This month we had the opportunity to interview Sonora Goldman and Annie Carlson of frnds of ours, an up-and-coming Denver-based fashion label. Goldman and Carlson started frnds of ours this past year, inspired by their shared love of the creative arts, classic silhouettes and a drive to create high-quality clothing from natural fabrics within the U.S. frnds of ours was recently accepted to the Capsule Show in NYC, a fair that celebrates revolutionary women’s clothing brands that are “ahead of the curve of what’s next in fashion.” Also, frnds of ours will soon to be featured in several boutiques nationwide. We hope you find their journey as inspiring as we did.
How did the two of you meet, and how did the idea of launching a clothing company emerge?
We have known each other since the 2nd grade — 17 years to be exact! We both grew up in creative households and knew we eventually wanted to have creative careers. We’ve always been into fashion and collecting vintage garments, and when we were 23, we started a Depop account called Chick Habit where we re-purposed thrifted vintage items, donating a portion of the sales to Planned Parenthood. After that, we began to explore what it would mean to turn this hobby into a career and start our own brand.
What makers, artists, or models influence your designs?
We are heavily influenced by the colors and silhouettes of the 1970s. It was a time where masculine and feminine lines were being mixed more and more. We fell in love with the jumpsuit after looking at old pictures during that period.
Why is fashion personally important to you both?
We both find designing and thrifting extremely therapeutic and “therapy thrift” A LOT. It is so fun to try and develop a uniquely personal wardrobe over time. Our philosophy is that we don’t buy something unless we want to keep it for a very long time. It has become a hobby of mindfully collecting and curating.
I know all of your clothing is made in Brooklyn, NY. Can you tell us a little bit about how your pieces are made and why you choose to make your clothing in the U.S.?
Our process starts with an idea. We then draw up our designs and talk through the kind of fabric we want to use. Once our idea is more developed, we meet with a pattern maker and go through a few rounds of samples to perfect the piece. Then the pattern goes to a woman-owned cut and sew facility in Brooklyn!
Sonora lives in Brooklyn, which allows us to be hands-on with the clothing making process. It is really special to be able to go to the facility multiple times a week to pick up inventory and maintain a high level of quality. It also allows us to ensure that each person who has a part in making our clothing is paid and valued fairly. The garment districts of L.A. and N.Y. are special places where you get to experience the craftsmanship that goes into clothing. It is important to us to support this local economy that was once bustling with energy and has slowed since moved overseas.
What do you love to do when you are not working?
I like to paint and create still lifes. I recently got into baking bread which is an art in itself. -Annie
I like to make things with my hands — whether it be sewing curtains for my house, knitting scarfs or repurposing old clothing. I also love to take dance classes and cook for people. -Sonora
Where do you dream of your company going in the future?
We’d love for this to become our full-time careers and have a storefront/studio space for people to shop and see where the pieces are designed!