Athletic, urban and unabashedly androgynous, Broke Bitch is a new online fashion boutique that hosts an array of brands that challenge social norms and conventions of gender presentation by striving for a unisex fit. Featuring a crisply curated repertoire of apparel and accessories, Broke Bitch is an innovative, androqueer take on high octane clothing. I had the opportunity to chat with co-founder Jordan Baylor about the vision and and evolution of Broke Bitch, and here’s what he had to say:
“If we’ve inspired just one person to wear something edgy, something that they might never have worn before because it expresses something in their personality, we will consider ourselves a huge success…”
What was the premise behind Broke Bitch?
Broke Bitch claims ownership of being one of the few unisex fashion boutiques. It was an idea that came from Anni Peng (Co-Founder/Creative Director) as she was styling clothing pieces on model Brandon Baylor. He was able to wear women’s clothing without it coming across as women’s clothing; not only did it look cool it also made everyone feel good. We thought we might be on to something. We want to break social norms and blur the gender mentality as it regards to fashion.
Why the name?
It came from a time when both Anni and I were literally broke because we had spent all of our money on a clothing website. We had a few coupon codes, and thought that gave us a reason to “BALL OUTTA CONTROL!” We were a pair of Broke Bitches, and we’ve redefined a Broke Bitch as one who will spend their last penny to look good, someone who is a true slave to fashion.
There’s a Broke Bitch inside all of us. If you’ve ever been on a fashion site filled up the cart just to feel like you went on a virtual shopping spree, then you my friend have been/are a Broke Bitch. Don’t be scared! lol
We want to let people know you can look good-even on a budget. Some of our pieces are pretty pricy, but they are really well made, and essential looks last far beyond seasons. So you can spend money on one essential piece instead of wasting your hard-earned coins on this ‘fast fashion’ society we are being consumed by.
If you could have anyone as your Brand Ambassador who would it be and why?
Tilda Swinton, SHE IS ‘PERFECTION PERSONIFIED’. She exudes perfection in what we aspire to be brand wise, her look teeters on adrogeny. Tilda’s film choices are always edgy, and allow her to express a different facet of herself that we as an audience have never seen before. She’s classy while at the same time not afraid to stand out and be controversial.
What’s your impression of andro-chic, the trend? What is a good example of a brand that utilizes this aesthetic well?
There’s no bad example either one of us can think of off the top of our heads. A brand that’s killing the unisex fit aesthetic hands down is RAD HOURANI – a really high end brand out of Canada. They’re just a brand that pushes the limits of unisex clothing deeper and deeper with each and every collection. They are a pleasure to watch!
What’s your vision for the future of Broke Bitch?
Our vision is to disrupt how the wearing of clothing is looked upon. We want to inspire people to dress in what they feel comfortable wearing. If we’ve inspired just one person to wear something edgy, something that they might never have worn before because it expresses something in their personality, we will consider ourselves a huge success, because that’s the endgame of our project.
We feel that unisex fashion is going to be the wave of the future because people are looking into more than what the media says is this week’s must-have piece. People are curious as to where their clothes are manufactured, with what materials are the clothing made from, and if the pieces wear well. Broke Bitch’s sales reinforce the fact that other countries have been embracing the concept of unisex clothing for years with a large sector of sales from… Norway, the Philippines, France, Brazil, Sweden and Mexico… proving that the US is primed and destined to penetrate this concept, and for good reason, it’s a great idea.
If you were given the opportunity, all expenses and endeavors paid to debut BB in a lucrative ad campaign, what magazines would you want to be featured in, what would this look like?
DAZED & CONFUSED for sure. We really respect their brand and what they stand for. Dazed has consistently been known to be trend spotters giving artists their first covers, putting eclectic visionaries upon a platform to express themselves. Broke Bitch would fit right in with an abstract editorial, detailing a vision through the pieces. We like to do storytelling with our lookbooks and short editorials.
What would be the soundtrack to Broke Bitch?
The soundtrack would definitely be a complication mixtape with appearances from RL Grime, A$AP FERG, Two Door Cinema Club, A-Trak, Lil B and a host of other artists you can catch on the festival circuit.
What would be a dish/meal that serves as a metaphor for the style and attitude of Broke Bitch?
Hahaha we don’t eat, that’s so 2013!
