Reese Witherspoon Launches New Lifestyle Brand Inspired By Southern Charm, Y’all
Reese Witherspoon is celebrating her Southern heritage and upbringing with the launch of her new clothing and lifestyle brand Draper James.
The Hot Pursuit actress told Good Morning America she has been working on the project for three years, and has been hands-on every step of the way. She said she has poured lots of love into the company that’s named after two people who are very close to her heart.
“I’ve gone through so many things over and over again … there’s a lot of care and love in this project. And I don’t get involved unless I am touching everything, and seeing it. Because it’s also my family name. Draper James is my grandmother’s name, and my grandfather’s name put together.”
The line includes, clothing, accessories, jewelry, and home decor. Witherspoon also gets to indulge her lifelong obsessions with beautiful stationary, and a Southern belle staple — monograms.
“Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to have a stationery store. Always. I’ve been obsessed with stationery and monograms. There’s something about Southern girls and monograms, we literally — if it’s not moving, we monogram it.”
The 39-year-old Academy Award winner told Elle, she was inspired to create the brand while shooting a film in Memphis. She noticed Tennessee had transformed into a more “hip,” modern, and stylish place than she remembered, saying, “I just saw these people who were very fashionable.” Witherspoon set out to design a line that embraced traditional Southern style and femininity, but with a more contemporary appeal.
Nashville’s country music scene played a big part in the creation of the line, as well. There is a chambray shirt named after the famous Bluebird Cafe where artists like Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks got their start. Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Records recently took American Idol’s top four contestants there during their visit to Nashville. You’ll also find a gingham two-piece shorts set that’s inspired by a 1960’s outfit Dolly Parton wore to the Grand Ole Opry.
The Nashville native joins several other celebrities in launching their own lifestyle brands. Jessica Alba has had great success with Honest Company. Kate Hudson and Carrie Underwood both created women’s workout clothing lines — Fabletics and Calia by Carrie Underwood.
Reece Witherspoon is proud to say that 70 percent of Draper James items are manufactured in the United States. The goal is to eventually bring that up to 100 percent. The products are available exclusively online for now, but a brick and mortar retail store will open this Fall in Witherspoon’s hometown of Nashville.
[Images via Facebook]
