a message from our founder…
Happy New Year Rebelles!
I wanted to start the year off by expressing my sincere gratitude for your continued support throughout 2023.
When I started OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles in my Harlem apartment, my goal was to inspire hope and share an untold history with denim as the backdrop. I‘ve been a Creative Director & Designer for reputable denim lifestyle brands for over 20 years and in my experience, much of the narrative about denim has not been inclusive nor sustainably made. I wanted to make a local brand that supports community while adding a unique perspective to the American Denim story. So I launched OAK & ACORN as the first sustainable lifestyle brand that pays homage to the origins of Indigo & the legacy of American denim.
It is my belief that fashion can be a vehicle for impact, change and initiating movements. For OAK & ACORN, I knew that I wanted to tell an empowering story and make products that really impact the community and the lives of the people in it.
How your support has contributed to our overall successful impact
National Impact • nearly $9K in funds donated
With every purchase of a Denim Jumpsuit from our website & our retail stockists, we give 20% of the profits to our social impact partner We Got Us Now. We Got Us Now is the nation’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of children and young adults with incarcerated parents. Over 10 million children in the United States have had a parent incarcerated in their lifetime. Some of We Got Us Now’s advocacy work includes public education, civic engagement, leadership development, well-being and policy reform. They have made life changing strides in the last 5 years
“With Your Support - Our Support to Community Increases”
Local Impact • Partnership with over 12 local businesses - 7 family owned & operated
During the first two years of OAK & ACORN, nearly 90% of our products were made through long standing overseas relationships. These partners helped with the launch of the brand, supporting sampling & small production runs. We made some pieces locally in New York City, but ultimately we were met with some production limitations.
Miko choosing denim at family owned Los Angeles deadstock fabric wholesaler, Premium Denim Outlet.
In August 2022, my husband and I made a bold decision to move our production from New York to California, with the goal of bringing the majority of our production from overseas to the US.
Los Angeles is one of the largest producers of jeans in the world, second only to China. Post pandemic, many of the local makers were deeply affected by the drastic shift in the economy and many faced business closures. The stark truth is that if we don’t actively support our American denim craftsmanship, we are at risk of these priceless trades not passing down to the next generation of makers.
we are now proudly making 90% of products in the USA.
In June 2023, we opened our Los Angeles design studio & have been working with an incredible team of expert patternmakers, sewers, cutters & one of the best wash houses in the USA. We feel strongly about supporting locally made products with superb artisanship.
you help us grow
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you help us grow ! •
OAK & ACORN Founder, Miko Underwood with Sonja Rasula, Founder of Unique Markets & podcast “SOS with Sonja Rasula’ wearing OAK & ACORN’s Signature Rebelle Jumpsuit Coveralls at KTLA Channel 5
We’ve been popping up throughout the California area over the past year..
You’ve seen us in San Francisco, Malibu, Pasadena, Downtown Los Angeles and in our hometown New York City for fashion week. It's been a delight to meet so many of you in person. This year we are looking forward to launching in some of your local stockists as well as new pop up locations. Stay Tuned.
We value you as a part of our community, so if you happen to think of us when you're shopping in your favorite store, let us know the store name and location.
Don’t forget to tell them about us so they can reach out!
After such a positive year, I hope to bring in the same energy this year. Once again, thank you for the love and support, and we can’t wait for you all to see what’s to come in 2024.
Wishing you all a blessed & joyous New Year!
With Much Love
Miko~