Rising to Empower: The Fashion Empire of Ripley Rader, Championing Comfort, Beauty, and Confidence for Women

by Amir Bakian

Ripley Rader’s work is built around a simple mantra: “You are already perfect”. For decades, the fashion industry has been built upon impossible beauty standards and the concept that beauty is pain. But the Los Angeles-based brand Ripley Rader is bucking these archaic definitions, and reshaping the landscape of women’s fashion.

Ripley created her eponymous fashion brand in 2014, driven by a mission to create clothes that make women feel as good as they already look. With her clothes, she strives to find the perfect balance between comfort and looking fabulous, unwilling to compromise either. It’s Ripley’s firm belief that women deserve a new way of dressing- as well as seeing themselves, both inside and out – that has given this brand the energy of a revolution.

Ripley Rader’s Story

Born in West Virginia, Ripley Rader has lived in New York, Paris, and traveled the country pursuing a career in musical theater. While the spotlight always came naturally, Ripley was always drawn back to the costume room, reviving the memories of her beloved grandmother teaching her to sew at a young age. She began designing clothes for herself around the same time, even creating her own prom dress– and though it was unconventional, it made her feel fantastic, which is exactly what Ripley’s clothes are all about.

Realizing she had the ability to make women look and feel like their best selves, the brand Ripley Rader was born. Creating a contemporary clothing brand that represents women of all shapes and sizes, the collection focuses on essential pieces for everyday wear, while surpassing your typical basics and elevating any occasion.

Allowing women to express their individuality through timeless silhouettes and softly tailored separates, Ripley features a wide range of minimalist styles in beautiful ranges of colors. The brand also includes inclusive sizing from XS to 3XL, ensuring a wearable wardrobe for all women.

Women’s Fashion with a Mission

From the CEO to the Pattern Maker, RR is a company driven by women. Keeping in line with their mission, the daily workings of this company is led by a team of diverse women working together toward a common goal. Ripley firmly believes in choosing collaborators you believe in and then allowing them to pursue what they love. She believes the key to her success has been surrounding herself by incredible women who have allowed the company to grow to new heights.

In the early days of RR, it was just Ripley and her husband Ben working endless hours to get this homespun, LA-based brand off the ground. But when they were finally able to create their own factory shortly before the pandemic, the goal was singular – to create a safe, supportive, women-led environment where everyone’s needs are listened to and respected. A space where you are celebrated for what you bring to the table, and given room to grow and learn.

While Ripley Rader has been growing nationwide organically- through communities of women supporters and word of mouth- she’s also been lucky enough to partner with some incredible female influencers and celebrities. Through a belief in her mission as well as her well-tailored, fabulous-feeling clothes, she’s made fans from the likes of Amy Schumer to Kate Upton. But for Ripley, it’s the fact that her clothes can make women everywhere feel more confident in their skin that gets her up every morning.

As Ripley’s brand has grown, so has her community of women and loyal supporters. She’s come to rely on this community both near and far as her brand’s popularity has taken on a life of its own. It’s this community Ripley feels she owes their success to, as they’ve generated millions of online reviews and spread the word about the clothes they’ve grown to love.

“Confidence comes from accomplishing something, not because you look in the mirror and say: ‘Oh, I’m so great!’” says the designer. The passion and hard work that’s defined her journey has made her into a role model for aspiring female entrepreneurs and young women. Recently, Ripley created Camp Rocky Road, a summer camp, workshop series and online community to inspire, challenge and celebrate young women through a commitment to building self-esteem and leadership skills.

She also created the “Younger but Wiser” podcast, a series of conversations with teenage girls that celebrate the wisdom these young women have to offer. They dive into the journey of self-exploration these teenagers are on, the super powers they possess, and what they’re afraid of losing as they get older.

In all of her endeavors, it is Ripley’s mission to bring women back to the innate confidence and knowing that they were born with.

Presented by: Ascend Agency

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