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by Megan Waldrep With over ten years in the industry designing for
her own label, she began writing because “it just felt good.” In addition to writing, Megan is currently the head designer and creative director for Mew Kids, a children’s clothing line, as well as a co-author of the much loved children’s book Spice & Little Sugar. You can say she wears many hats. Which is fitting. For a fashion writer and all. Discover her world at www.mewkids.com.
Downtown Joah Brown
Gimme some lovin’: For Keeps V-neck, $48 Two parts that make a whole: Sydney Brown Wagner and Joah Brown of Joah Brown Apparel. Join 17K fans on Instagram to follow the journey (@ JoahBrown). The welcoming space at apparel market MAGIC in Las Vegas. “Market” is where boutique owners buy from designers each season.
J
oah Brown and Sydney Brown Wagner have hard work and determination running through their veins. In just nine short months, they’ve transitioned a massively popular headband business into a women’s clothing collection sold in more than 50 specialty stores around the world. How did they do it? With blood, sweat, tears. Oh, and they’re both under 30. After celebrating the time-honored tradition of figuring out what to do with one’s life (also known as the early 20s), cousins Joah, 29, and Sydney, 25, have found their niche. Joah Brown, a name representing both women, is a rapidly growing fashion line based in Carpinteria that has garnered international attention in record time. But it didn’t start out this way. Introduction into the entrepreneurial world began with Coolie, a fashion headband line, named after their grandfather, which the girls ran out of Joah’s two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles. “Joah would sew all day and I would be on the computer, filling the orders,”
Sydney reflects. Success was fast, and the girls were already one step ahead. “At the time, we both saw it was more of a fad and we would have to evolve,” Joah notes. “We were both planning for the future because we knew we wanted to do something like this.” After building momentum for Coolie, the girls faced a huge challenge – they needed to change the name of the business, due to trademark issues. It was time to start again. Transforming the headband business was another test to their creativity that proved to be just another notch on the belt. With Joah’s background in buying and trend-spotting in previous retail jobs and Sydney’s behind-the-scenes expertise, the girls took it to the next level and went from hand-sewing accessories to garment manufacturing. Note to readers: The logistics of having a garment made is a grueling undertaking. Sourcing fabric, developing the correct fit, making patterns, perfecting sample pieces... this is the unglamorous underbelly of the fashion world that is
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She’s got the look: Sky High Top in oatmeal, $34 with Teddy Boy Sunglasses, $38
masked by pictures you see in magazines. An endeavor which separates the strong from the weak. After you are able to accomplish the first stages of developing a collection, finding a manufacturer you can trust is the next Herculean task. Finding a manufacturer that will take you on is a whole other ball game – this ain’t for the faint of heart. True to form, Joah and Sydney made it happen. Joah states, “(The manufacturers) looked at us like these girls have never been in the industry, they don’t know what they’re doing. We were calling every week saying, ‘This is what we want to do and it’s going to work.’” They were right. Currently, orders are being filled and shipped all around the world. “Syd and I... we weren’t in (the fashion) industry,” Joah says. “We learned an entire industry. We’re both go-getters and hustlers and if we don’t have the answers, we figure out how to find it.” Self-professed tomboys growing up, they’ve created a line they both describe as “a tomboy feel but a little bit sexy at the same time. A Venice Beach grunge feel with a twist of a clean vibe.” The buttery soft pieces range from $65 cardigans to $29 tanks. Subtle design adaptations will make you do a double-take. Each piece can be worn over yoga pants or pared with a leather jacket with ease. The drape is perfection, flattering for all body types.
With a strong sense of branding, they knew they wanted to build a lifestyle brand. Enter into the world of JoahBrown. com: you are introduced to clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, music, and more that will transform you into a Joah Brown woman. Get hands-on with the collection by visiting local outlets Core Power Yoga, Drishti Yoga, Hummingbird, and A-Frame Surf Shop. The best way to learn is getting down and dirty in the business, and Joah Brown is currently looking for people who want to grow with them. If you want to learn from two women who define “gettin’ after it,” this is your chance. Like Joah and Sydney, you don’t have to have a fashion background to get in the game – just the hunger to learn. A truly inspiring story with a continuous happy ending, Joah and Sydney are living proof that dreams can be achieved. Only two and half years from sewing headbands in a small, L.A. apartment to selling to the world, these women show that confidence will take you far. “If you set your mind to something and work really hard, you can do it,” Joah declares. I’m convinced. Seeing is believing.
Shop local for Joah Brown! Core Power Yoga 1129 State Street Drishti Yoga 130 E. Canon Perdido Street Hummingbird 3823 Santa Claus Lane Carpinteria A-Frame Surf Shop 3785 Santa Claus Lane