in 2009, we
introduced our dream with
only a single email.
back then, there was no evidence to prove that our dream of imogene + willie would work. we had no idea where we would end up. we had no idea how we would get there. but we knew what we wanted.
we wanted to make something that would last. we wanted to make things in the usa. we wanted to create a space to share. we wanted to build community.
above all things, we knew we couldn't do it alone. and we didn’t want to.
so we wrote an email to everyone we knew. we told them about our dream of imogene + willie.
our plan was to try and sell 250 jeans in our inaugural fits: imogene (for women) and willie (for men).
orders started coming in from all over the country, and then, from all over the world.
after months of planning, building, and cleaning, we set up shop in an old service station in Nashville, TN. we opened our doors on a warm day in july of that same year. we invited everyone we knew, and a lot of people we didn’t. and we threw a party.
in the years since,
many things have changed
we constructed our own sewing room in los angeles, opened a second home in austin and put more legs in jeans than we could have ever imagined.
however, our intent remains the same. we still believe in making garments with substance that transcend simple trends, and more importantly, we remain steadfastly committed to making everything here in united states.
our sewing team is truly such an integral part of what we do here -- a team of 12 that we've been fortunate to have known and shared meals with for years. the ones who make so much happen for us.
since the very beginning, imogene + willie has been, and forever will be, shaped by the people around it.
simply put, community is at the heart of everything we do
disaster relief
we've always been of the mindset that healing doesn't happen in isolation, it happens in community.
in the days following the wild fires in Los Angeles in 2025, the hurricanes and floods that impacted Tennessee, North Carolina, & Florida in 2024, and the tornado that struck Nashville in 2020, our community rallied around these cities and towns that we love.
using the proceeds from a handful of graphic tees made in support of these efforts, we were able to donate over $232k to small business, community foundations, and non-profits focused on helping those impacted by natural disaster.
support live music
music has always been a thread in the quilt of imogene + willie, and in many ways has been our greatest connector with those around us.
in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, we made the decision to begin donating every penny we made from all sales of our "support live music" tee and truckers to MusiCares, a charitable organization that provides relief for musicians in times of need, including support for medical, financial, and emergency crisis.
the sewing academy
The Sewing Training Academy began an initiative in Nashville, working to rebuild the local sewing workforce - with the goal being to help people build better lives by teaching the skill of sewing.
each of our canvas totes is patterned, cut, and sewn in their workshop here in Nashville, TN.
nonprofit support
to us, organizations like Buchanan Arts and the Belcourt Theatre play a crucial role in what makes Nashville special. they keep their doors open to the city day after day, creating spaces where art can be both learned & celebrated in an accessible environment.
over the past years, we've been incredibly proud to work hand-in-hand with both of these nonprofits to produce a limited run of t-shirts, with all proceeds going directly to support after school art programs and community education & engagement.