It’s true when they say our direction changes with each step, and it’s often a gamble trying to navigate what the future holds. The best we can do is listen, and maybe tighten the waistline for the long haul.
Ali Grace, the creative captain behind aligrace custom Levi’s, followed her compass on the banks of Cape Cod when she found a love for vintage Levi’s in high school, and set out to craft custom jeans for friends and family all the way through college in Amherst, MA. In 2016, the operation adopted its official name, and Ali herself went from calculating numbers as a Mathematics major to letting her denim do all the talking.
When it comes to purpose and destiny, it’s not something you can easily plug into any equation. Rather, it’s something you feel, and like a good pair of jeans ought to be, it’s true to form. After developing a study that was tailored to her unique vision, Grace began to gravitate more towards her entrepreneurial spirit and devoted her time to expanding her artistry into a homegrown business at one fateful Valley Venture Mentors exposition (thanks, Professor Lowry).
After securing her place as a finalist, it was clear that Grace was on to something big: custom made vintage Levi’s sewn specifically for the individual. Better still, Grace recognized a tear in the market’s fabric that would only rip harder over time. On average, it takes 1800 gallons of water to produce the cotton needed to make a single pair of virgin denim. Grace’s solution omits that step entirely, and we’re given a high-functioning pair of jeans that hold you tight and save plenty of water. The resurrected denim of aligrace customs are sustaining the planet and adding life back into your shape, and with every curve and crevice your body supplies, the jeans illuminate the brightest parts of your true form.
We all know the worn out struggle of sourcing quality denim that checks out. This is especially true for women, who are met with increasingly controlled size options. Many companies only offer a sliver of sizing choices that often neglect the so-called “bigger sizes’ ‘, when the average American woman’s size is a 36. Aligrace’s reclaimed Levi’s allow us to reclaim our unique shape, as inclusiveness is woven into the final product, from fit, to wash to distressing and everything in between. The truth is, we want to actually see that booty, and aligrace makes that happen no matter your size.
When it comes to taller women, aligrace makes sure to have everybody covered, tailoring custom Levi’s to your exact length. This is part of their size inclusivity. A lot of people 6’ and over may not realize that aligrace customizes the jeans down to the finest details, including the inseam. The look you’re going for is recreated through inspiration photos, regardless of how leggy you are!
Back in 2016, when Grace entered her company into the Valley Venture Mentors expo, she was doing so as a one woman show. Like the jeans themselves, Grace’s tenacity in marketing the brand caught the eyes of countless household names, and within a few months of graduating college she was supplying denim to Maggie Macdonald, another Cape Cod local, along with Vanessa Hudgens, Cara Delevingne, Hannah Brown, and Maddie Ziegler. Supporters began sliding, no…sprinting, into her DM’s. The secret was out, and aligrace custom vintage Levi’s generated national praise seemingly overnight. What began as a lofty source of inspiration flourished into a dynamic force in recycled apparel.
Today, aligrace customs are masterfully executed in California by a passionate team of women who seek to empower every kind of individual in the most unassuming way: doing the most with denim that does you right. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you know the joys that come with that favorite pair of jeans you’ve rocked for years, maybe even decades. The places you’ve gone, the people you’ve seen, the heads you’ve turned, all done in quality denim. It’s a good feeling, and one that no longer requires extensive trial and error.
Aligrace custom Levi’s belong to the artisanal crafts. Their business model embraces a small-batch strategy, where custom orders are taken exclusively through their website about once a month in limited quantities. The inventory is always stacked, no doubt, but this allows the small but mighty team of designers ample time for quick turnaround. From the very beginning, Grace wanted the individual to sculpt the denim and allow their personal flare to shine through. The jeans of aligrace are a blank space waiting to be filled, and everything from distressing level and tapering to split seams and butt rips are fair game.
If you haven’t already, check out the aligrace Instagram account. What you’ll find is a collage of everyday women doing everyday things. In their jeans. That’s the spirit of aligrace denim, realizing that a good pair of jeans will take you anywhere. Grace’s initial storefront began in Fairhaven, facing Martha’s Vineyard, and shortly after found a new home under the balmy rays of San Diego, CA. It’s easy to see how appropriate jeans are from coast-to-coast, whether it’s a Nantucket lobster crawl or the baked streets of Beverly Hills. No matter where the jeans take you or how you wear them, it’s a banner day when the jeans lead the way.
Throughout her journey, Grace encountered numerous surprises that ultimately pointed her in the right direction. One such scenario was during a business pitch, at the 2018 Valley Venture Mentor expo, where she stood in front of a panel of seasoned business executives, upward of sixty and all men. After delivering her presentation and concluding that recycled denim would transform the women of tomorrow, one panelist advised her not to wear distressed jeans to her next presentation. To this, Grace calmly corrected, “I am always going to represent my company.”
Today, aligrace custom vintage Levi’s enjoys substantial growth and a loyal following on social media. Our bodies remain our most coveted identifiers, and it’s critical that we celebrate our unique physiques with pride and a little moxie. Quality denim and jeans that hug you back is a trade of true self, as Grace and her community remind us to wear what you love and look good doing it. Try that on for size, and you’re sure to stress nothing but a good pair of Levi’s.
Contact:
Ali Grace
ali@shopaligrace.com
www.shopaligrace.com
Source: aligrace