Jay Victoria, a brand based in Minnesota, specialises in designing shirts for individuals who identify as plus-size, nonbinary, and queer.
“There’s a glaring lack of representation. No one has truly considered individuals like her – a plus-size woman who prefers shopping in the men’s section,” Souphak, wife of founder Jamie Kienitz explained.
Jamie highlighted, “When it comes to plus-size individuals who favor menswear, there’s often a perceived trade-off between style and fit. You can’t have both.” It was then that Souphak proposed the concept of launching their own clothing line.
Upon successfully finishing the complimentary seven-week gener8tor gBETA Accelerator Program, Jay Victoria was awarded a US $ 10,000 grant from the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.
This funding was utilised to conduct a soft launch of their initial production run in February, featuring five distinct styles of button-up long-sleeve shirts. In addition, Jay Victoria takes part in fabric upcycling, repurposing materials from other brands to create sustainable clothing options.
Every shirt in the collection is adorned with turquoise buttons on the cuffs, serving as a gentle reminder to practice self-kindness.
“Based on my own experiences, I understand how effortlessly we can become our own harshest critics,” shared Jamie.
The aspiration is to introduce a complete launch for Jay Victoria by the year’s end.
