AD VE R T OR I AL
MEET THE MAKERS OF
GLENN+GLENN APPAREL
HILLARY GLENN RILEY + JILLIAN GLENN ALTMAN @ g l e n n a n d g l e n n a p p a r e l • w w w. g l e n n g l e n n a p p a r e l . c o m
In a world dominated by polyester, environmental woes and fast fashion, it can be quite difficult, and tiresome, scoping out top quality garments that are affordable in nature. Gems may be hard to find, however look no further than the city of Boulder, Colorado. Glenn+Glenn is one of Colorado’s newest apparel brands hitting the local fashion scene, led by sister-duo Hillary Glenn Riley and Jillian Glenn Altman. Taking destiny into their own hands, and finally fulfilling their childhood dream, they launched Glenn+Glenn in 2017. “We’d talked about it for a decade, and I think that we’d always had the idea to do it, but it was a risky thing to do” Jillian explains. While both of the Glenn sisters have had an extensive career in fashion, the arts and business, it wasn’t until the fruition of Glenn+Glenn that they had conspired their efforts together to create a fashion line. Hillary began her career in design while working for Diane von Furstenberg in New York City, and later returned to Colorado to design for leading lifestyle
“We wanted better products... I think that we as consumers had minimal options” Hillary
DENVER STYLE MAGAZINE
explains.
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The sisters also noticed how inexpensive clothing simply didn’t last, while highend designers made incredible garments out of exceptional fabric, but just weren’t universally accessible. Filling the void, being one of their main business pillars, has resulted in Glenn+Glenn finding common ground in bringing high quality and affordability together for the modern woman to truly enjoy long lasting pieces. Having great attention to detail has proved to be one of the company’s antidotes to this obstacle. “We’re not trying to change people, but we want you to invest in your clothing so that you can build it season after season” Jillian says. Because of this, incredible design and fabrics are key style ingredients in all of Glenn+Glenn’s apparel . “Our goal is to produce and act as sustainable
and performance companies. Contrastingly, Jillian had set her sights on corporate branding, art and photography as a contract designer for numerous clients and brands. After years of helping foster the dreams of others, it came time for the sisters to branch out of their well-established careers, and into the world of entrepreneurship. “It’s great working for yourself, and seeing your own dreams come to life,” Hillary says regarding the rewards of being an entrepreneur in the fashion industry. Having their own brand and creative direction, Jillian further states how, “There is no compromise for
the design you want.”
Interestingly, the sisters’ dissatisfaction of the current climate of the fashion industry actually initiated the existence of Glenn+Glenn. Poor quality and the rise of fast fashion, consisting of many dupes and knock-offs, were driving forces that pushed Hillary and Jillian to believe that there was a better way to reach the modern woman. They felt that the quality and price gap, in an ever-changing industry, needed to be filled.
as possible, utilizing excess fabric and avoiding over-production.” Jillian explains. Glenn+Glenn even reuse scrap material to make beautiful head scarves in an effort to reduce waste and enforce efficiency. The beauty of having sustainability as a founding element, right from the start, steers the business towards a more productive future. This clearly demonstrates the businesses innovative approach in a time when many other well-known brands are just now stepping into the realm of sustainability. Being a smaller line, at the moment, has also granted them the luxury to focus on sowing the seeds of positive environmental change for the future of fashion. “If we want to be around for the long run, we need to take the time to make the right decisions in the beginning.” Hillary proclaims. At the moment, Glenn+Glenn is a flourishing Online business with an ever-growing social media presence. Instagram and Facebook have proven to be major drivers for their budding
success, allowing more and more fashion-forward customers to find them so easily. They even have been hosting several trunk shows, in Denver and Austin, to showcase their items in a way customers can experience the brand’s quality and style. The sisters may say that they are just barely out of the gate, however it is clear that Glenn+Glenn is a refreshingly unique apparel line in an outdoorsy and active Colorado. The company’s tailored, modern and classic approach conveys a contemporary style in which contrasts with the usual outer and activewear business counterparts in the region. Both Hillary and Jillian find inspiration for their pieces, embodying the Urban Sophisticate, through a multitude of avenues such as street style, high fashion, celebrities, architecture and even food. “It’s sort of all around us” Jillian says. Glenn+Glenn’s creative direction is continuously developed through Hillary and Jillian’s personal styles and what they’ve always been
