sharing these discoveries helps promote lesser-known talents in the industry. It also hopefully provides you with some new resources to consider when shopping for pieces that will set you apart from everyone else and further refine your personal style!

Thank you so very much for being here, reading, commenting, liking and sharing! You have no idea how much I value your subscription, time and comments each week. It really gets my weekend off to such a lovely and positive start! Until next week xx

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