Go into most women's closets and you'll find blouses made in China, skirts made in India and slacks made in Cambodia. Likely very few, if any items in the average woman's closet have been made in the United States. According to the American Apparel & Footware Association's
ApparelStats 2012, close to 98 percent of apparel sold in the U.S. is not made here.
Fair wages, safe working conditions and economical impact are all reasons to buy clothes made in the U.S. Now women in Michigan and all over the country have a local, American-made option to add to their wardrobe:
Trybe, which is part of holding company Northcoast Design Group.
Molly Kircher, a graduate of Loyola University and Rebecca Clark, a graduate of Pratt Institute, knew each other prior to starting Trybe. Clark, who is married to Kircher's cousin, was working in the design field in New York. Their idea to start their own line came about when Clark returned to Michigan after more than a decade of working in the design circles of names such as Vera Wang. With Clark living in Lansing and Kircher living in Walloon Lake, they began discussing their plans in the summer of 2010. By 2011 they had incorporated their business.
Showing up on the design-scene as a new brand wasn't necessarily easy, says Kircher. It came with challenges including dealing with inattentive fabric and manufacturing facilities. Through it all, they made sure to keep every aspect of the label's operation in the U.S.
"We live in a global society and that is undeniable," Kircher says. "But it's very hard to feel the sort of meaningful connections that matter to us while imagining our clothes are made far away in conditions we don't control."
Running a label comes with a lot of responsibility. Both Kircher and Clark wear multiple hats in the company. Kircher deals mainly with sales and marketing while Clark handles a lot of the production end of things.
"We both engage in developing our story and our brand," Kircher says.
With each new season comes a new collection from Trybe. Their apparel often showcases classic form, texture, and draping styles. Recently, Trybe has begun adding custom-dyed fabrics to their line where patterns are few and far between.
"You might see some patterns in our collections in the future but if you do, it will be subtle and natural," Kircher says.
The process of creating new designs and turning them into tangible pieces of work is an on-going culmination and collaboration of ideas and involves finding inspiration in everyday things, from a shape in a photograph to a color in a painting, Kircher says.
"Once we decide to include a design inspiration or thought in our collection Rebecca sketches it and we tweak it until we love it" she says.
The samples are then made at Clark's sample shop,
Michigan Fashion Proto, in Lansing. After the sample is made, it is time for production. This too happens in the U.S., either in New York or for smaller groupings production occurs at Fashion Proto. To date, Trybe has released five 30-piece
collections: Fall, Holiday, Resort, Spring, and Summer.
In three words Kircher describes Trybe as "effortless, American-made, and beauty," and says that their label is made for pretty much everyone from teens to seniors.
"In the end it is about the type of woman who wants the Trybe look," Kircher says. "16 or 60, she is a modern woman and that means an intelligent, artsy, thoughtful, and yet fun-loving type of woman. She seeks meaning and connection and wants to look good but not in a superficial and overdone way. She's busy with what is important in life and still takes care of herself."
As new stores continue to add Trybe to their shelves and she hopes someday their label will be available in all 50 states--it is available in about half the states already. They are in the works of sending items from their resort collection to be sold as far away as Hawaii and hope to add more types of products to Trybe in the future including accessories and home decor.
Though still rather new to the market, Trybe has shown success and is finding its way into more and more American closets.
"We're beautifully designed, soft, flattering clothing that is just dressed up enough for the lives most women are living today," Kircher says. "And our price point is moderate. It's easy to buy and easy to wear and looks great on so many women."
- Trybe can be found at the following Michigan stores:
- Annabelle's
- Bjeweled
- Boutique a la vie
- Chantal
- Colony Shop/Grand Hotel
- DK Boutique
- Geschenkladen
- Grace
- Inn at Bay Harbor
- Janet Varner
- Lia Rose
- Mettlers
- Retail Therapy
- Threads
A full list of retailers across the U.S. can be found
here. Their label is also sold on their
website.
Julia Woehrer is a freelance writer, photographer and social media coordinator. She attended the School of Art and Design at Northern Michigan University where she concentrated in photography and minored in journalism. She volunteers at a local no-kill cat shelter and enjoys spending time with her cats, Bella and Macy.