We recently connected with Jennifer Wagner and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Une Forme is unique in the world of apparel, as we actually make each piece to order in-house, right here in Los Angeles, and each order is shipped within two business days. There are so many sustainable benefits to this. By producing only what is necessary, less ends up in the landfills and less energy and materials are used for production, as we are not over-producing. By not carrying an inventory of pieces, there is also less energy and materials used in storage of inventory. Also, since we do not have to carry an inventory of sizes (which requires a lot of overhead), it allows us to offer more sizing and be more size inclusive.

Jennifer, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Before Une Forme I had spent almost twenty years as an interior architect, first designing with the luxury brand, Boffi, working with elite clients and honing my eye for design, and then going out on my own and working with LA developer, GroundUP, working on high end residential, and developing my business skills. These moments cultivated what I was to become. Shortly after my son was born, I decided to step back from design and construction. I began sewing again, which I had dabbled in since I was a young adult. I realized how meaningful it was to make things with my hands, and to make pieces with sustainability in mind — I started getting compliments on the pieces I made, and things took off from there.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Une Forme was not always a made to order brand — during the pandemic, it became more difficult to develop new styles with our seamstress, as well as stay within production timelines. So stepping forward into producing in-house was a huge pivot. It saves us in so many ways, and allows us to grow more organically, ethically, and sustainably.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Of course I love creating for myself, but also for my friends, my family, and my community. I love that designing clothing has a timeline of “months” versus “years” in the world of interiors and construction. I love seeing something I envisioned first come to life as a prototype, then with different fabrics, become a sample, and then, finally seeing it on a model — I can’t explain that feeling. Taking it a step further, to see someone wear it who appreciates the natural fabrics, the modern design, and have them understand that it was made just for them — this is truly what makes doing this rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.uneforme.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/une__forme
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uneforme/

Image Credits
Silvia Frigerio