A little girl wearing Matilda Jane stops fashionistas of all ages in their tracks, who dust off adjectives like “darling!” to describe this Golden-book picture of innocence with a dash of modern mischief.
The charm of Matilda Jane clothing is in the details — candy-colored enamel buttons, velvet trims and yards of ruffles — layered onto unconventional color or pattern combinations, such as vintage-inspired vacation prints with nautical stripes. Neither too precious nor too trendy, pieces are designed to endure countless tumbles in the yard and spins through the washing machine. Most are priced from $32 to $54.
Which is why, since 2005, Matilda Jane has been the secret treasure of style-conscious moms who are introduced to it through home parties. The brand, based in Fort Wayne, Ind., is not sold in stores but by trunk keepers, whose ranks have grown from about 400 to more than 500 in the past year across the country.
The brand focuses on girls ages 3 months to 14 years old. But in recent seasons, it has dabbled in women’s separates, testing a smattering of skirts, tops, dresses and sweaters. On the success of those experiments, Matilda Jane is expanding its women’s collection as it heads into its 10th year — just as beloved founder and design director Denise DeMarchis steps down. New design director Madeline Katzel takes on the challenge of nurturing the girls’ line while further translating Matilda Jane’s youthful spirit into grown women’s wardrobes. Women’s accessories such as scarves and bags will be key additions.
“The fun with pattern, the trims and the attention to detail, all those things you’ll see in women’s, but in a slightly more understated way than you see with girls,” said Katzel, who has 20 years’ experience designing women’s and children’s apparel for Old Navy, Gap, Osh Kosh and other brands.
As the brand grows, the direct sales model won’t change either, said CEO Jeff Blade, although occasionally items go on sale through the website. “Trunk keepers play a critical role in working with our customers to provide styling advice, which is essential given the mix-and-match nature of our collections,” Blade said.
Plus, moms can always use a fun play date too.
See matildajaneclothing.com.
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