Not many brands can succeed at captivating a whole generation of teenage girls. For Gen X, Calvin Klein acid-wash jeans were among the well-known denim options. For millennials, Abercrombie and Fitch popularized laid-back, California style. So which clothing brand most accurately demonstrates a whole generation, a brand owned by an overwhelming number of teenage girls?
Brandy Melville is unavoidable.
Unlike most recognizable brands, the main idea surrounding this clothing brand isn’t a flashy, signature logo or a specific, characterized pattern – it’s simplicity. A pair of blue, wide leg sweatpants, a plain, light gray tank top, a light pink long sleeve; these pieces that are nothing out of the ordinary and bear no resemblance to the brand besides being plain clothing can be instantly recognizable as “Brandy” to the trained eye.
Similar to the brand’s effortless, uncomplicated choice in clothing designs, Brandy Melville stores are unlike other regular clothing shops, especially in their availability. Most stores often only exist in well-known locations around the world, like Seattle, Washington, Madrid, Barcelona, and SoHo. Pedestrians notice the street-long lines winding outside of doors guarded by girls dressed in Brandy Melville head-to-toe and windows adorned with fairy lights and U.S. flags. Each location, like Seattle, Boston, and Hawaii, offers shirts and hoodies bearing the surrounding location, which is personalized for every store.
The trek to Brandy Melville is fun, but can still be considered a day trip to Georgetown, where the closest Brandy Melville is for people in Maryland. As a 35 drive, students may rather order online than spend the energy to drive to Georgetown and back for a couple of tank tops. Sophomore Alex Rabin remembers the time it took just to visit the store. “I love Brandy Melville so much, but they are very exclusive and usually only have one store per state, and only in certain states. Driving to a whole other state seemed like a lot, but it’s always worth it because of how cute their clothing is,” Rabin said.
Now, students have a more practical and local option for buying Brandy Melville. In late April, the store replaced Evoluxxy, a former boutique along Rose Avenue, Pike & Roses’ busiest street, that offers cafes and shops and the chance to experience a small but substantial metropolitan environment. Sophomore Hailey Goldberg visited the store on its opening day and remembered how much the environment changed because of Pike & Roses’ new addition. “As soon as I found out, I knew I had to go,” Goldberg said. “I love Brandy Melville clothing because everything’s so cute, and when they first opened, I just saw so many girls my age carrying the same little black shopping bags. They’re unbranded and just plain paper bags, but anyone would know that they are from Brandy (Melville). I had never seen so many teenage girls in one place before.”
Students who once drove half an hour across state borders are now able to enjoy the closeness of Brandy Melville and the availability that it offers for customers who just want a quick visit. However, for juniors like Ruth Bayou, who once enjoyed and even benefited from Brandy Melville’s lack of in-person availability, their new opportunity for customers may not be the most financially beneficial. “I wear a lot of Brandy Melville clothing, but the drive to their store in Georgetown added to their exclusiveness and also made the experience more special to me since visits were more rare,” Bayou said. “Now, anyone can just take less than a five-minute drive, pick a couple of things, and then drive back in less time than it takes then even driving one way to Georgetown. It’s easier, and I do like the new store, but it also takes away from the whole journey of visiting the store on a special occasion.”
Bayou said that visiting Brandy Melville isn’t just buying clothing; it’s an experience. Walking in, buckets of vintage stickers available to customers to freely take prop the doors open as university flags like Yale and Columbia hang among mannequins displaying pieces of clothing. Most Brandy Melville stores, if not requiring a line, are crowded but bear a familiar sense of togetherness with other like-minded shoppers.
