With Jéan's Founders on Creating the Ultimate It-Girl Brand
“It’s about girls who have their own rhythm, who wear things with confidence and don’t take themselves too seriously.”
It-girl status isn’t granted overnight. Contrary to popular belief, it takes a long period of trying, innovating and earning your stripes — something that Sami Lorking-Tanner and Evangeline Titilas, the founders of Australian label With Jéan, know a little something about.
Founded back in 2017 as the place to buy your “nice top,” from the ever-present “jeans and a nice top” dress code, the brand was started by the founders with just 10,000 USD in savings to put towards it. Since then, it’s been worn by the likes of Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber — aka the holy trinity of fashion it-girls — and it’s only getting bigger and better.
We caught up with Lorking-Tanner and Titilas to find out more about the brand’s journey, the evolution from jeans to wardrobe, and, most importantly, why it’s time for Kendall Jenner to get on board.
Read on for the full interview.
With Jéan began as a solution to the struggle of finding nice pieces to wear with jeans. How has the brand and its offering evolved since then?
That’s all it was at the beginning. Since then, the brand has naturally evolved with us. We’ve grown into a full wardrobe and, in a way, grown up too. The offering has expanded, but I think the feeling has always stayed the same.
Where does your inspiration come from?
Everywhere, honestly. We’re very sentimental people, so memories, old photos, vintage references, moments from travel, they all play into the story of a collection. Sometimes it’s a feeling we want to evoke or build from a memory. But it always comes back to creating something that feels wearable and timeless, while still being current.
What have been some of your most memorable collections to date? Why do they stand out?
‘The Archives’ was emotional; it was a full-circle moment looking back at where we started. It was a love letter to our beginnings and to see it adored by our consumer was really special.
What can you tell us about the design process? How does a collection go from inception to release?
It usually starts with a mood or a few reference points that we build around. Then it’s a mix of sketching, sampling, editing, and refining until it feels right. We’re very hands-on and nothing gets approved unless it feels 100% to us. From there, we start storytelling visually by casting a model, choosing locations, and shooting the campaign. It’s a process, but it’s the most rewarding when it all comes together and the world sees what we’ve been living with for months.
In the last few years, With Jéan has become known for its “it-girl aesthetic.” What does that mean to you as a brand founder? What does an it-girl aesthetic consist of?
To us, the “it girl aesthetic” is less about being trendy and more about being effortless. It’s about girls who have their own rhythm, who wear things with confidence and don’t take themselves too seriously. Watching our ‘it girls’ style our products is one of my favourite things, sometimes you will see a tagged photo and think “oh wow, that looks really cute”. They are all individuals.
How important is inclusivity and body diversity when designing your pieces and casting for campaigns?
It’s something I’m constantly thinking about and learning from. I want everyone to feel seen and considered when they wear With Jéan. Fit is a huge part of that, making sure the clothes are flattering but also comfortable.
Over the years, With Jéan has been worn by the likes of Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber. Who is still on your wish list that has yet to wear the brand?
Kendall Jenner would be at the top of my list right now!
What are some of the other goals and future milestones that you’re currently working towards?
We’ve just opened our first flagship store in New York City, which was a massive milestone for us. Now we’re dreaming up more physical spaces and new categories to explore. We’re also really focused on being smarter about our growth and building a team to support that. But at the heart of it, it’s still about doing things with love and intention and seeing where that takes us.
