I started Wildfox in 2007 with Kim. We had been working at a women’s brand downtown doing assistant designing and were really bored of not having any creative freedom.  We noticed that there weren’t any t-shirt lines that we liked out there besides actual vintage tees- usually stolen from our boyfriends- and decided to make a new version of a soft vintage, flattering t-shirt. We built the brand together, starting in a little tiny room with one computer, and running around to factories all day in my little car with no A/C, ahaha. It was really cool to see it grow and see people react to the line more and more. When I left we had expanded the brand into knitwear, a kids line, sunglasses, swim, and accessories. 

(-I hadn’t had any prior fashion training, went to USC for Fine Art :) just learned by doing I guess!)

I left the company in 2012 when I moved to Cape Town. (An international romance adventure...) While shopping there I couldn’t find anything simple to wear, something without trims or unnecessary layers and flattering shape, so I started going to fabric houses and buying rolls of silk. I hired two pattern makers and a seamstress and worked with them to make simple and feminine dresses to wear every day, any time. It was so fun, and my friends were also looking for the same type of thing. A lot of the pieces in “Bellevue”- (title TBD) are inspired by the line I did there. 

My inspiration comes from my love of French history, especially royalty and Versailles. I like to think of the line as a modern wardrobe for a princess/dauphine that is fancy but still classic. I love the Georgian era and the silk dresses you see in paintings by Vittorio Reggianini. And I unabashedly love pink, gold, anything rococo and ornate. I want to mix that vibe with function (always want pockets) and encourage girls to dress up for no occasion, and pretend they are anything they wish to be. 

xoxo Emily