Ann Simmons might be the Ozark Mountains’ biggest fan. A Bentonville native, she grew up in admiration of the blessings of the countryside, and after living outside the region as an adult, she has grown even more proud of her roots.
A graduate of the fashion merchandising program at Baylor University, Simmons has held various merchandising and marketing roles at some of the most iconic brands in the country, Under Armour, Ralph Lauren and Wrangler. After concluding chapters of her fashion career in New York City and North Carolina, Simmons returned home to the Ozarks to take on her next project: Annie Ozark.
Annie Ozark, a women’s lifestyle brand, is Simmons’ love letter to the Ozarks. Combining the lessons she learned from her previous positions, she is striving to create fashion items that reflect her lifelong love for the region.
“In building the brand, I wanted to tie in a world that fit the countryside aesthetic – a world with a more relaxed lifestyle, a simpler way of living, something that was more tied to the outdoors and to nature,” Simmons said. “It occurred to me that the Ozarks are relatively untapped nationally from a storytelling perspective…The Ozarks were really the perfect backdrop for the brand that I wanted to create.”
The brand officially launched in March with a direct-to-consumer platform and its debut collection: The Perennial Collection. When creating the brand’s signature collection, Simmons searched for anchor pieces that reflected a timeless feel and a simpler lifestyle that could be worn year round. Naturally, she started with a pair of overalls.
“There’s not really a piece of clothing that communicates a simpler lifestyle better than a pair of overalls,” Simmons said. “These overalls set the tone for the rest of my brand and photography and storytelling, in general.”
The Mulberry Overalls stand alongside other additions to Annie Ozark’s The Perennial Collection, including The Winslow Henley, The Dogwood Branch Hat, The Springfield Ringer Tee, The Dogwood Bandada and The Jasper Workshirt. A unique addition to the collection is a limited-run petite oil painting by local artist Amy Long.
“I plan to offer more items like Amy’s paintings because, in the age of artificial intelligence, people are craving human-made, one-of-a-kind products that add character and coziness to their living spaces – the type of thing that you can’t find at big box retailers,” Simmons shared.
Although the brand evokes nature and the outdoors, Simmons wants to make something very clear: Annie Ozark is not an outdoor brand. She recognizes that a leading trend in regional fashion is functional outdoor clothing linked to hiking, biking and camping. For Annie Ozark, she gears to be more whimsical.
“I made Annie Ozark for the woman who enjoys connecting with nature,” Simmons said. “She could be a country girl, could be a city girl that likes the country girl aesthetics. It’s for someone who is less focused on trends and more focused on buying pieces that endure and are a little more classic.”
Annie Ozark is only in its first year of operation, but Simmons already has plans to scale. Alongside hopes to drop multiple collections a year and secure potential retail partnerships, Simmons is in the process of adding a unique element to her lifestyle brand: a digital journal.
Simmons’ appreciation for Ozark-esque ephemera led her to discover The Ozarks Mountaineer, an out-of-print publication that solely covered the history and culture of the region for over 75 years. Simmons is paying homage to the original print magazine with the launch of Annie Ozark’s digital journal by using The Ozarks Mountaineer name and releasing articles that preserve Ozark culture.
“I felt like ‘The Ozarks Mountaineer’s’ original mission was the type of purpose that I could continue, rather than just publish fashion-related content like other fashion brands do with their digital journals,” Simmons said. “My hope is to create something that is actually substantive, gives people a glimpse into Ozark life today and further expands the world of Annie Ozark beyond just fashion.”
Simmons is excited to translate her experience and passions into Annie Ozark. The brand is rooted in Fayetteville, but she hopes to spread her interpretation of rural American fashion across the country.
“Just because Annie Ozark is based here doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t like to share with customers outside of this area,” Simmons said. “The brand is really about the rural lifestyle and the escape it can bring.”