Looking for casual geek apparel that you can wear any time, anywhere? One company trying to fill the need for subtler options is Jordandené.
The online apparel and home goods business takes an interesting spin on the idea of casual geek fashion. Jordandené’s apparel includes T-shirts, tanks, underwear, and sweatshirts that feature familiar words and quotes from a number of fandoms. Iconic phrases from Harry Potter, Star Wars, Hamilton, and many more are front and center on these items.
Photo via Jordan Ellis
Photo via Jordan Ellis
The way they’re styled, the tops look like just comfortable, casual pieces that can work anywhere. However fellow fans of these fandoms will recognize the words, leading to that awesome bonding moment where you get to connect with someone who shares your passion! With options for men, women, and kids, it’s nice that anyone can enjoy these subtle designs.
Jordandené doesn’t stop with apparel though. Those looking for accessories will find tote bags, towel sets, and a pillowcase. For a slightly more obvious geek accessory, Jordandené also sells adorable aprons and half aprons that can make you feel like you’re a member of Starfleet or traveling through time and space.
Photo via Jordan Ellis
We spoke to Jordandené founder Jordan Ellis over email about how the company started, and how she creates these items.
How did Jordandené come about and why was it a company you wanted to start?
Jordandené as a company actually happened by mistake. I went to school to be a teacher, and I started a little Etsy shop as a hobby after graduation. I never expected to be running my own business, and I’m so thankful for everyone who has been so supportive and made it possible. Now that Jordandené is here and I’ve met so many incredible people because of it, I can’t imagine being happy doing anything else.
What inspired you to create apparel featuring geeky quotes, creating designs that look like they can be worn anywhere?
I wanted to make subtly geeky, well-designed clothing that I would actually want to wear every day. It’s pretty easy to find nerdy fashion now, but I wanted to make something a little sneakier. I want these shirts to be wearable anywhere, and only other people who get the reference will even notice their geekiness.
You offer a variety of items, not just apparel. Are some products more difficult than others to design and create?
The handmade aprons, which actually started it all, are definitely the most difficult to create. They’re all individually cut out and pieced together, and a few parts are even sewn together by hand.
Can you tell us a little bit about the process behind creating your products and how you get started with a design? How long does the process take for a design to be completed?
We start with a quote idea, which either comes from one of my favorite fandoms or through a conversation with other fans and customers. My husband is actually the designer, and he hand-letters each design with either a marker or a brush and ink. We scan the design, digitize it, and print it on a sheet of clear acetate. Preparing and burning the design onto a screen takes about an hour and a half, and then we can start printing it onto shirts. All together it takes about five hours from beginning the design to printing the first shirt, which is why we can’t really offer custom orders!
What do you think sets Jordandené apart from the other geek fashion retailers online right now?
I love that our products are high quality, affordable, and actually wearable in everyday life. We’re also in a sweet spot of being a small enough company that we can have great relationships with our customers. If you e-mail customer support, I’m the one who responds. If you talk to us on Instagram or Facebook, you’re talking to me. There are about 3-4 people who work on various parts of the team, and we always try to put our customers first!
You have a lot of great fandoms represented in your shop. Are there any fandoms you haven’t created items for yet that you would like to create products for in the future?
There are absolutely new fandoms we haven’t worked with yet and are really excited to add in the future! Our shirt of the month has been a great way to branch out and include lesser known fandoms in our collection.
