Following in the footsteps of Blake Lively and Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon is the latest celebrity to enter the fashion and lifestyle market with her new venture Draper James. The actress is bringing her strong Southern sensibilities to the lifestyle and sportswear destination by capturing the ultra feminine, colorful and put-together aesthetic the South is known for. Roughly 70 percent of the Draper James collection is made in the United States and 40 percent of it is crafted in the South.
The apparel options are rife with pretty floral prints, eyelet and gingham. T-shirts, tote bags and accessories like iPhone cases broadcast Southern charm with phrases ending in “y’all” and a T-shirt that says simply “keep it pretty please.” Named after her maternal grandparents Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon, Draper James seems to be so much more than your average celebrity business ploy. Witherspoon’s aim with the site is to really expose people to Southern culture, how it has evolved over time, and how rich and exciting it is today.
“I hope that it sort of opens people’s eyes to how much the South has changed and to all of the cultural experiences happening there,” she told WWD. “We’re going to have City Guides but through my eyes, the places I love. We will have different Southern ambassadors that will show places to buy amazing Southern antique silver or where to find hand towels like their grandmothers had.”
The Draper James website also offers homewares from Southern shops, like cocktail napkins embroidered with southern sayings like “pleased as punch,” as well as throws and picture frames. Witherspoon also has a blog on the site where she plans to highlight Southern cities and “Southern style makers” like chefs, artists, designers and more.
Prices on the website range from $25 to $250 for jewelry, $50 to $400 for apparel, $14 to $400 for homewares and $40 to $325 for accessories.
[via WWD, Draper James]
