How the France-born, LA-based creative director built her brand—and her world—by embodying her Je ne sais quoi way of living.

Like all good stories, the story of SPRWMN starts with a problem. “I was at a crossroad of my life,” explains the brand’s founder and creative director Ambre Dahan. “I was dealing with separation and raising my young kids.” This was back in 2016, and not only was the California-based, mother-of-two ending a marriage—she was also ending her job as design director at Joe’s Jeans, which was founded by her husband, Joe Dahan. She could have easily panicked or shut down. But instead, she decided to reinvent herself—both professionally and personally. “It was about setting the tone for my next chapter and that chapter was about empowerment, strength, and calling in and activating my superpowers,” she says.

From top to bottom: SPRWMN Tiny Logo Sweatshirt and SPRWMN Heart Sweatpants in Artichoke, SPRWMN Mid Rise Wide Leg Pant in Khaki

In other words, it was about channeling her inner superwoman—and maybe even helping other women do the same. “I was always drawn to female friendships from every walk of life, and I began to notice that many were describing the same feeling I was having.” She thought about her favorite Anais Nin quote:

Around that same time, Dahan traveled back to her hometown of Paris. There, she came across a cotton-lined stretch leather that seemed to embody everything she’d been feeling. It was beautiful, supple, and—when made into clothing—intensely flattering. “It fit like a second skin and made every woman who wore it look and feel like she could do anything,” Dahan says. Just like a superwoman.

From left to right: SPRWMN Mid Rise Wide Leg Pant in Khaki and SPRWMN Rib Racer Front Tank in Heather Grey, SPRWMN Classic Crew Sweater in Artichoke

The stars had aligned and, by 2018, Dahan’s new brand, SPRWMN was officially launched. The focus? Pants and leggings in that amazing cotton-lined leather, and, of course, denim. The vibe was decidedly relaxed yet supremely chic; a bridge between Los Angeles and Paris, just like Dahan herself. “I grew up in the 16th in Paris, which is best known for being pretty posh,” she explains. “I definitely have a certain la fille du 16eme style, but I also love LA cool—that mix of vintage, casual beach vibes.”

SPRWMN Tiny Logo Sweatshirt and SPRWMN Heart Sweatpants in Artichoke

It’s a laid-back style that has resonated with SPRWMN customers—and has led Dahan to expand the brand to offer everything from slouchy cashmere sweaters to slinky silk skirts to cozy sweatsuits. It’s a quintessential Dahan blend: “I was always going to school super dressed up, borrowing clothes from my mom’s closet full of Alaia,” she says of her childhood in France, where she remembers buying her first leather jacket from the iconic Les Puces de Saint Ouen flea market and mixing it with Jean Paul Gaultier and random vintage.

Not that she doesn’t like to change it up. This summer, she’s especially looking forward to wearing the brand’s new silk chiffon pieces in leopard print with ribbed tank tops when she travels to Ibiza—and she’ll be pairing them with fishnet slippers from her forever-favorite, Alaia, of course. “[When I’m] with my girlfriends, my daughters, and traveling as much as possible—that’s when I feel the most alive,” she explains of her endless desire to keep evolving. “It gives me energy to work and be creative again,” she says.

Staying creative is just part of the equation when it comes to running SPRWMN, though. Dahan says that the most fulfilling part of the business has a lot to do with the people she works with—the real-life superwomen who inspire her every day. “Building an amazing team that is so dedicated to the brand, excited to come to work and proud to be a part of the brand is so rewarding,” she says, adding how thrilling it is that so many of the brand’s retailers come back “more excited every season.”

SPRWMN Mid Rise Wide Leg Pant in Khaki and SPRWMN Rib Racer Front Tank in Heather Grey

The support also drives her to keep innovating. “Every stage is fun and every little win is a stepping stone to keep going and pushing,” she says. “You always have to pivot and reimagine your vision and it only gets better. If I think this collection or idea is my best ever then it’s only to say the same. There is no end to creativity and evolution.”

Creativity and evolution are what SPRWMN is all about—it was born out of a moment of personal and professional reinvention, after all. “Everything happens for a reason; I wouldn’t do SPRWMN today without all the challenges and the bumps in the road,” Dahan reflects. 

SPRWMN Mid Rise Wide Leg Pant in Khaki and SPRWMN Rib Racer Front Tank in Heather Grey

FOR SPRWMN FOUNDER AMBRE DAHAN, REINVENTION IS THE KEY TO OWNING YOUR POWER

How the France-born, LA-based creative director built her brand—and her world—by embodying her je ne sais quoi way of living.

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