BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Sep 13, 2016) - Our relationship to work has changed radically. We no longer stay in the office for the same 9-to-5 days. We're always on, connected and moving with purpose, from the post-workout commute, to the big work presentation, to happy hour with friends, to evening hours for a side project. Yet wear-to-work clothing hasn't evolved to keep up with these changes.
Since 2012 Ministry of Supply -- an apparel company using technology and design to create purposeful, modern, wear-to-work basics -- has been focused on solving modern apparel's biggest pain-points for menswear. Today, after nearly two years of R&D, the company is democratizing their vision for better clothing for daily life by expanding into womenswear. Along with introducing womenswear, the company has also rebranded as Ministry to better reflect the brand's vision for clear, concise simplicity in the full line of clothing.
"Since launching our first dress shirt, the top question we've been asked is whether we offer a women's line. While we tackled the men's market first, we believe everyone should have clothing that helps them reach their highest potential, every day. With the launch of our first-ever women's line, we're now closer to achieving our full vision for better, sleeker workwear," said Aman Advani, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.
Founded out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Ministry of Supply debuted to great fanfare as a record-setting Kickstarter campaign for fashion. Since then, the company has raised $8.5 million in seed funding from top investors including Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh's VTF Capital, Peter Lynch, and AC Milan's Keisuke Honda. Beginning with a single dress shirt, the company rapidly expanded to offer a full line of men's clothing and open four brick-and-mortar locations across the U.S.
"Our 'human-centered' design model is inspired by our roots as engineers: we're always looking to understand real people's lives, the challenges they face daily, and then create beautiful, functional products that people actually need. In our research, we've found clothing that keeps you cool, moves freely, and stays sharp all day are universal truths for our customers," said Gihan Amarasiriwardena, Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Design Officer of Ministry. "For both men's and women's clothing, we merge tailored simplicity with targeted performance. Our new items and branding showcase that commitment."
Ministry's initial womenswear line will offer two blouse designs and two pairs of slacks, with rapid expansion to more items planned for 2017. The company also recently announced plans to open three stores in Chicago, Atlanta and Bethesda in the fall of 2016. More retail stores across the U.S. are planned for 2017.
"Our customers are the embodiment of our company, and our products are with them every day," said Kit Hickey, Co-founder and Chief Retail Officer. "We're creating retail spaces that reflect their lives and integrate Ministry even more into their days, where they can hang out, experience our clothing and get to know our team on a deeper level."
Ministry's womenswear line is available for sale in September; the collection will ship in October. Visit www.ministry.co to be among the first to see the new line.
About Ministry
Launched in 2012 as Ministry of Supply, Ministry is an apparel company using technology and design to solve everyday problems associated with traditional wear-to-work clothing. Taking a human-centered approach, Ministry studies how people move through the modern workday -- from commuting to afternoon coffee to happy hour -- then uses advanced materials and innovative construction techniques to develop thoughtful, versatile garments that are truly in sync with the way people are living today. Visit Ministry at www.ministry.co or on Twitter @MinistryApparel.
