Imogene + Willie

Imogene + Willie is a brand of Made in USA[1] jeans and casual clothing founded by Matt and Carrie Eddmenson in 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee.[2][3][4] The brand is known for blending classic American workwear aesthetics with modern fashion sensibilities.

Imogene + Willie is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and has a retail space in Austin, Texas. Much of their goods are produced at their Los Angeles sewing room and through collaborations with domestic mills and small businesses.[1]

Etymology

The Imogene + Willie name is derived from the personal names of the founders' grandparents. "Imogene" was the name of Carrie Eddmenson's grandmother, while "Willie" was the name of her grandfather.[5]

History

The company was established in 2009 by Matt and Carrie Eddmenson, two individuals with a passion for high-quality denim and a shared vision of reviving traditional craftsmanship in the fashion industry. After the closure of Carrie’s family denim facility, Sights Denim Systems, the dream for Imogene + Willie was born.

Their initial goal was to sell 250 pairs of their inaugural fits: Imogene (for women) and Willie (for men), but their initial release quickly surpassed that number.

In 2010, the brand opened its first store in Nashville, Tennessee in a former gas station. The space was not only a retail location but also served as a workshop, where jeans were designed, produced, and customized on-site.

In 2016, investors in Imogene + Willie accused the company's founders of fraud and mismanagement of company money to fund their own lavish lifestyle.[6][7]

Manufacturing

Imogene + Willie produces all of their goods in the USA. While many of their products are patterned, cut, and sewn in their Los Angeles based sewing room, they also collaborate with many other small business and mills to produce socks, jackets, and other similar garments.

Imogene + Willie has established partnerships with suppliers such as Mount Vernon Mills in Georgia, which weaves denim for the brand using historic Draper X3 shuttle looms. For example for select products, the company sources denim from cotton grown regeneratively at Martin Farms in Alabama, spun at Hill Spinning in North Carolina, dyed with natural indigo produced by Stony Creek Colors in Tennessee, and woven and finished at Mount Vernon Mills.[8][9]

The brand has collaborated Alpha Industries on military-inspired workwear.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Palmieri, Jean (July 2, 2024). "Imogene + Willie Celebrates 15 Years With 15 Collabs, All Made in the U.S." Women's Wear Daily.
  2. ^ Imogene + Willie Tennessee Tourism Board
  3. ^ Imogene + Willie Field Theory
  4. ^ Imogene + Willie Stag Provisions
  5. ^ Moore, Tracy (2010-08-19). "Imogene + Willie: Could the quest for the perfect pair of blue jeans end in a former 12South gas station?". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  6. ^ Alfs, Lizzy (August 31, 2016). "Imogene + Willie investors accuse founders of fraud". The Tennessean.
  7. ^ Stech, Katy (August 31, 2016). "Founders of Imogene + Willie Jeans Accused of Fraud". Wall Street Journal.
  8. ^ Davis, Molly. "Made in the USA? What it takes to make jeans and a T-shirt in America". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  9. ^ Velasquez, Angela (2025-12-08). "Imogene + Willie Grows US Cotton Collection". Sourcing Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  10. ^ Imogene + Willie Alpha Industries
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