ABOUT

THE ORIGINAL FRIENDS OF JENNY

We were both working in the fashion industry in New York when we met through a mutual friend—the original Jenny—and ended up living right across the hall from each other. It was the start of a lifelong friendship that inspired us to create Friends of Jenny, a shop which we see as an expansion of our circle of friends. We have a feeling you’re going to be a friend of Jenny, too.


ALISON NEWTON 

"Travel and curiosity are key for how I see fashion, whether it's finding new art or new ways of putting things together. That quest for continual learning, experiencing new things, and seeing how people around the world dress have really inspired me."


Alison has deep roots in fashion, with a career in merchandising, buying, and strategy for The Aldo Group, Mendocino Clothing, and Ralph Lauren/Club Monaco. She is Canadian but currently lives in New York City with her family. For Alison, getting dressed feels like an art form in which she gets to explore being a chameleon and portraying whatever she's feeling that day. 


BETH NICHOLSON CRAGO 

“When I get dressed, I’m telling a story. I put my emotion into that and the most important thing for me is to transmit that feeling to the person looking at it. It gives me that butterfly feeling, like I just painted a little picture. That is, in essence, what I would like to be able to give as a gift to the Friends of Jenny community.”


Beth’s multifaceted fashion experience includes working with industry leaders such as Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Thakoon, and Wes Gordon. More recently, she helped build the handbag brand Opelle in her native Toronto, where she’s raising a family and screenshotting the outfits the mom wears in “E.T.” for inspiration. She believes that personal style is a medium; a way to express your creativity. 

 

 

ROOTS IN FASHION

We both have deep roots in the fashion industry; Ali studied fashion at LaSalle in Montreal while Beth went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. We each went on to work with brands like Mendocino, Michael Kors, Club Monaco, and Derek Lam, and now bring that multifaceted experience to sourcing the most exciting labels for Friends of Jenny. 

 

SPOTLIGHTING FEMALE DESIGNERS

Did you know that although women make 80% of fashion-related purchases, more than 80% of top apparel companies are led by men? Friends of Jenny spotlights independent, woman-led brands because we believe in the power of women to make change in fashion. It's wonderful to be able to amplify the work of other women who are creating beautiful things. 


PROUDLY CANADIAN 

One of our motivations is to give our fellow Canadians access to unique designers from all over the world without having to pay exorbitant import taxes. We make it seamless for our customers to find special pieces from thoughtfully curated brands—many of which you won't find anywhere else in Canada—without hidden duties or expensive shipping fees.   

 

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability was a baseline for all of our decisions from the very beginning. We are trying to leave as little impact on the environment as possible. Whenever possible, we work with small slow fashion brands who ethically create heirloom-quality pieces that we hope will become timeless wardrobe staples. And we're proud of our 100% biodegradable packaging!