When you visit the Ripley Rader showroom in downtown Los Angeles, you might be struck by the giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling, or the racks of brightly colored clothes and fabrics hanging in this big space humming with energy — but there’s something more happening inside these walls. Starting with the team of young women Rader employs to keep this business that is for and by women thriving, there’s a strong message at the core, and it starts at the very top.

Who Wouldn’t Want To Be You?

Ripley Rader grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and has been surrounded by strong women from the very beginning. Her mother Meg, a successful business owner, taught her the power of independence and being true to yourself from a young age. Ripley’s grandmother, Virginia, taught her to sew as a young girl, and encouraged her to make her own pieces, while her older sister Jill, who now works as an advocate for women, has always been a huge influence in her life.

Upon stepping foot in the Ripley Rader showroom, you can feel the message behind the brand, and it has everything to do with empowering women. Ripley’s philosophy behind her clothes mirrors that of her personal philosophy, which is all about being bold, confident, and not afraid to stand out. She believes life is too short to dim your light; it is your job to get out there and be your most fabulous, shining self. Ripley’s goal is to make clothing that empowers women to do that very thing.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

When Ripley Rader moved to Los Angeles, after a career in musical theater and traveling the country in touring productions, there was a lot of upheaval in her life. As she found her footing in this new city, there was one constant that proved invaluable – her community of women friends. It was these close friendships and sisterhoods that she created that laid the groundwork for what ultimately became her life-long mission.

Ripley always loved to sew and create pieces for herself and her friends, but she never dreamed it would lead anywhere. However, when she created a jumpsuit to wear to a concert in LA one night on a whim, her life was changed forever. A buyer from Fred Segal approached her at the concert and asked where she’d bought the jumpsuit — when she responded she’d made it, they said “Well, if you make more, I will sell them.” And in a blink of an eye, though she didn’t know it at the time, the Ripley Rader brand was born.

Building An Army of Women

As Ripley spent the next handful of years busting her butt to start her fashion brand and learn on the fly the ins and outs of the business, it was her women friends who supported her the most. Not only did they become her sounding board, but they served as a testing group for what worked and what didn’t, what they wished they had in their closet, and ultimately what they loved the most about the pieces she was creating. This group of eclectic women became not only Ripley’s inspiration, but ultimately her biggest fans.

Beyond dressing women to feel their most fabulous, Ripley Rader is committed to uplifting future generations of women. The podcast she created, “Younger but Wiser” is an interview series with teen girls to explore and celebrate their innate wisdom. Ripley also created “Camp Rocky Road”, a leadership program for teen girls to connect with peers and mentors alike, as they find their voices and celebrate their unique selves.

Be it in the pages of a magazine, at school pick-up, or hanging with friends, Ripley’s mission is for women of all ages to feel their most confident and fabulous; and ultimately, to create an army of women who are not afraid to stand out.