Miriam Alden
Meet our Founder
I always knew I wanted to have a clothing brand, but I didn’t know what it was going to be. I originally started Brunette The Label as a marketing tool for my other business, Brunette Showroom. We made a sweatshirt that said, “Brunette is the New Black.” It became the icon of the brand after that.
My goal is that whether you love fashion or not, you still feel really good wearing our clothing. I wanted to create a brand that feels like it has a community of people built within it. That was and still is really important to me.
Q: How would you introduce yourself to a stranger?
I would just introduce myself as Miriam. I don’t usually introduce myself as someone who has a business which is kind of interesting. If I was going to introduce myself and tell them about myself, I would say that I am the Founder and Creative Director of Brunette The Label.
Q: Who are your style icons?
Ooo, my style icons. I'm a big Hailey Bieber fan. I get really inspired by people at different times. Sometimes it’s people who have worked in fashion in the past. I just recently watched a documentary with Coco Chanel and Christian Dior and all the clothing is just so beautiful. I get inspired while traveling and in books. I’m currently obsessed with George Michael - his cool leather jackets and white tees, which are similar to and referenced in the collections that we are doing. I would describe my style inspiration as mostly being from the 80s and 90s runways mixed with street style.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from when designing collections?
I look at vintage-inspired and aspirational lifestyles. I am a horse girl, I truly love horses. On Pinterest, I create mood boards about my dream life in ten years, on a farm and in the middle of France somewhere. I curate the collections around that kind of aesthetic, a peaceful beautiful life.
Q: What is most important to you when designing your products?
That it feels authentic. I think the most important thing to me and what I have learned along the way, is that if you make pieces that are not authentic you won’t feel anything about them and they won't work. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I personally have to wear it, but I have to understand it, love it, and know that it would make someone feel a certain way. I think that creating a brand is making sure you're producing a product that makes people feel good when wearing it.
Q: What's the story behind the phrase "Babes Supporting Babes"?
Growing up, my sister and her friends used to call each other babes and I thought it was such a positive thing. The word itself has always been a word that's used as a descriptor of someone’s physical appearance, but the way they communicated it was with so much kindness - a way to express how much they love that person. “Babes Supporting Babes” has become my value system. It’s all about supporting each other and creating room for everybody to grow together.
Q: What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment since starting the brand in 2014?
I would say the team. I’ve created an environment that has had a lot of amazing people come into it, and many are still here. Originally, the brand was an idea that turned into a sweatshirt, then into a business and then into an environment where people have been able to learn, grow and evolve.
Lately, I also look at the product. We started as a sweatshirt brand, now it’s turned into a true fashion brand and just as I always strived for. When we started creating lounge and fleece pieces, I wasn’t sure if it was going to get there, and then, it did. I’m really proud of that.
Q: What sets Brunette The Label apart from other fashion brands?
I think one of the things we do differently is customer service. It’s our biggest strength. It’s a mutual relationship, where we get to grow together. Your goal as an entrepreneur is to create something that somebody falls in love with - a community, a piece, a fit. From there, you continue to grow together.
I feel like we have incredible customers who support every one of our launches. I think that is partially to do with the product, but also, I think it has a lot to do with the community and customer support that we have created.
When you touch Brunette the Label, you feel as though you are a part of something. I received messages from customers during Covid where people would say, “‘I’m wearing my Babes Supporting Babes sweatshirt not just because it’s cozy, but because of what it means.”
We are a community of people that are a part of a clothing brand and I think that’s what makes us feel really different.
Q: Where do you see Brunette The Label in 5 years?
I see it evolving but also being exactly what it is right now. I used to see us as more international, but in some ways a little bit more boutique. I used to think about how big we could get. How much can we grow? How many more people can I touch personally?
Now, I look at other brands with founders as the face and they are doing interactive pop-ups, events and collaborations. I think that our basics and more fashion forward pieces align with those ideas. I thought I wanted it to be this big thing that was bigger than me. Now, I realize that I want it to be more intimate and more personal which is maybe where I am at in my life.
