Skip to main contentFresh and interesting women's fashion is strangely hard to come by in Portland. There is beautiful bridal wear like Elizabeth Dye and there is global sports gear like Adidas and Nike, but it lacks the unique sub-culture oriented creativity our city is known for.
Luckily, a few young, DIY-oriented designers are springing up to put some color into Portland's fashion pallets. Through the spring season, WW's "Buy PDX" will introduce them to you. Welcome ROGUE-MINX.
ROGUE-MINX is Anna Marie Cooper's delicate balancing act. Her designs go between feminine and rebellious, tomboy styles. She credits everyday women with a badass streak as her muses."We believe in getting dressed up and getting grass stains," she narrates in her Fade to Light fashion show video, "here, we wear our spots of mud like badges of honor."
She's also on both sides of the business. From the comfort of her living room Cooper handles logistics, answering emails and making phone calls. In the next room, her artistic side takes over. Cooper's small business ethic is decidedly DIY. She uses local sources even for the biggest orders and does the stitching for each garment herself. Most of her pieces are made by hand, packed, then shipped to her customers' doorsteps.
While many designers focus on building a local following in boutiques around the city, Cooper wants to build an organic following that isn't woven into Portland's existing fashion scene. ROGUE-MINX is available in more stores outside of the city than in it. She continues at the fashion show, "We shrug off expectations, and like you, we rebel against outdated systems."
WWeek 2015