Shopping small is one of the best things you can do as a consumer. While it’s important to support local business, that trend isn’t limited to physical retail stores. Websites like Kickstarter have launched some of the most beautiful fashion brands of the past couple years. It’s so easy to type Zara.com into your browser that we often don’t think to look for these smaller online stores.
Shopping small businesses is a mutually beneficial experience. Not only are you supporting a real person (as opposed to a corporation) but you’re buying creative and innovative pieces that no one else has right now. Supporting small fashion businesses like these might be more effort but, in the end, you’re both getting more out of it.Â
Some of the world’s best products are created to solve problems. For Emma Jorn, that problem is rain. As she says, when it rains, you “can’t look splendid.” She found rainwear to be too boring, so she designed her own functional-yet-cute line of water-repelling clothes. From rain hats to waterproof skirts, Jorn has transformed her rainy-day look from gloomy to sunshine. Launched in 2015 under the name Takakomi, her clothes have rebranded and grown through her partnership with Ilse Jacobsen Hornbæk.
If there is one thing I hate in this world, it is underwear lines. I feel very passionately that there is no reason to ever have underwear lines. Thankfully, Dear Kate agrees. Since its launch in 2014, this brand has been supplying engineered fabric that supports your decision to go commando next time you work out. It is sweat-proof, absorbent, stain-releasing and breathable. They started by making seamless, leak-proof underwear of the same material and have upgraded to yoga pants that are good quality, not see-through, anti camel-toe, and durable.  Whether you need underwear, clothes or bras, this is the place to shop. Plus, you get 20% off your first order when you sign up for their mailing list (which I think you’ll want to do.)Â
These bags are 100% hand-crafted in Milan by an Italian Luxury brand, so aside from the fact that these bags are gorgeous, they are made of good quality materials and are so unique. The Kiki and the Lady are to die for.Â
A sister-owned operation, the Skall girls want to bring textile production back to Denmark in an ethical way. The sustainable locally sourced materials and timeless quality of these sweaters make it a must-buy as far as clothing investments go. If you’ve read my post about capsule wardrobes, you know that I am all about creating a minimalist wardrobe in both the quantity and style of items in your closet. This clothing line does just that.
In a beautiful throwback to the time when men and women wore hand-made leather shoes, this Boston-based brand reached its funding goal within 14 hours on Kickstarter. For $175 (currently), these women’s shoes compare directly with shoes you may buy at Macy’s or Nordstrom. They have a vintage-y, masculine quality to them that I think has so much character. This socially responsible brand participates in The Living Well Line, a “new social impact model that balances community input with development best practices to define the relative cost of Living Well in any community worldwide.” I firmly believe that every dollar you spend is a vote, and by purchasing a pair of these shoes, you are voting for an economy built on ethical entrepreneurship.
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While everyone is walking around in the same Madewell sweater, you’ll be able to find the newest fashion even before it hits the market. Be on top of the trends and help launch a small business by supporting Kickstarter campaigns.Â