La Jenns - Treasured Threads

BY CAROLYN DRINKARD

Nestled among the pine forests along Highway 154 in Clarke County is a small farming and timber community called Chilton. A quiet, peaceful area, Chilton is not the place you might normally look to find elegant, heirloom children’s clothing. Nonetheless, this tranquil setting is the birthplace of a highly respected, nationwide brand of children’s clothing, which has been in business here for over 25 years.

The talented lady behind this amazing success story is Mary Jean Brunson Coxwell. Mary and her husband, Roy, grew up in Chilton and now live on a beautiful farm. The Coxwells have always anchored their lives in faith and family, raising two successful daughters: LaShane Calvin, a pharmacist, and Jennifer Draper, a designer/ business owner. The Coxwells have also been blessed with five wonderful grandchildren.

For years, Mary Coxwell has transformed fine fabrics into treasured threads that harken back to an era of elegance and timeless charm. She inherited her love of fabrics and sewing from her mother, Vera Brunson, who came from generations of highly skilled seamstresses. With the arrival of her two daughters, however, Mary had a new focus. She and Vera spent many pleasurable hours planning, designing and hand stitching exquisite heirloom dresses for the girls.

Mary and Roy Coxwell have always anchored their lives in faith and family, raising two successful daughters. (L to r) Jennifer Draper, who heads the LaJenn’s Sportwear line, Mary, Roy and LaShane Calvin, a pharmacist in Birmingham.

As her daughters grew, Mary still found great pleasure and satisfaction in creating the beautiful dresses. After purchasing a fabric store, Mary discovered an even wider selection of exquisite materials to create her one-of-a-kind pieces. The sewing area in the back of the store was a busy place, as Mary and her mother made display clothing from their stock. It was at this time that Rose Richardson, another gifted seamstress, joined Mary to make her “special occasion line.”

Mary’s heirloom pieces quickly grew in popularity, so she sold the fabric store to meet the demands for her clothing. She also decided to concentrate more on her dream of developing her own line of children’s clothing. Her mother suggested she call her brand “LaJenn’s,” after both daughters.

This picture was taken on Mary’s first trip to the Atlanta Apparel Mart to show her line of children’s clothing. The same “God-sent” rep, Stokes for Kids, still represents LaJenn’s at the Atlanta Apparel Mart 25 years later.

Mary holds her own baby dress that was made by her mother, Vera Brunson, many years ago. Her mother came from generations of fine seamstresses who were known for their fine sewing and quality workmanship.

With encouragement from her family, Mary stepped out on faith in 1992. She prepared some samples, rented a booth in Jackson, Mississippi, and took her fashions to market.

“I knew nothing about selling in a Mart,” she laughed. “I didn’t even know I was supposed to make appointments with buyers to come to my booth.”

Noticing however, that other booths had customers all day, she prayed for someone just to stop by and look at her samples. Suddenly, a white-haired gentleman appeared, looked at her pieces and asked to show her collection at the Dallas Apparel Mart.

“I had prayed,” she said tearfully, “and when God answered my prayer,it just took my heart away!”

This rep took about 100 samples to his showroom in Dallas and started writing orders immediately. Not only was her line a success, but also another rep saw the dresses and asked to represent her at the Atlanta Apparel Mart. This second “God-sent” rep (Stokes for Kids) still represents LaJenn’s at the Atlanta Apparel Mart.

LaJenn’s is now in over 600 children’s specialty shops nationwide. Mary’s company has continued to grow, adding even more collections. For example, after the arrival of four grandsons, Mary expanded LaJenn’s Heirlooms to include matching boys’ outfits for each dress. When customers asked for simpler lines and colors, she created “Mary, Mary by LaJenn’s.” She has also embraced social media, using Facebook to sell samples at “LaJenn’s Heirloom Children’s Clothing” and Etsy to offer hard-tofind trims and buttons, under the name, “Notions by Mary.”

In the early years of her business, Mary Jean used her grandchildren as models for her heirloom clothing. Daughter LaShane Calvin had twins, Jess and Jacob Calvin, who often modeled their grandmother’s clothing.

Quincy Margaret Lewis is a second generation LaJenn’s Heirloom baby! Her grandmother, Sabrina Andrews, would bring her mother, Krista A. Lewis, to the shop to be measured for her heirlooms. The fact that Krista fondly remembers her own fittings and now has chosen to dress her little one in LaJenn’s truly makes Mary proud.

Much to Mary’s delight, her younger daughter, Jennifer Draper, has joined her to help with the design process and head the fun and exciting new casual line, LaJenn’s Sportswear, known for its use of vivid coloring in trend-setting ways.

“Mom’s fortunate that she could turn her passion into a career!” Jennifer added. “I have so much respect for her being a risk taker, starting her own business and persevering through the years to assure that business was a success.”

On just about any given day, Mary Coxwell can be found in her workshop, carrying on her artistic legacy. Sewing soothes her soul and spirit. Fine textiles are her muses, and she embellishes each with delicate French lace, ribbons, beading and touches of color, inspired by her love of nature and her flowers.

Mary’s insistence on excellence, as well as beauty, has made LaJenn’s a trusted, nationwide brand. Recently, Mary has introduced two new lines, which are unnamed at this time. One is a collection of ladies’ linen tops and pants. She has also designed and made an array of linen aprons, which she plans to sell on Etsy.

Now blessed to have dressed multiple generations of children, Mary finds great joy in helping past clients find the perfect outfits for their own children or grandchildren. She has also been humbled and honored that some well-known celebrities have trusted her to outfit their children and grandchildren for special events.

Mary Coxwell has turned a childhood hobby into a thriving business. Using textiles as her canvas, this gifted artist has put her heart and soul into fashioning timeless threads, which will be treasured forever.

The only granddaughter, Anna Lane Draper often modeled her grandmother’s exquisite dresses. Either Jennifer Draper or LaShane Calvin took pictures of the children in Mary’s beautiful garden, among the flowers that inspired her.

Mary has designed a new line of linen aprons that will be available in the fall. She is also working on some ladies’ linen tops and pants. The new samples have not been named yet.

This is ecru on white cotton with Swiss embroidery, an example of LaJenn’s fine quality.

These are just a few samples of the heirloom clothing available from LaJenn’s. The clothing is available in 600 children’s specialty shops nationwide.