A few weeks into motherhood, Morgan Hutchinson founded BURU when she discovered that the struggle was real when it came to finding fashion-forward clothing for moms that was multi-functional, responsibly made and (obviously) washable. What started as a marketplace for existing ready-to-wear brands eventually became its own fashion house selling exclusively the BURU label of pieces designed by Morgan herself and made with every stage of motherhood in mind.
Rondel founder Lindsey first met Morgan at a trade show over a decade ago when the two were each launching companies. Over time the two became supporters of each other and their brands joining forces on a number of The Laundress X BURU collaborations. With the launch of Rondel, it seemed more than perfect to create the Rondel X BURU Mother Cartouche, a necklace that celebrates moms in every shape and form. Read on for a little more about BURU founder Morgan Hutchinson, and shop the special edition necklace exclusively at ShopBuru.com.
My first experience with design was…
Funny you should ask... as Lindsey is actually quite familiar with my first foray into design. In my early 2000’s, I started a lingerie company with my two best friends called Passport Panties. We designed lingerie inspired by “the girl on the go” and eventually evolved into fashion forward shapewear. I actually met Lindsey at a tradeshow as The Laundress booth was across the aisle from us!
The people seated at my rond table are… (We’d love to get a peek into your family unit!)
My very full table includes Brett, my wonderful husband and business partner, and our three darling and full of energy kiddos; Olive Bee (9) Schafer (5) and Carlyle (22 months).
I started BURU because…
Brett and I moved back to the USA after 4 years in Beijing, China, just one month before Olive Bee (our first child) was born. It took all of two weeks into motherhood for me to realize that my wardrobe needed an overhaul.
As I started searching for fashion forward styles that would also allow easy access to nurse, hemlines for bending over and washable fabrics—I struggled. A LOT. Feeling certain I was not alone in this (and convincing Brett the same) he and I set out on a mission, in the name of fashion—to create a space for mothers to find “their own mom style” from a curated selection of styles with mom life in mind.
Fast forward many years and the company has evolved considerably. What started as a marketplace, with an assortment of other ready-to-wear brands, is now our BURU brand exclusively. I carefully design each piece with fabrics, fits, access and POCKETS in mind. We responsibly produce 50% of our goods in our own downtown Los Angeles factory (built one sewing machine at a time) and 50% overseas in a small factory in southern China.
My favorite BURU holiday look is…
Though it’s hard to pick a favorite, one of my top BURU holiday looks is our Crimson Floral Tegan Skirt. I love it paired with our crisp Timeless White Button-Down shirt, knotted and the waist and unbuttoned just enough to showcase our MOTHER Cartouche!
We started our own BURU micro-factory because…
Being an entrepreneur is all about an openness to learn something new…EVERY single day. One lesson that has consistently presented itself over and over again in my career is the importance of having control over the supply chain. Though we began building our domestic production team and equipment at the end of 2018, it has been a game changer during the pandemic, allowing us to act in real time and to not overly depend on overseas production.
Producing responsibly and limiting waste has been a huge driver as well—which is why we use upcycled textiles sourced locally in LA and cut most styles on demand. Rarely do we let a scrap of fabric go to waste! Hence my nickname… “scrappy”!
One way I had to pivot my business during the pandemic is…
One way?? Ha ha. Everyday seemed like a pivot there for a while. But if I have to choose one, then I would say, the first big pivot was masks. At this point that likely seems obvious because eventually everyone started making them, but as Californians, we were pretty early in mandates. I couldn’t find anything that would fit our kids, so our head of production made 4 sizes to fit each person in our family. I posted a selfie of me in the mask prototype, and we sold 20,000 masks in 48-hours. All of the profits went to LAUSD’s meal plan. And while we were thrilled to offer our customers something they needed while also giving back to our community, this also allowed us to be deemed “essential” so that our sewers could keep working (safely of course). We pre-sold all the masks as “cut to order” which eventually led us to our next big pivot: launching domestic collections as pre-orders with tight lead windows of 2-weeks to be more efficient in our production and eliminate unneeded inventory. These last 20-months have been so incredibly challenging for everyone. I have personally survived by trying to find the silver linings in all of the chaos. There have been so many positives for BURU. I truly believe that gratitude and grief can co-exist.
The last thing I sketched was…
The last thing I sketched was a new dress silhouette for a collaboration that we are launching in early February with The Southern Coterie. It’s over the top and just what 2022 needs… if you ask me. Wink wink.
How I mother…
Raised as an only child, I still wake up most days shocked to discover that I have 3 CHILDREN! Our home is loud. It’s overflowing with energy and constant motion. As a mother I just lean into this. I don’t own a label maker. I don’t particularly love to cook (I’m more of a “preparer or orderer of meals”). I don’t believe that there is only one way to do things. I don’t believe that every family’s life needs to look like the Jones’s. BUT, I do believe in adventure, experiences, and coordinated outfits. If you follow @shopburu on the ‘Gram, then you may have seen one (or twenty) of our “family road-trips” in a BURU Bus. Those photos pretty much sum me up as a mom.
Our holiday plans include…
We are taking the whole crew to NYC for Christmas! After many years of living there, Brett and I discovered that neither of us ever spent Christmas Eve or Day in the city. Righting that wrong—we are going with a classic Upper East Side stay, near the park and The Plaza Santa. After we hit all the delightfully tourist activities the city has to offer, we are road-tripping it to the North Carolina mountains to ring in the New Year at High Hampton Inn.
Something about me you may not know is…
I start listening to Christmas music on October 1st (Or September 30th if I’m having a bad day)!
My mantra is…
My fashion mantra: Wear what you want! (BURU is preferred. Wink wink.)
My life mantra: Keep going and try to laugh as much as possible.
A family pass-down I cherish the most is…
Christmas ornaments. Each one is a memory. No random ornaments allowed. ;)
My story, my style in a word…
FUN!
The Rondel piece that speaks to me…
Well… our BURU X Rondel Mother Cartouche, of course!
Morgan's BURU X Rondel Mother Cartouche
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Shop this style exclusive at ShopBuru.com.
