imogene + willie

extra, extra 🗞 feelin' pretty honored to see the Tennessean do a write up about the Cotton Project -- a labor of love, years in the making.⁠ ⁠ if you weren't able to get your hands on a physical copy, here's a link to the digital version: https://lnkd.in/eZjBA8EX

after the devastating floods in the hill country of texas, we made the decision to donate proceeds from all of last week’s sales at our austin, tx shop to flood relief efforts.⁠ ⁠ today, thanks to your support, we were able to donate $14,000.00 to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.⁠ ⁠ while we’re grateful for the opportunity to help in this small way — there’s still so much work to be done. for those who are in a place to help, be that financially, with your time, or by spreading awareness, we strongly encourage you to aid in whatever way you can.⁠ ⁠ we’ve always been of the mindset that healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens in community.⁠ ⁠ we’re all in this together.⁠ ⁠ with love,⁠ the i+w crew Kerr County Flood Relief Fund: https://lnkd.in/ghbb3xBM

congratulations on 10 years with i+w! 💥 if you’ve had the chance to meet our team, you know just how huge of a part that Christopher plays in making imogene + willie what it is... and even if you haven’t had a peek behind the curtain, you’ve seen his workmanship reflected in just about everything we’ve ever put out into the world. during his time as i+w’s Art Director, Christopher has been our guiding force with everything visual — directly impacting everything from on-model photography, video, and product photos to creative direction and brand vision. in the early days of imogene + willie, Christopher was a budding photographer who worked at the coffee shop that neighbored our warehouse here in Nashville. he first approached us about taking a pair of our pants with him on a trip to alaska and documenting them in his adventures, and it was the combination of this sense of adventure and tenacity that lead us to bring him onboard. we can put this simply: we believe he’s the best out there at what he does — but what really sets him apart is what he brings to the table when he’s stepped away from behind the camera. Christopher is the sort of person who approaches each and every task with a certain level of excellence, and does it with a smile on his face. to us, he continues to raise the bar in everything that we do — encouraging and empowering our entire crew, whether he works closely with them or not. in short, he’s the fucking man. and when we say we wouldn’t be where we are without him, we mean every word. 10 years is no small feat, and we’re so fortunate to have had him along for the ride. here’s to 10 more.

whether you're new to i+w, or have been following along with us for years, we thought it was time to send a little note about how we do things.⁠ ⁠ when we started in 2009, we had a simple goal: to make all of our clothing here in the USA. in addition to making it all right here, everything we've ever produced has been made via small-batch production.⁠ ⁠ to be frank, during our early days, there were times where we felt a bit isolated when it came to adhering to our original mission and commitment to making all of our clothes in America. ⁠ ⁠ and then, slowly but surely, we realized that we are not alone at all.⁠ ⁠ today, what began as a mission has evolved into what feels more like a community. we are so incredibly fortunate to work with other makers all over the country, each of whom is dedicated to our shared mission of preserving made-in-the-USA production.⁠ ⁠ working with these like-minded brands has allowed us to make a broader impact than what we as a smaller business can directly make -- and it's our hope that if we can get larger companies to think this way too, together we can help more people to think about how and where their goods are made.⁠ ⁠ it goes without saying, none of this would have been possible without both your support and the support of other like-minded folks that believe in these core values. even after over 15 years of being in business, we still find ourselves humbled every day, and we're so very grateful for everyone who has joined in with us on our mission.⁠ ⁠ thank you.⁠

a few film and digital stills from our team cookout in the backyard with Tyler Wells 💙

last week, we had the pleasure of hosting our friend & incredibly talented chef Tyler Wells in our backyard for a team cookout, to celebrate great food, our amazing community, and an anniversary milestone for someone on our team who has made a huge impact on who we are today. since the very beginning, imogene + willie has been shaped by the people around it. the relationships we've formed over the last 15+ years is what makes what we do feel so special -- and our friendship with tyler is one that we feel especially fortunate to have.

We are honored to have worked with you Sarah Bellos to produce this incredible fabric!

When we started The Cotton Project, it was quickly our dream to turn our own cotton into a denim fabric. Mount Vernon Mills was crucial, and truly the only way, to making this happen here in the USA. We're so thankful for their partnership and dedication to American manufacturing, and for helping us bring our natural indigo denim fabric to life!

👖 Just stumbled on something very special while browsing imogene + willie’s site (yes, technically for work!) — and had to share: i+w just dropped 'The Cotton Project Part II' — 100% USA-made denim, colored with plant-based indigo from my former team at Stony Creek Colors and woven at the iconic Mount Vernon Mills. 🌱 Regeneratively grown cotton 🌿 Bio-based indigo 🇺🇸 Grown, harvested, spun, dyed, milled, and sewn — all in the US! I will be braving the 12South shop in #Nashville this weekend to snag a pair before they sell out. Huge congrats to Katy McNeill, Kieran (K.P.) McNeill, Sarah Bellos, and everyone behind this incredible win for sustainable fashion and domestic manufacturing! 👏 This collection is an example of what’s possible when brands invest in raw material innovation, like swapping petroleum-based colors for plant-grown alternatives: Beautiful products that are safer for our bodies and better for the planet.💙 Check it out here, just don't take my size: https://lnkd.in/gY9iuGZj #naturalindigo #madeintheusa #denimindustry #domesticsupplychain #sustainablefashion #plantbasedcolor

We're so grateful to writers like Geren Lockhart who have thoughtfully shared about The Cotton Project for CANAVA. Thanks for helping to tell this story!