How Exclusively Kristen Began

Portrait of Kristen, founder of Exclusively Kristen, smiling on a balcony in Hong Kong
Kristen, founder of Exclusively Kristen.

I worked in education, and at the university where I worked, a student once told me I dressed like an old lady. The reason was my frumpy shirts. The ones that closed over my bust were boxy and too big everywhere else.

It was not a new problem. In high school I loved the shirts from a popular brand, but on me they looked like a mess, and I remember asking why no one made shirts for big busts. As a cheerleader, I had to order a shell one size too big, because the one that fit my shoulders and waist was too tight across my chest.

Years later, I was living in New York City and working in education when I decided to make a major pivot. One day, riding the B train back to Brooklyn, I decided I wanted to work for myself. It was 2013, Shark Tank was just starting to take off, and I launched Exclusively Kristen.

I'm a UK 32HH, and everything we make is designed for the fit problems I lived with. Every piece is tailored with extra room through the bust and a fitted waist, so you get a polished, professional silhouette without the gap, the pull, or the bulk.

No gaping buttons. No exposed bra straps. No boxy fit. Just clothes that were actually designed for your body.

Kristen wearing The One and Only Light Blue Shirt, a button-down tailored with extra room for a fuller bust
The One and Only Shirt in Light Blue. Room through the bust, a fitted waist, buttons that lie flat.

Our story has been told by Slate, the Daily Mail, amNY and more. See the press.

Kristen in a straw rice-farming hat standing in a rice paddy in Laos, wearing a black dress with mud on her legs
In a rice paddy in Laos. I design for women who live full lives, not just desk days.

Our fabrics and where we make them

I choose natural fibers like cotton whenever I can, and plant-based fibers like Tencel™, which comes from a renewable source, where a piece needs drape. Here is what goes into each style and where it is made.

  • Button-down shirts: Premium Japanese cotton (100% cotton), lightweight, breathable and soft. Made in the USA.
  • Tank tops: A soft, breathable cotton blend (95% cotton, 5% spandex). The fabric comes from China, and the tanks are made in the USA.
  • Foundation Dress: A breathable cotton blend (96% cotton, 4% elastane) with soft stretch. Made in Portugal.
  • Icon Jumpsuit: A Tencel™ blend (70% Tencel, 27% polyester, 3% spandex). Tencel™ is a plant-based fiber known for its softness and breathability. Made in China.

Care instructions are on every product page. Find your size or explore the collection.

Explore the Collection.