Owner/Founder Claire dressing up in her grandmothers vintage clothing
Much like a quilt, the connections and memories we cherish form patterns in the tapestry of our lives. I was inspired by these connections to open KEEPER. The meaning of the name is two-fold: to care for and to be worthy of.
Growing up in Wisconsin, I was brought up in the practical, resourceful and whimsical spirit of the Midwest. My great-grandmother Lillian and grandmother Cheeril were both public school teachers, beloved by their communities for their imaginative yet pragmatic approaches to life. They each left a legacy of perseverance, ingenuity and compassion. Those ideals drew my younger self toward all things creative and repurposed.
My grandmother Cheeril with her dog Queenie
My Great-grandmother Lillian and her classroom
Inspired by my own grandmothers closet, I began curating my wardrobe around old materials and thrift-store finds, and my love of vintage eventually blossomed into a career as a fashion stylist and art director. But as my career evolved, so did the way I loved and engaged with fashion. I became less enchanted with trends and labels as I saw more clearly how temporary trends lead to excess and overproduction — with real consequences for our planet and the people we share it with. This clarity focused my work in a new direction: to forge a path forward for how we consider the connection between what we buy and the environment we all share.
wearing my grandmothers formal from the 1950s
With KEEPER, I set out to build a company focused on mindful and sustainable values that honor my roots in Wisconsin and to share the legacy of those values with my son, August. My hope is that KEEPER becomes a space that inspires connection and elevates the value in clothing and objects of the past, while simultaneously meeting the desire for the freshness of the present day.
At the heart of KEEPER’s identity is the radical resistance to continuous consumption — instead, I hope to inspire others to live free from the distracting and unessential and to foster our natural connection to one another and our planet. Through our conscientious and conscious approach to sourcing, stocking and selling the garments and objects we carry, I hope KEEPER helps you seek inspiration from the past, build community in the present and invest in sustainability for the future.
Three upcoming workshops will offer the chance to put these values into action as we grow the KEEPER community. Please consider joining us to explore the world of slow fashion, reconnecting with your existing wardrobe through sustainable styling and preserving the clothes you love with mindful mending.
(Workshops start this fall and will be held at the KEEPER shop, dates TBA. Sign up for our newsletter below to get updates and previews on upcoming events!)
With love and hope for the future,
Claire
Claire
"In a society that is hell-bent on throwing, keeping is the ultimate act of rebellion"
- Orsola De Castro, Founder of Fashion Revolution
- Orsola De Castro, Founder of Fashion Revolution