FASHION
perfectwhitetee Approaches Basics With Simplicity
A perfect story of friendship brought together Jen Menchaca and Rodrigues-Hickey, two fashion veterans who sought to create a solution to a void they perceived in the basics market. Blending Rodrigues-Hickey’s sales and showroom experience with Menchaca’s brand-building expertise, the women completed their venture by bringing on a Los Angeles–based silent partner whose vertical operation led the trio to develop perfectwhitetee.
“Something was missing in the T-shirt world. We decided to partner up together and use my sales and showroom experience combined with her brand-building experience to do something together, and we took a leap of faith,” explained Rodrigues-Hickey. “It started as ‘Let’s find our top core styles’—a basic crew tee, a V-neck, a hoodie, something everybody needs in their closets. Let’s just launch a basics-replenishment program. It was February 2020 when we launched at Coterie.”
Launching ahead of the spread of a global pandemic that would force much of the global population to remain at home, the women and their new basics brand entered the era of work-from-home fashion.
“We were very hands-on with our retailers during a very tough time,” said Menchaca.
Soon, the brand launched into additional silhouettes, including bottoms, with more colors. The formula of relying on soft cottons and garment dyeing proved to be a success. Within the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, perfectwhitetee was providing comfort through quality basics.
“Our retailers were saying that their customers wanted more from us by fall of 2020—more colors, more silhouettes, more fabrications,” said Rodrigues-Hickey. “Because we are vertical, we were able to have fun with that and take some fabrications and give them a wide leg and give them a mock neck and do special drops. The fun part about us is that we’re able to go pretty quick to market if we’re finding something we really love and [our customers] really need.”
The made–in–Los Angeles brand ranges in price from $48 to $128 retail. It has also branched out into branding its own perfect candle, which features a blend of scents in bergamot, sandalwood and cedar. perfectwhitetee has also expanded into men’s, a sign of growth and promise for this young brand, which is available at perfectwhitetee.com.
