From far left : Rivet Utility The Rowdy in dark stone wash, The Bigwig in blue corduroy, and The Rulebreaker in dark and light wash, rivetutility.com. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
Brentwood-based mom of five Daun Dees celebrates one year of Rivet Utility, her celeb-loved—and rapidly growing—jumpsuit dynasty.
Daun Dees may not have a fashion background, but since launching her jumpsuit brand, Rivet Utility, one year ago, she’s received a stamp of approval from some of the country’s top celebs and tastemakers, including the G.O.A.T., Oprah Winfrey; Demi Moore; Jessica Seinfeld; and longtime friend Gwyneth Paltrow. Dees, who, due to her investment banker husband’s job, spent time living in New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo, was a schoolteacher before jumping into fashion. “I love good clothing, but I don’t love to shop,” she says. “I love to look ‘dressed’ but without putting in the effort.” After seeing a pack of fifth-grade girls at her kids’ school dressed in Rosie the Riveter costumes for Halloween, Dees decided that jumpsuits were her calling. “There was something so powerful about the girls looking so confident and pulled together,” she says. “That started me on my journey.” Taking inspiration from street style and even her own separates, Dees perfects each jumpsuit by tweaking things on herself and her team, who all work out of her garage. “It’s tweaking styles that I’ve seen, or if I see someone walking down the street, I’ll snap a photo and think, ‘I like that top but wish it were paired with longer legs,’” she explains. “Or, I love a slip dress but will turn it into a jumpsuit because you don’t have to think about stockings or tights.” Beyond style, Dees is obsessed with making women feel great in her clothing, and goes to great lengths to ensure the materials and cuts are flattering and comfortable. “I’m always listening to what people want,” says Dees, who intends to keep her line limited to jumpsuits, and is planning to release activewear, sleepwear and even menswear soon. “I think as women we’re so hard on ourselves and spend a disproportionate amount of time worrying about what we look like rather than how we feel. I hope I can help people feel beautiful, comfortable and dressed.” As well, keeping production local is a tenet of Dees’ business. “Everyone used to manufacture here, and nobody does now on a big scale,” she explains. “I feel passionately about keeping jobs here. It’s my way of giving back.”rivetutility.com
Clockwise from top left : Rivet Utility founder Daun Dees wears The Explorer jumpsuit in shimmery gold stretch taffeta; Rivet Utility The Bigwig in pink, The Rowdy in light and dark wash, and The Worker in red. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
“AS WOMEN, WE ARE SO HARD ON OURSELVES AND SPEND A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TIME WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WE LOOK LIKE RATHER THAN HOW WE FEEL. I HOPE I CAN MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BEAUTIFUL, COMFORTABLE AND DRESSED.” –DAUN DEES
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