Actress Reese Witherspoon started the apparel company Draper James in 2015. The line strives to “emphasize southern roots and personal style” as a tribute to Witherspoon’s Southern heritage. The name is a tribute to William James Witherspoon and Dorothea Draper, Witherspoon’s grandparents.
On September 6, 2023, the private equity firm Consortium Brand Partners purchased the lifestyle company.
Under the direction of Andrea Hyde, a former president of Burch Creative Capital, and a $7 million seed investment, Draper James began selling items in May 2015. Draper James announced a $10 million round of investment capital from Forerunner Ventures, an early-stage investment company, in October 2015.
Draper James opened its first physical location in Nashville, Tennessee—the city where Witherspoon was born and raised—in October 2015. In September 2016, a second location opened in Dallas, Texas. In September 2019, the Dallas site was relocated to a pop-up in Southlake, Texas. The Summit at Fritz Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, opened its doors in May 2017. A opened in December 2017 in the Shops Around Lenox in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia.
The Fashion Company has been profiled in publications such as People, Vanity Fair, Oprah Magazine, and Coveteur, among others. The Gilmore Girls Revival included his iconic “totes y’all” bag.
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Southern Living named Draper James “Best Shop in Tennessee” in March 2017. In the same month, Draper James and cosmetics subscription provider Birchbox announced a joint venture.
The iconic Jack Rogers sandal was introduced in three different varieties in April 2017 as a result of a collaboration between Draper James and sandal manufacturer Jack Rogers (Footwear Retailer). In May 2017, Draper James and Net-a-Porter declared their collaboration.
Taylor Rettig succeeded Hyde as the company’s CEO in September 2017.
The company appointed Kathryn Sukey to be the new head of design, and her first collection debuted in the spring of 2019. Sukey also created the brand’s first in-house plus size collection.
In February 2022, they launched a new product line in collaboration with Kohl’s.
Just launched! 🍂 Our Draper James RSVP Fall collection for @kohls, full of rich colors, bold textures and lots of fun. Now online at https://t.co/setggukysh and in select stores. pic.twitter.com/vc1xA5nz7c
— Draper James (@draperjames) September 9, 2022
During an interview at the Inbound 2023 conference, held on September 8, 2023, Reese Witherspoon revealed that she has sold off her controlling stake in Draper James and now serves as a member of the board.
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The product line offers a diverse selection of apparel, accessories, and home decor that aims to capture the essence of the current trends and vibrancy in the Southern region. The pricing are mostly targeted towards affluent customers.
Products frequently use regional colloquialisms from the Southeast United States, such as a tote bag adorned with the phrase “totes y’all” emblazoned on it.