Women in Business: The Shirt by Rochelle Behrens

A good shirt should form the foundation of a woman’s professional working wardrobe. Whether you opt for classic white or something with a twist, no woman should have to fear that her shirt will let her down. Shopping for shirts can be a Herculean task. I am blessed with a bust, but this can cause nightmares when trying to find a shirt that will lie flat.

Enter Rochelle Behrens of DC based company The Shirt. Behrens experienced similar sartorial issues whilst working in Washington DC, having to pin her shirts whilst interning at the White House, and later in her successful career as a lobbyist. She strived to do something proactive to rectify this irritating problem, and in 2008, Behrens filed a patent for a duel button technology prototype. The technology focuses on problem solving the common ‘gape’ issue, the gap that appears between the buttons over your chest. The design is seamlessly integrated into the shirt, and Behrens ordered prototypes soon after her patent had been granted. The prototypes were sent to friends and family, and soon after The Shirt was born!

The Shirt provides products that are perfectly tailored across the shoulders and body, and are long enough to stay tucked in, or short enough to leave out. Behrens was previously an intern at W Magazine, and the company combines her love of design and business in an innovative and fresh way. Behrens is actively involved in the design process, ensuring that the clothes fit perfectly and are made of luxurious fabrics including cotton from Italy and silk from China.

Production initially commenced for a few hundred shirts, and in mid-2009, Behrens began working on The Shirt full-time. The company launched with one shirt design and one employee- Rochelle herself. The business has expanded rapidly, with products available through their online flagship website, in boutiques across America and in department stores such as Bloomingdales. Perhaps The Shirt’s biggest break came in 2011, when it was featured in Oprah’s ‘Must Have’ feature. Behrens sent a shirt to Oprah, and in 24 hours a member of the production team contacted her to let her know that it had been selected as one of her picks, and would be given to audience members.

The range of products at The Shirt is expanding all the time. The current Spring ’13 line was inspired by the colours and cultures of Italy, with designs included a shirt dedicated to bicycles.

The Shirt has also been featured in InStyle, Washingtonian and Glamour amongst other print and digital publications.

One of the greatest inspirations from Behrens’s journey is how a simple idea can manifest into something bigger. Shirts from Behrens’s range empower women through what they wear, giving them confidence in such a simple yet crucial item. The products make women look polished, strong and confident. Behrens’s journey is also an inspiring tale. She continued with her political career whilst ‘moonlighting’ as a designer, taking advantage of coverage from The Today Show to make the leap into running the business full time.

A lesson we can all take from Behrens’s journey is to just go for it! If you are passionate about something, and feel that you can make a difference you must follow that path. Behrens unique idea of building a modern digital flagship is the best way to create a strong online presence in the fashion industry, and the model can be adapted to other creative industries such as design and communications. We are also increasingly seeing politicians and political parties using more than one digital platform to communicate their message. Behrens’s story and model is inspiring for all entrepreneurs, and if you are thinking of starting your own business, I encourage you to use The Shirt as a starting point.

If you’ve got the idea, the passion and the commitment- go for it!

To find out more about The Shirt visit their website here. You can also follow Rochelle Behrens on Twitter.

The Shirt by Rochelle Behrens