Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Phillips.
Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a designer. My whole career has been in fashion from sales to buying, to magazines and styling, but I never quite had the guts (or the experience) to take the leap into designing my own collection, let alone starting a business.
That changed in 2016 when an old boss called and asked if I’d help him design a shirtdress. Neither of us really knew what we were doing, so I called every woman I knew and said, “Can I come over and measure you? I’ll give you a free dress.” Many of those early versions weren’t even free-dress-worthy, but after measuring hundreds (literally hundreds) of women of all shapes and sizes, a pattern began to emerge, and so did my confidence… a design was born.
I’d always felt strongly about making in America and using sustainable, high-quality fabrics, so I eventually parted ways with my old boss and launched Emily Phillips Clothing. I started small, doing trunk shows anywhere that would have me: living rooms, schools, garden clubs, parking lots… and by early 2020 (incredible timing), I showed at my first wholesale trade show.
I survived that wild first year, and since then, the business has grown fast and furiously. It’s not glamorous! Most days I’m packing boxes, steaming dresses, and troubleshooting, but it’s deeply rewarding. This really is my dream. I never believed in myself enough to even imagine I could do it, and if that old boss hadn’t called me on a whim, I might never have taken the leap. I still get giddy talking about it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not! It’s easily the hardest thing I’ve ever done. At least three times a week, I hear myself saying, “Just put out the biggest fire first.” Almost every day brings a new challenge. The daily struggles would make a great reality TV show… It’s a comedy of errors most days!
Early on, my biggest struggle was finding a manufacturer in the U.S. That was a costly, frustrating road. Everyone says, “Oh yes, we can make that,” but most couldn’t. I spent more time and money than I care to admit learning that lesson the hard way.
One season, I introduced the most beautiful embroidered fabric. It pre-sold like crazy. But when the dresses arrived, we opened the boxes and realized every single dress was unraveling. It was devastating.
Working with overseas fabric mills has been another ongoing battle — things go right maybe half the time.
My biggest struggle to date, has been the uncertainty around tariffs and how much my fabrics will actually cost once they land in the U.S. My line is very fabric-driven, and I invest heavily in creating textiles that are beautiful and sustainable. But depending on policy shifts (and honestly the President’s mood) I can end up paying two or three times more than I expected, after I’ve already pre-sold the dresses. It’s extremely anxiety inducing because I have no control over how long shipments sit at sea, how long production takes, or what happens at customs.
Recently, I don’t know whether I’ll make or lose money until the fabric clears customs.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At it’s heart, Emily Phillips Clothing is a study in effortless sophistication… pieces designed for real women who appreciate beauty, comfort, and confidence in equal measure.
I create elevated shirtdresses and shirts, all made in Chicago using sustainable, biodegradable fabrics. My signature shirtdress is timeless, tailored, and universally flattering. It has become the cornerstone of the collection and what I’m best known for. It’s the kind of piece that looks just as good barefoot in the kitchen as it does at a board meeting or dinner out.
I’m deeply focused on fit and fabric. Every seam, every button placement, every fiber matters to me. I think that’s what sets my line apart. It’s not about chasing trends; it’s about designing clothes that women live in. Pieces that hold up, feel good, and quietly stand out.
I’m incredibly proud that every garment is made in the U.S. and that this business grew from the ground up, one trunk show, one boutique, one loyal customer at a time. There’s no big team or investor behind it, just a lot of work, late nights, and stubborn passion.
The best moments are when a woman slips on one of my dresses and says, “I feel amazing in this.” That’s what I design for… that quiet, confident shift that happens when something simply fits the way it should.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Absolutely. I wouldn’t be here without the women who showed up for me from the very beginning.
There were the friends who hosted my first trunk shows in their homes, clearing out living rooms and inviting everyone they knew just so I could get my dresses in front of people. And the women who sat on my kitchen floor late into the night, folding, steaming, tagging, and laughing our way through exhaustion because they believed in what I was trying to build.
There have been women who’ve worked alongside me and treated this brand like it was their own; women who’ve shown up with ideas, energy, and heart when I was running on fumes. They’ve loved me through the chaos, and they’ve believed in me even when I was doubting myself.
And then there are my customers. The women who take a chance on me and this little brand that isn’t a household name. They could buy from anyone, but they choose me. That connection means so much to me. They’re not just customers; they’re my people, I think of them as friends… truly. They are the reason I get to keep creating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emilyphillips.co/
- Instagram: @emilyphillipsclothing
- Facebook: @emilyphillipsclothing
