Wildfang Launches Home for Tomboys
Two ex-Nike entrepreneurs launch a brand that's one part style, one part badass. From wingtips and blazers to exclusive content and inspiration, Wildfang aims to bring out the best in you by serving both your tomboy style and tomboy spirit, 24/7/365.
Portland, OR, May 08, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Social media was aflutter this month as emerging fashion startup Wildfang exploded upon the scene with a launch video featuring Kate Moennig (TV Star, The L Word), Megan Rapinoe (U.S. Soccer star/Olympic Gold Medalist), Hannah Blilie (drummer, The Gossip), Laurel Pantin (Assistant Shopping Editor, Glamour) and Nadia Sarwar (popular fashion blogger, Froufrouu). Together these dynamic women are helping to launch what the brand is dubbing “the world’s first home for tomboys.”
Wildfang, founded by Portlanders and Nike breakaways Emma McIlroy and Julia Parsley, seeks to corner the market on tomboy style by tapping into what they say is an unmet consumer demand for tomboy-inspired fashions. The tomboy trend has gained incredible momentum of late, exemplified by Yves Saint Laurent’s decision to tap female model Saskia de Brauw as the face of their spring/summer 2013 menswear collection. The two young entrepreneurs (McIlroy is 29, Parsley is 31) left careers at Nike, the world’s largest apparel company and arguably the world’s most coveted brand, to strike out on their own and “liberate menswear, one bowtie at a time.” Explains McIlroy, “We’ve felt all our lives like there was no one out there catering to our needs. We kept finding ourselves in the men’s department at Urban Outfitters, salivating over styles we wished we could wear. As we chatted with friends, and friends of friends, we realized there were millions of tomboys like us. They were just badass women who wanted to reinvent womenswear and rock styles which traditionally had been restricted to the men’s department. It’s a scary decision to leave a great company like Nike, but we have a phenomenal team here and we absolutely love the company we are building. There’s a special kind of energy here at Wildfang, and we hope millions of women across America will love it as much as we do.”
For insight into that special kind of energy, we need look no further than the company’s namesake. Although Wildfang can be literally translated from German to “tomboy,” the word carries a slew of connotations—wild child, rascal, animal caught in the wild—that further prove “tomboy” is more than just a style, it’s an attitude. An attitude that McIlroy and Parsley have relentlessly injected into every aspect of the brand, from the product itself to their growing staff of 20+ who eat, sleep and breath tomboy fashion and culture. Headquartered a stone’s throw from the city’s trademark White Stag sign, Wildfang calls Portland home in much the same way tomboys are soon to call Wildfang home.
With androgynous models such as Andrej Pejić and Casey Legler redefining the landscape of fashion and blurring gender lines, combined with a recent swell in consumer chatter surrounding the topic, this venture could not have come at a better time. Parsley says, “The idea came from a true consumer insight and everyone who is building this—from our celebrities, to our team—strongly believes in our vision. Wildfang is The Home of Tomboys. It’s not just about great product and style; it’s about creating a place women call home and giving them role models to look up to. When you come to Wildfang, we want to help you be yourself and your best. Emma and I do that for each other, and that’s a big part of the brand.”
The company's website www.wildfang.com went live in April 2013 and now offers international shipping to the UK. Wildfang features products from over 40 premium fashion brands.
If you would like more information, or wish to request interviews, pictures, bios, or graphics, please email Emma Mcilroy (CEO) at irish@wearewildfang.com.
Wildfang, founded by Portlanders and Nike breakaways Emma McIlroy and Julia Parsley, seeks to corner the market on tomboy style by tapping into what they say is an unmet consumer demand for tomboy-inspired fashions. The tomboy trend has gained incredible momentum of late, exemplified by Yves Saint Laurent’s decision to tap female model Saskia de Brauw as the face of their spring/summer 2013 menswear collection. The two young entrepreneurs (McIlroy is 29, Parsley is 31) left careers at Nike, the world’s largest apparel company and arguably the world’s most coveted brand, to strike out on their own and “liberate menswear, one bowtie at a time.” Explains McIlroy, “We’ve felt all our lives like there was no one out there catering to our needs. We kept finding ourselves in the men’s department at Urban Outfitters, salivating over styles we wished we could wear. As we chatted with friends, and friends of friends, we realized there were millions of tomboys like us. They were just badass women who wanted to reinvent womenswear and rock styles which traditionally had been restricted to the men’s department. It’s a scary decision to leave a great company like Nike, but we have a phenomenal team here and we absolutely love the company we are building. There’s a special kind of energy here at Wildfang, and we hope millions of women across America will love it as much as we do.”
For insight into that special kind of energy, we need look no further than the company’s namesake. Although Wildfang can be literally translated from German to “tomboy,” the word carries a slew of connotations—wild child, rascal, animal caught in the wild—that further prove “tomboy” is more than just a style, it’s an attitude. An attitude that McIlroy and Parsley have relentlessly injected into every aspect of the brand, from the product itself to their growing staff of 20+ who eat, sleep and breath tomboy fashion and culture. Headquartered a stone’s throw from the city’s trademark White Stag sign, Wildfang calls Portland home in much the same way tomboys are soon to call Wildfang home.
With androgynous models such as Andrej Pejić and Casey Legler redefining the landscape of fashion and blurring gender lines, combined with a recent swell in consumer chatter surrounding the topic, this venture could not have come at a better time. Parsley says, “The idea came from a true consumer insight and everyone who is building this—from our celebrities, to our team—strongly believes in our vision. Wildfang is The Home of Tomboys. It’s not just about great product and style; it’s about creating a place women call home and giving them role models to look up to. When you come to Wildfang, we want to help you be yourself and your best. Emma and I do that for each other, and that’s a big part of the brand.”
The company's website www.wildfang.com went live in April 2013 and now offers international shipping to the UK. Wildfang features products from over 40 premium fashion brands.
If you would like more information, or wish to request interviews, pictures, bios, or graphics, please email Emma Mcilroy (CEO) at irish@wearewildfang.com.
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Wildfang
Emma Mcilroy
0015033336312
www.wildfang.com
Emma Mcilroy
0015033336312
www.wildfang.com
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