ATHLEISURE MAG #103 JUL ISSUE | PARKER THATCH Irene Chen

Accessories are always that key component of your outfit that enhances elements of your look or your features. They are the pieces that become statements of conversation while also being fun ways to change up your style or reflect your personality in a cetain way! Whether you reach for them first to create your look or you finish it off with those touches, it's always something that we are on the hunt for! We have attended a number of editor previews, have enjoyed seeing items on the runway and beyond and of course, it's always fun scrolling our social feeds for great looks to add to our collections.

Parker Thatch is a luxury accessory brand that has been around since 2009 and we became aware of the brand a few years back. We love that its known for great handbag styles that are chic, has a number of fabrications that it offers, and has a great aesthetic that will never go out of style. When we had the chance to talk with Celebrity Costume Designer Allyson Fanger, she reminded us that not only is it a great handbag line, but they also have fun jewelry as well. After deep diving with the brand, we reached out to Irene Chen, Co-Founder of this line. We knew that she had a phenomenal background as a product developer at Donna Karan and we wanted to know more about how she got into the industry, how she came to designing this line with her husband Matt, and what we need to know about this brand as well as upcoming seasons!

ATHLEISURE MAG: I know your brand has been around for quite awhile, but I love how recently in the last few years how I have seen the videos that you do, the fun assortment, and how you engage with your customers as well as showing off how stylish you are as well. It’s so great to be connected to talk about the brand!

IRENE CHEN: Oh thank you! I’m really excited to chat with you as well as I really appreciate and love what you guys are doing with Athleisure Mag in terms of showing the importance of movement and fashion together. For me, it’s an important element of my life! I’m just so happy to speak with you.

IC: That is part of everything that I honestly so connect with and what we do you know. I feel that there are so many products out there these days and I think that the key is that there are so many people that they don’t feel great about themselves and they are stuck in their homes and they are not doing any kind of movement and I think about the connection of how do you get someone to get up and move so that they can feel good about it and make it really easy for you. I think that’s why I think that what you guys are doing is so cool.

AM: Well thank you!

Before we delve into talking about Parker Thatch and this great accessory brand, can you tell us about your background? You were at Donna Karan, that assortment had those elements and bones for that person who lived a full cycle from studio to office and everything in between. It would be great to know about your background and how you came to the fashion industry.

IC: It was totally one of those weirdo things! When I graduated from college, I went to UCLA , and then I cam back to San Francisco and then I just took a job like most people would out of college in consulting and I did that for about 2 years. Sometimes you look back at things that you did and wonder why you did certain things, but consulting really taught me and gave me the foundation for everything that we do like time management and all of that stuff. You wouldn’t be able to learn and that’s what I did. But then, 2 years after consulting, you decide on whether you will stay or go onto Business School in that transition and for me, I had this gnawing feeling as I didn’t want to do either of those things. I have always loved fashion personally and so I sent my resumes out and I think when you're young, you just have more courage sometimes. When I was consulting, you travel a lot and I read a magazine and they showed a picture of the President of Donna Karan and she was in a meeting and she was Asian and it was really interesting because at that time, there wasn’t a lot of representation and for people to see them in magazines and I was looking at this thinking that this was amazing and she was leading these people. For some reason, it dawned on me that I wanted to send her my resume and I had to figure out how I was going to do this.

You know, you do weird things so I pretended that I was sending a package and I called the mailroom as I knew I had to get the specific information in terms of the floor that she was on. So I sent my resume and they did call me and ask if I wanted to come in. It was this crazy thing and it happened in 2 seconds and I honestly leveraged my Excel Spreadsheet skills in terms of getting in the front door!

AM: Ha! We’ve all been there and same!

IC: Slowly but surely, I worked my way through and I really loved working with product. At the end of the day, I worked there a very long time. I got to learn how to develop product and all aspects of the business. It was an exciting time for me actually.

AM: I have such a respect for product developers as my aunt was one for a number of major brands. It’s such an amazing way to extend a brand especially when you get into licensing and other things like that so I think that it is so cool.

What led you to decide to go off on your own and to create Parker Thatch?

IC: Well it’s so funny because I was living in New York and I met my husband Matt who is my husband now. I think it was just close to the dot com time when we met and I was very burnt out with what I did and I was traveling almost every day of my life for a number of years and I was just really exhausted. We met and his mother got sick and I said, “why don’t we just go to Australia,” because that’s where his parents were. So we spent almost a year there and we thought that maybe we could do something on our own. So that’s what started us tinkering with businesses in the year 2000. It has been crazy! I think that when we started that we were a little too early so no one understood it and now it’s like we could have done x, y, and z under this company given now how the business works. We had to survive and we said let’s just do stationary because people kept saying that they loved our paper and they didn’t understand the tech version of it.

So they just wanted to buy the paper. So that’s how we started! We started our company at my parent’s basement in the room that I grew up in.

AM: Well I love a good piece of stationary.

IC: So stationary turned into home and then I think in about 2009, Matt had an idea because we were doing a lot of customizing. He said, “I think that we could customize on cotton.” Can you think of something we can do on cotton. I told him it would be great to have a tote bag and that’s how it happened. I started with the bag at my dry cleaners. It’s the craziest story.

AM: Ok, I love that story and I love when people get scrappy to figure out how to take their vision and bring it to life and to figure it out! What a good synergy it was for you to find her because when you were saying this I thought, “well just because you can hem a pant, doesn’t mean you can make a bag!”

IC: We wondered what kind of materials we could use because we had no money to do any of this stuff so then I was like, “I love canvas and we can cut 2 strips of leather.” So the bags were made from canvas that we bought at Joann Fabrics and 2 strips of leather that Matt cut and grommeted on and that’s how it came about. Then we did these stripes with your monogram on it and stripes with your monogram on it and at that time, it was all about magazine and gift guides. So we sent them out and people loved them and it was insane!

AM: That is incredible!

What has drawn me to your brand as I have always been aware of it from a handbag assortment as opposed to your jewelry, is when I was talking with Celebrity Costume Designer Allyson Fanger for our MAY ISSUE #101 -

IC: She’s the best, I love her!

AM: It was amazing to be able to chat with her as I have loved the work that she has done in her career and the way that she is able to tell story the looks of the character whether alone or when they are interacting with others.

IC: How cool is she?

AM: She is so cool -

IC: She is so damn cool!

AM: The whole time I’m looking at her and all of her jewelry and in addition to my role as the Co-Founder/Creative + Style Dir. of Athleisure Mag, I’m also a Fashion Stylist and accessories are really my thing and it’s what I love utilizing as statement pieces when I am putting looks together.

So when she was talking about pieces she loves, she was pointing to her ring and said it was from Parker Thatch. I was surprised because I knew of your brand, but didn’t know that you made jewelry and she’s wearing it and we have a gab session for like 5 mins and I knew then that I would reach out to connect with you!

IC: Oh my God, I love that and she’s just so great! She’s such a great connector and she’s such a generous person when it comes to expanding to smaller designers and she’s just a great human being.

AM: In looking at the line again closely, I enjoy the clean aesthetic of what the brand is and I also love as you have mentioned that you work with your husband on this line and Athleisure Mag is also co-founded by a couple, my boyfriend and I.

IC: No way! I love it!

AM: We have a great flow. So what is your advice to people who are looking to start a venture whether it’s your significant other, a best friend, or a sister because when you have these relationships especially when you’re first starting out to make a business, it’s always good to keep some things in mind. So what is your advice?

IC: My biggest advice honestly, and I don’t know if you feel the same way, but really having respect for each other and the key I think fortuitously is to be on the same channel in terms of look and feel. The tone of voice – that is already naturally there and I don’t know if you feel that way.

AM: Yup!

IC: So that made it easy. But I think that it is truly respect and we each have skill sets that the other doesn’t have and we really lean on each other for those and I think that it’s also about growing up. It’s about getting away from always being right and becoming more vulnerable with yourself and saying, you know, that’s not my strength.

Exactly! I think that that is about building a team. We can’t be good at everything and I think a lot of time when you start a business, you think I can do everything – but you really can’t and it’s humbling yourself and respecting the other person. It’s like what you said, this is your lane and not mine and it’s worked for a very long time – we’re still married, we have 2 kids, and we’re still working!

AM: Ok, that’s amazing! Because times get hard sometimes!

IC: Haha don’t get it wrong! We still fight over stuff haha!

You know, when you make your own business, there are a lot reasons why you got to where you did and there is a lot of making the donuts and at the same time, it’s a lot of fun! Making your own business is super hard! The key is just moving forward every single day. There will be days where you feel like you can’t do it anymore and that you just have to put one foot in front of the other.

AM: 100% haha there are times you have to be your own hype person and just keep going!

IC: You just have to get it together and just move! That’s the key!

IC: Yes!

AM: If you’re able to still do things when the mountains continue to grow ahead of you and you don’t know how you would even think to climb it because there is no way to hold on and you find yourself in an American Gladiator situation you know that you’re going to keep giving it your all!

IC: It really is! It’s a mindset and I think that that is the key. You have to do hard things and sometimes those challenges let you see that you can do way more than what you believe you can do. We sometimes hold ourselves back from what we can do.

I think that it’s fascinating that you said all that because for the last 6 years I have been focused on getting fit and learning about a lot of that. There is this whole concept of Zone 2 training which is about running slow actually makes you go faster. I think that that concept, I really take to heart. That's exactly what you are saying. Sometimes you need to just chill out. When you do that, I think that it makes things go much faster and smoother.

IC: I love the fact that you do that because you’re able to keep moving! Just like you said, it's all about moving forward! That is truly what it is to be focused, to move, and to not be distracted. You want to do everything, but you can’t!

AM: 100% and that’s a huge lesson that you learn and it humbles you ha!

For someone who is not familiar with Parker Thatch, how would you describe this brand to someone who is just coming into it?

IC: Definitely this brand is all about what we say daily, it’s about ease and elegance and I really believe that. It’s about how do I make a product for you that is easy to put on and that you feel great! It’s not about being fussy and it’s always about one beautiful piece that you put on and that’s why I love jewelry. I love a great white shirt and a pair of jeans and then stack up that necklace and you look 100% and that takes 5 seconds. I think that for me, that was very important for that woman that sometimes feel stuck – how do I get you to just get out of the house? Like, you need to feel good to get that motivation so that you can have a good day! It’s not going to be everyday that you may feel that way, but I want to make products that will help you get there!

AM: In looking at the assortment, I love the Charlie bag which is amazing, the Cross Your Heart Sling is another one and personally, I’m not someone who tends to gravitate towards that style, but when I’m styling on set, I actually do use that style as it’s a great way for me to have what I need to set my outfits without running back to our set up since we sometimes take over an entire building or space. So being able to have my jewelry and everything on me as we transition from one look to the next and knowing its secure is how came to embracing slings initially.

What would you say are 3 must haves whether it be in handbags or your jewelry that people should be adding to their closets or to begin establishing their Parker Thatch collections?

IC: I love that! For sure, if you’re not a sling bag person, it’s this weird bag that when you want to be hands free and it’s not just a nylon sling bag. You can also make it into a clutch which is really great for travel. The Charlie bag for sure! It’s our newest bag. It hits all the points. It zips, it’s slouchy, it’s cool, and I just wanted to create a bag that when you feel you’re in those cool jeans that you love you feel it all together. You know, when you look at a surfer or a skateboarder, I’m always inspired by them. Even when they’re just carrying their skateboard, I’m always like, “damn, you look so cool!”

AM: It comes off so easy and effortless.

IC: Yeah and the way that they walk, there’s such a slouch to what they do and that’s how I conceptualized it. It took awhile to get that bag with its material to have that slouch and we had to keep testing it to get it there. I think that when you carry it, it kind of makes you feel like that. So I think that that bag is a fantastic bag! Then for me personally, the Jane bag again, it’s all about slouchiness for me! That bag again is great for travel and if you want to dump all of your commuter stuff in it, it’s a great bag!

So those three bags, I personally use them every day. It’s kind of a bag within a bag that’s within a bag. I do love that!

Now jewelry wise, for sure the Long Links Necklace. The huge Manifestation Crystal is a really popular thing and again, I love it when you can hang it. That Long Links Necklace looks amazing when you do that and again, for me it is about the slouchiness. You can make it long and you can make it short and it has this sexiness when you wear it with an open shirt and I love that. So for me, that’s what I am doing every day.

AM: What is your process in terms of adding styles to the brand or when you are thinking about colorways? Sometimes when you are looking at various brand the assortment is so vast and although there are a lot of options, it can also generate a lot of noise when it is not curated, edited, or rotated so that pieces can stand out.

IC: Definitely, it’s interesting because most of our stuff is pretty evergreen so we will always bring in the colors and I always feel like that. I’m a practical human. If I am going to buy an expensive big item, I’m thinking about if I am going to be using this every day. That’s important to me. When we bring in the colors, I’m always thinking about the little things that you can bring into your bag when you’re looking to go out. We kind of move a little bit with the seasons. Our best sellers are always the Caramel Suede, the tan colors, and so we’re always keeping that as the foundation. Camo is a big thing for me and it’s really interesting. When we first put it out there I was like ok and it’s great to see how our camo with the pink and red stripe has really become a big thing for us.

AM: It’s cute.

IC: Yeah and it’s such a great bag to travel with and a great bag to work with.

AM: Where do you go for inspiration? Even though the line has those evergreen elements in terms of your assortment, I’m sure that you’re still adding things here and there or looking at trend reports, Pantones, etc.

IC: You know, I always say that when you look at the products, for me the designs that we do are always a little familiar to you. But then the inspirations and feel is about putting a little something to it. So is it a red handle versus a brown one?

Our bags are familiar and yet there is something not familiar about it? That’s what makes me want to buy things these days because there are so many things that are out there like the fanny pack which is our sling bag. It is a fanny pack which is familiar, but lets do it in a beautiful leather and let’s use a strap and put in a pop of color so that your personality comes forward. I think that that is my inspiration and I am a practical person so that is what I draw from.

AM: I love the straps!

IC: They are so fun!

AM: I like that you can customize it and make it your own a little bit. Going back to the Sling Bag it’s a style that generally would not be one that I would personally gravitate to.

IC: I know!

AM: But then you hit IG, and I’m looking at how it’s larger than a traditional sling bag and I’m like, “why not change out the one I use on set and bring that in?” or I was just at Governors Ball and I did have a sling mini backpack that I brought, I would have preferred to have this body style and of course, I have styled a number of shoots where I have had sling bags in them. Then once you get to thinking about an accessory paired with my moto jacket you start to see how it can be worn personally. To your point, it’s about the familiar with these tones that have a little something nuanced. I do love a good slouchy bag style and years ago, there were so many and now not so much. There are versions that are oversized but that structure of the slouch that gives that cool girl style is not always there it’s just large. So a bag like XL Jane that is in my wheel house!

IC: It's putting your vision on it where the familiar meets the unfamiliar! That’s what takes it to the next level and you’re like, I need that! The familiar lets you connect with that memory and then the part that isn’t you say hmm there’s something there and together it becomes something that you love – it’s a little link and a little extra!

AM: It’s a little something. I love that and

I love visual texture. Now there is a place for something that is completely new, but then you have to think about it and see how it sits in your life. I knew that these pieces felt familiar while being presented differently. I knew when I looked at the colorways and the fabrications that I would wear a good portion of them and in some cases it reminded me of a bag from many years ago that I either wanted but couldn’t get, or had been part of my collection and had been lost to time, or would just be a silhouette that would be in a primary rotation.

IC: Oh thank you!

AM: Yeah and then you think about how versatile it can be with my leggings, jeans, maxi dresses, etc. I love visual mapping outfits because I love collecting pieces but there is a tight edit of my go-to’s that are with me when I’m out and about, at a meeting, etc. Those are the pieces that you live out of. So I like the classic and effortless components with that little bite so that it’s not too sweet. I’m not a fan of anything personally that is too sweet.

IC: Me neither! That’s so funny! I’m not a frilly person, but I will wear a shirt with a puffy sleeve, but then I have to put it with a pair of jeans.

AM: Same. I had a fun summer boho puffy sleeved maxi dress in black and it felt a little sweet, but of course, I paired it with my Caviar Beaded Lagos and a pair of Adidas Superstars with my Carrera’s to edge it up.

IC: You always have to juxtapose it. Even when we first started with that tote bag, we put leather straps on it and then a monogram and it took a canvas bag to something that was different. It’s fun!

AM: Have you guys done collaborations or are you working on any?

IC: We’re starting to do more of them. We just did one with Larissa Mills, she has a great story. She's a mom in Boston who has this insane following on Tiktok and Instagram and she has amazing style. She has collaborated with everybody like the Gap and for some reason, we really connected and we just did this cool little envelope clutch and we’re looking to do more of that and I just feel that I really love to meet those who share the same sense of sensibility and it can be any product! It’s about making that familiar product and making it a little bit extra!

AM: What will Fall and Holiday look like – or anything that you can share on that front.front.

IC: Yeah, Fall and Holiday is really all about burgundy tones, dark espressos, navy, and a lot of suedes. The Charlie bag has done really well for us and we want to bring more of that slouch in there with the jewel tones. We are doing textures like basketweave and hair – I love hair. So I love a cheetah, I love a great zebra print, and also playing with hot pink hair and yellow hair! That’s really fun on straps! So taking fun stuff and putting it on a strap so you’re not married to hot pink on the main part of the bag. But you can bring that texture in. A lot of croc and shiny things – like little tiny shiny things for Holiday!

AM: Oh that’s exciting! I can’t wait for that to come out!

IC: We’re really excited about that and it’s just really yummy. I love a burgundy and I really love an oxblood which is perfect for fall.

AM: You can never have enough oxblood. I love it when you talk about leather accessories, I love that color when you talk about a gel mani – it’s so rich and although for me it’s like a new neutral, it’s really great in the Fall!

You know, there are a number of brands that have lived in the handbag portion of the accessory category and they are now branching out into travel and travel specific pieces.

IC: Yeah.

AM: Is that something that you envision for the brand?

IC: Yes! That Charlie bag that we just introduced, we just did it in an XL and I tested it by taking it to Iceland and it was awesome! We are going to do more of that. We’re also working on a really good slouchy tote and again, over the shoulder, really slouchy, beautiful leathers and I can’t wait for that!

AM: Oh that sounds amazing and I can’t wait to check it out.

IC: It’s a great bag and it’s going to be one of those things that you’ll want to drag it everywhere! I want people to live in these bags! Also understand that it’s ok for it to get messy. People get so crazy when they spill on it and I’m like, “dude, that’s life man!” You should be proud of that, that means that you are moving and yeah it got dirty. If there is a drop of wine on that, that’s life!

IC: We had the great honor of meeting 4X Team USA Olympic Beach Volleyball Medalist Kerry Walsh Jennings (G3, B1) and I think that she is just so bad ass! I remember when she was pregnant and she won that Gold medal and I was like, damn, she is so badass! So she came in and she had our sling bag on and she was like yeah but I spilled on it and I feel awful and I was like that’s awesome. She carries it everyday and she’s so tall and that’s life and I loved it! It should be your companion and that is what we want to strive for and we want you to grab it and know that it feels good and it does what it needs to for you.

IG @parkerthatch

PHOTOS COURTESY | Parker Thatch