Katie Can’t Get Enough of These Women-Led Brands

Investing in women is more than just buying from women-owned brands: It’s ensuring that your dollars go to helping women in need, too. Every purchase from Thistle Farms goes toward the recovery of survivors of trafficking, addiction, and violence, because that’s who Thistle Farms prioritizes while hiring.

Thistle Farms offers a range of home goods and skincare, all crafted by women who are recovering or have recovered from various trauma. Employees also receive housing and free mental healthcare on-site to give them a more stable lifestyle. Founded by Becca Stevens in 1997, Thistle Farms continues to lift women up and give them a safe space to heal and rebuild their lives

Known for her high-quality basics and closet staples, Jenni Kayne makes some of Katie’s favorite sweaters and skirts. Founded in 2002, Kayne had a clear vision and aesthetic: She wanted to create pieces that could be passed down for generations and worn effortlessly. Kayne also made a concerted effort to prioritize natural fibers, like Wake-Up Call readers’ favorite 100 percent cashmere cardigan. 

Stephanie Summerson Hall fondly remembers Sunday dinners with her grandmother, Estelle. Family and friends would gather at the matriarch’s home to eat and chat, surrounded by Estelle’s personal collection of vintage glassware. Hall shared her grandmother love of antiques, and together they’d hunt for various glass pieces at antique shops, thrift stores, and around towns near her home in South Carolina. 

To this day, Hall credits her grandmother for teaching her the art of hosting and creating a stunning tablescape. Hall struggled to find colored glass in modern stores, so she decided to make her own — and she named the company after her grandmother. Working with glass artisans in Poland, Hall creates jewels for your table, helping you create cherished memories not unlike the ones she has with her grandma.

After graduating from Harvard Business School, Naa-Sakle Akuete never expected to take over the family business. Her mother, Eugenia, launched a wholesale shea butter distribution business in 2000, when she returned to Ghana to take care of Akuete’s ill grandmother. Eugenia named the business Naasakle International, after her daughter, and later became the first president of the Global Shea Alliance, which advises organizations and governments about the sustainability, fair trade, and standards of shea butter.

History repeated itself when Eugenia was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2013, and Akuete stepped in to help run Naasakle International. A year later, she founded Eu’Genia Shea, named after her mother. Not only are its shea butter products sustainably made, but 15 percent of all profits are donated back to their female workers in Ghana (all of whom are paid a fair wage), through an education fund. 

The New York Times declared Jennifer Fisher the “Queen of Hoops,” which is fitting because her jewelry is beloved by Katie and celebrities like Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama, and Jessica Alba. 

Her journey began while hunting for a custom gold dog-tag necklace engraved with her child’s name. She found a jeweler in NYC who agreed to make her design, and after being inundated with requests to make one-of-a-kind pieces for stylists and celebs, Fisher launched her business in 2005. She still works with that same jeweler to this day! Katie is obsessed with her solid gold mini hoops because they can be worn every day and they don’t irritate her sensitive skin.

A footnote in Fisher’s story is that shortly after founding her company, she began receiving chemotherapy for a desmoid tumor on her chest. Thankfully, the tumor hasn’t grown since then, but she continues to advocate for women’s health, much like Katie.

Katie’s friend, Laurie Kittle, proved that life doesn’t stop at retirement: In fact, it may just be the beginning. Kittle founded Walker & Wade at age 60, combining her passion for design, travel, and shore life into clothing that can be worn from “beach to table.” From tropical-printed maxi dresses to flirty minis, Katie can’t get enough of the brand’s soft and comfortable silhouettes.

Stunning suits aren’t just about looking good — they’re about feeling good, all while making a statement. After spending a decade in tech, founder Sali Christenson struggled to find clothes that were fashionable yet practical enough for business meetings, so she took matters into her own hands. Today, Argent aims to foster a community that inspires women to express themselves through style, but to also inspire “radical equality when it comes to paychecks, pockets, and everything in between” by sharing the stories of trailblazing women (like our very own Katie). 

Everyone loves a cozy sweater, so why not wear your beliefs on your sleeve (or, in this case, chest)? In an effort to combat anxiety and post-natal depression after the birth of her second son, founder Rachelle Hruska MacPherson picked up a needle and thread and began embroidering an old cashmere sweater, a hobby she inherited from her grandmother. This “hobby” quickly turned into a line of sustainably sourced, fair-trade sweaters embroidered by women in NYC.

Today, the brand still creates the beloved sweaters it’s known for, but has grown to offer custom designs, ready-to-wear runway collections, accessories, and even wallpapers. Lingua Franca regularly launches special collections aimed at supporting those in need, donating a portion of proceeds to a causes including The National Network of Abortion Funds and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. To date, the brand has given more than $1 million to various organizations.

One of Katie’s many areas of expertise is pajamas, and she’s always expanding her collection. Her latest favorites are from Mersea, which was initially founded as a perfume company by Mel Bolin and Lina Dickinson. Originally inspired by a shared love of travel and fragrance, the brand now offers clothing made by artisans all around the world.

A WBENC-certified Women-Owned Business, Mersea supports local communities around the world by paying a fair wage and employing women artisans. The brand prioritizes working with small, family-owned businesses rather than large manufacturers. Katie’s go-to? A set of jewel-toned satin pajamas that are just as fabulous as they are ethical.   

Skin varies from woman to woman, but it also changes significantly with age. For those with sensitive skin that’s prone to breakouts and eczema flare-ups, it can feel like an impossible task to find products that work, without upsetting your temperamental epidermis. That’s why Katie relies on her personal board-certified dermatologist Dr. Cheryl Lee Eberting. When Dr. Lee Eberting launched her own skincare line that specializes in sensitive skin, Katie became an instant fan.

After years of running her namesake label (and then leaving it in 2016), Bobbi Brown was ready for a big change. In an effort to simplify beauty routines and create products that are clean and easy-to-use, she launched Jones Road Beauty in 2020. The line is formulated to work on every skin type and tone, working with your skin and not against it. It embraces celebrating your natural age and beauty (and texture!), and all products are free of phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, PEGs, cyclic silicones, EDTA, and BPA — among many others. You can take a cue from our readers, who swear by the brand’s Miracle Balm, which melts into your skin and blends easily.