By Doris Hobbs
“I remember making my first dress design with my grandmother and feeling so transformed through the whole process,” Kaersten Cooper states as a strand from her blonde locks falls towards her brow and a smile forms while recalling the heartfelt memory. Her ensemble consists of a sophisticated and playful deep blue silk blouse of stylized oval embroidery, paired with a tailored light-weight pintuck pant in black. Both designs are currently available from her progressive Summer/Resort 2016 collection, which consists of designs that are meant to fit your evolving life style. “It’s a complete wardrobe that are all versatile pieces that can be infused with your own personality, as the collection inspires an elevated perspective with the intent that you will express your feminine authenticity,” she says.
The 6’1” beauty and Founder of MARGE Clothing, a new upscale women’s wear line made exclusively for women 5’9” and taller, has designed her entire line inspired by the fact that women of height struggle with their garment choices just as much as average and petite women. “There isn’t enough public relations necessarily around height, only perhaps in a negative sense referring to tall-woman-challenges or struggles of being a tall woman. We at MARGE wanted to take that verbiage and spin it to say, ‘Look at all the opportunities, look at this gorgeous canvas living life up here.’” Cooper excitedly continues to explain, “We’ve coined this term as this optimistic positive embrace as we always end our newsletters with xoxo Marge.”
For those who have struggled with their towering height and limited wardrobe choices, Cooper has developed a collection that addresses this challenge and has given women the opportunity to not settle but rather to focus on the fit from each style. A year of detailed research reinvented the entire mold of proper fit. Cooper and her team have measured a healthy range of market data about tall women. What the industry underestimates when creating garments for taller clientele is the need for trousers with a longer inseam, sheath among skirts that fall appropriately on the leg, and sleeves that provide a longer length to ensure coverage.
Cooper brings personal experience through her work. “I definitely developed a healthy insecurity being heads above the rest – but I do believe that this uncertainty was purely a result of being too young and immature in my ability to adapt, accept, and embrace my height.” Cooper has come to an honest, authentic appreciation of her height with the conclusion that living ‘Life Up Here’, a pitch line that now defines her apparel brand.