Update: Sadly, as of mid-2019, the wonderful founder and creator of ROGUE:MINX decided to close up shop and start a new chapter in her life. We totally support her in her next steps but will definitely miss all of the beautiful designs. All links have been removed because, well, they don’t go anywhere.
Ironically, it’s the colder, mandatory-jacket months of the year when I typically indulge in indie fashion k-holes. Maybe it’s the fact that there are so many more fancy events that occur during the stay-inside months, or maybe it’s the fact that I’m just… inside more. On my computer. Looking at dresses. (What else is new?)
Now, as we head into November, there’s a new brand that haunts my dreams with their ethically-focused, darkly beautiful designs: ROGUE:MINX
Found during a random Etsy binge (though I can no longer find them on their site), Rogue:Minx hits all of my buttons when it comes to perfect indie fashion designers, and the gorgeous photography and brand presence didn’t hurt, either.
Rogue:Minx is based in Portland, OR, and intend to keep it that way. They relish in their indie-ness, and they take it to the highest level they can by with fabrics sourced from a 100 year old indie fabric store called Mill End Store. The history of this Portland store is as rich as its offerings, and with 50,000 square feet of fabrics & notions (many of which are eco-friendly), the offerings are pretty darn rich. Plus, when Mill End Store had to find a new home for their 75 year old factory, they rebuilt the store with a major focus on lowering their (what we now call) carbon footprint.
Rogue:Minx has a style that’s completely unique to their brand. Handcrafted prints and original garment patterns have a lot to do with that, and when combined, they become the beautiful, darkly unique beast that is ROGUE:MINX.
If I had to pick just one word to describe this brand, it would most definitely be witchy. There’s a lot of black in their pieces, sure, but that’s not what I’m referring to. There is a deep and clear appreciation for nature – including life and death – that shine throughout ROGUE:MINX’s collections, and it’s hard not to feel drawn to each design. The way they combine the sweetness of floral and botanical elements with their gently macabre aesthetic is totally addictive.
Rogue Minx Lush: A skull surrounded by sword ferns, hydrangea flowers, and sage leaves.
(Top $49, Bottoms N/A)
Let’s talk about the woman behind the brand for moment because, well, there’s only one. Her name is Anne Marie Cooper, a self-taught seamstress and the sole designer of these collections. After pulling apart and reconstructing her own clothes for most of her life, she realized one day that she wasn’t just redesigning old clothes, she was salvaging fabric and using it to create new fashion. After that, she started thinking of herself as a designer, and has been running ROGUE:MINX for over 10 years.
On top of being a whirlwind business woman, she’s also the creative mind behind each one of these prints. In fact, she hand-collects each plant, skull, and leaf herself with ethical harvesting in mind. Then, after photographing them in her own arrangements, has them printed into her choice of fabric – most of which comes from Mill End Store.
Cooper wants her customers to know her hands are on every step of her products’ creation from the original prints to the fabric selection, and frequently in the construction process, as well. You can tell from the effort put forth in the product photos to the products themselves that this woman cares immensely about her brand.
Speaking of photography, Rogue:Minx would sell their clothes just fine in any store, but these photos are stunning. The product page photos, themselves, are frame-worthy, but there are also several lookbooks on their website that give you another, more editorial perspective of Rogue:Minx clothing, and it’s highly worth a look.
Here are some of our favorite products from the current Rogue:Minx offerings:
Led Astray Velvet Jumper with Lace Trim Tap Shorts |
Gentle Peering Skull Crop Top Bralette |
Drifter Vegan Leather Tunic w/ Lace Up Back |
Cross My Heart Sheer Mesh Top |
Svelvet Jogging Shorts with Lace Trim |
Moxie Black Lace Fringe Muscle Tee |
You won’t find another clothing brand like ROGUE:MINX, where each piece is made-to-order for affordable prices that rival department stores. And knowing the care that goes into the production of each piece adds value that most department stores can’t even come close to replicating.