Rachel Grossinger works as a Digital Marketing Manager full-time, but recently she founded The Tomboy Shop. The 33-year old New York City resident created The Tomboy Shop to simplify the shopping experience for those on the tomboy and androgynous spectrum.
Being a frequent shopper herself, Grossinger realized it takes too much time and energy to sort through both websites and store racks to find representative tomboy gear. Thus, The Tomboy Shop was born to fill that need, by providing a curation of items that are urban, affordable, comfortable, and androgynous.
“Growing up as a tomboy, I’d always wanted a fashion outlet to express myself through what I wore, but nothing existed that fit my style.That’s what The Tomboy Shop is all about. It fills that void,” says Grossinger.
What made you want to start The Tomboy Shop?
I was pursuing my master’s degree at Columbia University about a year and a half ago and I came up with the idea of creating a content and commerce site for tomboys like myself. I wanted to curate the best selections from a variety of up-and-coming designers to make shopping easier for us. Plus, androgynous fashion is huge right now. I definitely see this as an opportunity space.
Why is it important to have this clothing available to people?
Not only does it offer some great designers more visibility to a larger and/or different audience, we make the shopping experience more seamless for tomboys. We do the searching, so there isn’t a need to peruse through ten stores just to find one or two good tops that speak to your style. We’ve got it all right here in one place.
Who is your ideal clientele?
It’s all about identity. Who am I to say, here’s what a stereotypical tomboy is or isn’t. That’s one of the reasons why I was so excited to get Danielle on board with us as a model. Some might look at her and wonder why we’ve got a model in a wheelchair representing The Tomboy Shop, but it’s more than that. Danielle, and all of our customers are tomboys in their own right. Whether they’re straight, gay, disabled, tall, short, you name it. It’s up to them to identify as such. If they feel connected to the term — which for me, often incites nostalgia, being the girl who got dirtied during recess as a kid, playing sports with the boys — then that’s all that matters. To each their own. It’s very personal.
What is your favorite piece from your collection of clothing?
That’s a tough one. I may be partial to our hat and bag collection, but I’m a big fan of accessories. I also happen to love some of our brass necklaces.
How is Tomboy Shop different from other androgynous clothing lines?
I consider us more than a shop. We’re focusing more and more on our blog these days, and with that, the unique content we bring to the table for our readers. I think that definitely distinguishes us, and will continue to do so. We’ve got a great team of writers with some amazingly interesting topics they’re going to be posting about soon. Plus, our designers are just so good. They’re passionate and unique, and I consider them all remarkable artists. I’m very picky about who and what I bring on, so I’d like to think that separates us as well.
Are you looking for other up-and-coming designers? If so, what do you look for?
We’re always on the look out for new designers. It’s important that there’s a “voice” behind their designs. As is the case with any craft, there’s a care and quality behind it. Mostly though, they have to speak to our customers. I want our customers to be happy with what we offer, so I’m always looking at new options from that point of view.
