
Cubicles
were never for us. We like to go places, experience new cultures, scare
ourselves silly. And in 2008, we were doing just that – living and
working in Australia, searching for something that couldn’t be found in
corporate America.
We became fast friends,
but after a few months, went our own ways to travel and start new
chapters in our lives. Over the next year, we separately explored five
continents: bartending, teaching English, learning languages, volunteering on farms and in orphanages, making friends and falling in love.
It was an exciting time – confronting our beliefs, our culture, our Americanism and everything that goes along with it.
Eventually,
we both returned to the States and in July 2010, we reconnected to
start a new journey. We headed to Central America with no direction, no
career path, and not much money.
But we had an idea: a fashionable, minimalist clothing line for female travelers.
We
were determined to do it right – we wanted to create a business that
preserved the environment, cut down on pesticide and chemical use, and
said “no” to the exploitative labor that keeps our clothing cheap in the
Western world. We wanted to create a business that was beneficial for every single person involved.
At
the time, we didn’t realize that attempting to do “good business” in
the fashion industry is one of the tallest orders you can ask for.
We
called American farmers in Texas. Visited an organic cotton cooperative
in Nicaragua. Researched recycled fabrics, alternative textiles and
organic certifications. We e-mailed eco-friendly supermodels and college professors. We even flew across the country to talk to experts in the industry.
Then, at the end of 2011, we launched a Kickstarter campaign to debut our signature piece, the Versalette. With over $64,000 in pre-sales, we were finally able to go into production and start our line.
So
that’s our story. We’re just two people who want to live with purpose,
passion, and adventure. And make the world a little bit better along the
way.