Smart. Sassy. Modest. Jennifer Jensen’s contribution to the world of fashion meets each of these standards. Her business, Vintage Hem, offers women’s slips with a unique premise: they’re meant to be seen.
As a newly single mother, Jensen was pondering a career that would allow her to support her family and still be available for her three daughters. While an undergraduate management student at the Marriott School, she learned that the most profitable businesses are built with innovation and originality. The concept hit home, because when she was younger her father had taken her to see the home of George de Mestral, the inventor of Velcro fastening. “Vintage Hem is my Velcro,” she says. “It’s an original idea that fills a need in the market.”
Her passion for creativity, experience in the scrapbooking industry, and Marriott School education allowed Jensen to capitalize on her unique fashion idea. Vintage Hem slips are made of traditional lingerie fabric and worn under skirts and dresses, but they also include fashionable, fun hems that extend below the outer garment to add length and variety. “Our product helps women participate in trends without compromising their inner beauty,” says Jensen, who earned her degree in 2000. “It makes fashion more wearable.”
The business launched in April 2007 with a commercial in between broadcast sessions of the general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The enthusiastic response has included appearances on Utah morning shows and fashion layouts in Eliza, a modesty-driven, high-fashion magazine. The line recently began moving into the national wholesale market.
Running a business with three young girls at home might seem like a disadvantage, but Jensen says the arrangement has worked surprisingly well. Jensen and her business partner, Janine Hansen Ottley, regularly field phone calls while their children play in the background. Owning the business allows them to set that standard, Jensen says. “We’re moms, and we have a business, and people know that’s who we are.”
Her children love wearing Vintage Hem products and telling people about their mother’s business. They sometimes tag along to trunk shows and client meetings. “Being with them is important in making them feel included and preparing them to be successful, and I couldn’t do that if I was in an office all day long,” Jensen says. “I’m also doing something creative that I’m passionate about, which makes me happier and affects our whole family.”
Jensen’s passion is fueled by a firm belief in her product. “Women are by nature feminine, and there’s something beautiful about that to be celebrated,” she says. “Vintage Hem allows women to be both feminine and modest.”
