Design Inspiration

The Brooklyn Pant is one of my personal favorites because it was born out of a style need I felt was missing in my closet. I wanted a more structured pant that could easily dress up any outfit without losing the comfort of a jogger. For those days when I needed a “boss lady” outfit, Brooklyn was created to be soft, stretchy, and polished, all at once. Prior to the Brooklyn being added to our lineup, we had a nice range of bottoms. Joggers (Sunrise), wide-leg pants (Milo), and a tapered-leg style (Miki) that became staples in our community. But I still craved a style that felt more structured than the Sunrise, more sculpted than the Miki, and more dressed up than the Milo—while still being effortless enough for everyday wear. And, that’s how Brooklyn was born. We designed these pants to give your shape a little sculpting–without the squeeze of shape wear. The Brooklyn Pant offers you soft support, instead of rigid structure. It holds you gently, never too tightly. And compared to styles like the Miki or Milo, Brooklyn has a slightly thicker, more sculpted fabric. That means a cleaner silhouette, more refined fit, and the ability to design a slimming shape that still feels easy to wear. Whenever we’re designing a new pant, the team and I always ask ourselves: will this pant flatter short proportions? Will it help us look and feel our best? We’ve found that it’s the small details that make our pants unique and what keeps our customers coming back for more. And if you’re wondering how we do that, we spend hours developing these details until they work for a variety of body types and sizes.  We invest in making multiple samples for each fit model for each stage of the design’s development. Sometimes we end up with multiple versions of the same style, each with a different adjustment to make sure we get it right. This is where a lot of companies cut costs—they take short cuts and minimize the time and money spent in this development phase.  One of the key details we focus on is the crotch design—we make sure there's enough space and shaping so you feel truly comfortable. Most brands don’t do this because it’s more expensive to produce. Using extra fabric and tailoring takes more effort, but it creates a fit you usually only find in high-end designer clothing. We believe you deserve that same level of comfort and quality, without the luxury price tag. As a designer, I think we deserve these details that add the extra level of comfort that can take an outfit from being okay to amazing. We deserve it at an affordable price point like ours. For the Brooklyn Pant, these are some of the details that we included:  Elongating princess seams that run down the front of the leg to visually lengthen shorter frames (no heels necessary!). Angled side pockets that slim the hip line with no bulk.  A mid-to-high rise waistband with super soft elastic–so it stays put without digging in.  A deeper front rise that gently skims and supports the lower belly (aka the FUPA zone), providing ease for real bodies at every stage. And of course, the perfect 24” inseam for women 5’6” and under – no hemming needed.  Brooklyn took over a year to develop. We went through multiple fabric tests, moved factories, and we adjusted so many parts until it felt just right. Every stitch is purposeful. This pant is for the days you want to feel like you’ve got it together. For the women who want to step into their power and still feel like they can move, eat, breath, and live. If you’ve tried our other pants and loved the comfort, Brooklyn takes it a step further. It gives you a sleeker shape, a more tailored look, and that just-right balance between structure and softness. -Allison

Every season, we balance bringing back customer favorites with the excitement of new designs. For Spring, we took this a step further by introducing the beginning stages of IZU METHOD—a simple system to help you build outfits that feel effortless, modern, and uniquely you. The foundation? Great layers, smart proportions, and thoughtful design details that make styling easy and intuitive. Let’s dive into what’s new this season: The Perfect Base: The Kelly Tank We took everything you love about our best-selling tanks (Tori, Rea, Max) and created the ultimate layering tank. Designed to be flattering and functional, the Kelly Tank features:✔ A slightly fitted bust with a midsection that drapes away—flattering, and not frumpy.✔ Thoughtful armhole design to slim the upper arms and prevent unwanted bulging.✔ A neckline meant to peek out under layers—pair our new Orchid under a black or grey top for a stylish pop of color. The Modern Crop: The Dani Top A fresh take on the “crop top,” Dani is a modern, slightly cropped silhouette that plays with proportions in the best way.✔ A wide, boxy fit that flatters by elongating your legs.✔ A signature dolman sleeve that drapes beautifully, offering coverage while maintaining shape.✔ Perfectly pairs with wider-leg bottoms like the Milo Pant or South St Joggers for a fashion-forward yet wearable look. If you’re hesitant about shorter tops, we get it—but trust us. A half tuck or a shorter proportion top can actually make you look taller and more put-together! A Bold Take on a Classic: The Sam Top For those who love the Sami Top, meet its more modern sister: The Sam. This updated favorite still has its relaxed fit and 3/4 dolman sleeves, but we added: ✔ An edgy asymmetrical hem—cut to elongate and slim the hip area in an effortlessly cool way.✔ A flattering boat neckline that complements all body types while elongating the neck.✔ A fresh layering opportunity—wear the Kelly Tank underneath for added depth and contrast. The Everyday Essential: The Hannah Top We took the best elements from beloved tops like the Mandy, Becca, and Joanna to create the a new closet staple for all year. The Hannah Top features: ✔ A curved hemline—not just for style, but to create a longer, leaner look.✔ A petite-friendly sleeve fit—slightly fitted at the lower arm but relaxed at the shoulder for ultimate comfort and balance.✔ The perfect weight and drape for effortless layering and year-round wear. How to Build Your Spring Wardrobe with the IZU METHOD 1️⃣ Start with The Kelly Tank—your go-to base layer.2️⃣ Add a statement top like Dani or Sam.3️⃣ Complete the look with versatile bottoms like the South St Joggers, Miki or Milo Pants. The beauty of this system? Everything works together. No overthinking, no stress—just effortless outfits that make you feel amazing. Which new style are you excited to try? Shop the Spring Collection now and start building your perfect wardrobe. [ SHOP THE SPRING COLLECTION ]  

Before I started planning for this collection, I knew I wanted it to have a purpose. This would represent the closing of the Manoa Showroom as well as the beginning of a new chapter for the brand. I dug deep to try to visualize what this new version of Allison Izu would look like— it’s about going back to the beginning. Whenever I embark on a new path, or I’m looking for courage to move forward, I find myself reviewing where I've been previously. I need a palette cleanser of sorts to truly visualize what’s next. So I decided that although this is our “spring collection,” I’d also be taking a step back into my personal comfort zone of designing in black and grey, my favorite colors! These colors allowed me the opportunity to create new designs, to tell a story, and share them with you in colors that go with everything!  But because this chapter is also about trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone, I wanted to introduce a pop of color. If you’ve been keeping up with our emails or following us on social media, you know that color is Orchid. A bright, beautiful pink/purple shade that adds vibrancy to  any outfit. It’s something fresh and clean that adds  joy to this season. We create all of our patterns “in house.” What does that mean? We start from the very beginning, from the first sketch to the final fit. So at the beginning of every collection, we start in the design phase. We'll review what styles will stay on and then from there we figure out how many new styles I can create. As a business, we try our best to keep our tried and true customer favorites while also making space for me to explore my new, creative ideas. It's a balance. For this collection, we challenged ourselves to come up with the concept of the IZU METHOD. It's the beginning stages of creating a system to dress and layer that adds interest and uniqueness to each outfit. So you’ll see a handful of new top styles in this collection. We also couldn’t forget your favorites like Becca and Emi, so they made it to this collection too!  And we can’t forget about the foundation of every great outfit — bottoms! You’ll see familiar favorites like the Miki, Milo, and Sunrise Joggers. And our South St Joggers will be making a return! For those who love a laid-back, edgy style, South St offers that perfect balance of comfort and shape. The balloon leg paired with the elastic hem adds a modern touch, especially when styled with a shorter top or a casual half-tuck. It’s one of those pants you can throw on and still feel put-together. I always say, once you have a pant you love, everything else comes together easily. So whether you're refreshing your wardrobe or adding something new, I hope these pieces help you step into this next season with confidence. So stay tuned! Our new Spring Collection is dropping soon.  -Allison 

This journey to start my brand happened over 25 years ago. When the inspiration came to me to start a premium petite brand. I feel like I was led there by something bigger than me. The journey to get my denim brand off the ground took over 6 years. With lots of lessons, struggles, and tears. From New York to China to Los Angeles and back to Hawaii - the journey was long and wide. But it’s where I learned how to make jeans and more importantly where I learned about my tenacity, resilience and creativity. Those things continue to service me till this day.  When I look back, I know the lessons kept coming because I needed to grow and evolve to be here, right now in front of you, relaunching denim in a new way.  Why I StartedAt the start of my journey, premium denim was at its peak. “Denim bars” lined the streets of New York and Los Angeles. But every shop I visited lacked petite sizing options. Most shops would tell me things like “we don't have too many shorter girls shop here” or “you can just get them hemmed.” It was as if I was the only one that was looking for shorter denim. That my “problem” did not exist and I was alone struggling. But the more research I did, I found that the average American woman is 5’3! I took it as my sign that the “problem” did exist and I could solve it. The JourneyLaunching denim back in 2008 was long and hard. Numerous issues with an overseas factory and several different LA factories showed me that being the solution to designing and creating petite denim wasn’t going to be easy. The lessons were painful ones but they taught me fortitude. To stand up for myself even though I was new to the game, even though I was a young woman battling against older, louder, opinionated men. To listen to my voice, forge my own path, and stand up for what I believe in.  I think I learned these lessons all those years ago so that I could have the strength now to continue to forge my own path and lead with my truth. The Universe has taught me numerous times that when I fail to listen to my intuition, to be guided, I usually end up in pain. And when I allow the needs and voice of others to be louder than my own inner voice, it will usually end in struggle.  The RelaunchAs the team and I began to plan out this relaunch, we were given many “learning opportunities.” I realized there’s still so much for me to learn and the industry as well as myself has changed so much. From sourcing and manufacturing, to production - there’s so much knowledge for us to learn and share with you. When I started, I only focused on 5 styles and manufactured with one factory. Now, 16 years later - we design, develop, source and manufacture over 30 - 50 different styles a season, and added 4 new and different styles of denim for this launch. Re-entering the “Denim World” has taught me new skills and new ways to listen to my intuition on a deeper level. That’s been the biggest lesson - to be confident in what I know, to be patient in working with others, and finding a balance between following my intuition, listening to others input, and making the best decision for the business and YOU. I also have an amazing team supporting me this go around and we’ve all learned so many life lessons as well as how to make denim that’s comfortable and fits our body. So grateful that these opportunities give us the chance to grow in so many ways.  So what’s new with this collection of denim? It’s evolved!We took inspiration from my first collection and improved each style to be better and more. We sourced high quality fabrics from Italy and Turkey. We developed each style - tried it on different body types, made multiple samples, fit them, decided on measurements for sizing to ensure a good fit for you. And we worked with a Los Angeles factory that could finish the denim in the ways we wanted.  The StylesThe first two styles were re-designed from one of my original styles. If you're familiar with the originals we had a Hotel + Smith Jean. We split what we loved about this original jean into two new styles and updated them to match our current needs. The Hotel Jean is our slim, straight jean. Think skinny jeans with a straight silhouette from the knee down. It gives you a slim look while still balancing out your hips and thighs. We added the usual 4 pockets and a shaped back yoke to fit petite proportions. It has a higher rise and a half elastic waistband to offer comfort and durability, a shorter inseam so you don’t have to worry about heming.  The Smith Jean is our straight jean. A version of a Boyfriend jean, with a slimmer hip fit and a more generous leg. Meant to be worn slightly dropped on the waist and crotch for that looser look.  The more fitted hip area gives it a more feminine feel and flatters your shape while the looser legs give you comfort and a youthful look. The next style is a new one we’ve been working on for a while now. The Canal Pant is our side zip, skinny pants with princess seams and hem cuff detail. The back yoke and back pockets will give the pants a jean feel with simpler lines and classic details. It also has our shortest inseam at 25”. And lastly but not least, this design is edgier and something I’ve been wanting in my closet. The Bowery Pant is our take on a balloon/barrel shaped pant. I wanted to create my own version of this with petite proportions. We took inspiration from our joggers and added a few fun details.  This pant has pleats in the front, to give you a trouser feel, with a higher rise. The legs flare out at the knee and shape back at the ankle. It’s been a long time coming and I’m so glad and grateful that we can finally share this with you. From sourcing fabrics, finding a good manufacturer, and finalizing the styles, YOU were the inspiration behind it all. Finding the balance between a classic jean fit with petite details and sizing in mind. Understanding what measurements we needed to adjust for the midsection, hips, thighs, inseam - all of it was to balance design, details, quality and manufacturing. It all finally came together with a healthy dose of learning along the way. This collection of denim is a compilation of learning and growth for me and this brand - to come full circle, back to my origins, a new, (hopefully) evolved entrepreneur. And to share all of it with you! -Allison

I was thinking the other day - what the purpose of the summer collection is/was. And it dawned on me that it’s an opportunity to convince myself that we can do the simplest things well. Just like cooking, I feel like it's always hardest to do the simplest things well, and that’s what I want this brand to be about. I want to be able to offer shorts that fit and flatter our bodies, no matter what age or size. I want you (and me) to feel comfortable and confident! And design styles that do just that.  That’s where Connection and Acceptance happen. When we can shed light on our own challenges, speak about them to each other and find common ground with another human who’s also experiencing something similar.  Through my own awareness of the aging body, researching more, and talking with you on the Showroom floor - I’m able to fully immerse myself in the “problem.” Which inspires me to find the solution that can hopefully support our journey of acceptance. Fashion is more than just “what’s in or out” - it’s about YOU and putting your needs at the core. When customers come into the Showroom to shop, they always ask me my opinion (which I’m always happy to share) but I always ask them, “How does it make YOU feel?” That’s the most important question and should be the question that drives all of your decisions. So the next time you worry about, “can I wear this outfit?” or “what will people think of me if I wear this?” Check in and ask yourself, “How does it make me feel?”  Every step of this journey for me and this brand is about asking myself, how it makes me feel and how it makes you feel, our customer. We work every day to make sure we hold our choices and designs to the highest standard so that you can feel more comfortable and confident in being the most authentic version of yourself! I hope we’re doing a good job in that! -Allison

We design collections way in advance. Colors are chosen, prints are made, and designs are created way before we’re in the season it comes out. And through this process I usually have a story that aligns everything together. But this Spring Collection was different. The colors and prints were decided on but the story didn’t come right away. And as we started to plan the launch and special event, I still felt like there wasn’t a connecting thread. Then a few weeks ago - it popped into my head. Just like spring represents a new awakening, re-birth; this collection is my re-birth as a designer, a new chapter in my story.I’ve been stuck in a “funk” the last couple of years, through Covid and trying to navigate the changing landscape of retail. Watching other businesses struggle to stay open, I allowed that to become the narrative for me - fear, lack of, and lots of self-doubt.  I realized it didn’t have to be this way. I could be creative, I could focus on growth and new life . . . and approach this new season with a new outlook. I’m pushing myself to share more about myself, my inner challenges, and the conversations I have with myself. If you follow the brand on Instagram or Facebook - you started to see bits and pieces of this. Through this process, it’s allowed me to see the value in connection and my point of view. And now this new collection made sense. It all CLICKED. It’s my opportunity to share my creativity and my point of view. And finding the balance between you (the customer) and me (the designer). The new prints represent that - one for you (Blush Blooms) and one for me (Antique White Slab). There are also 4 new styles (from me) and favorites from the past (for you). Re-birth and balance.   -Allison

As a young girl, the story of Momotaro (a Japanese folktale) was told to me. It seemed like a strange story...But as an adult I see the messages of bravery and working together. So when this collection started to come together, I drew inspiration from the themes in these books. The story I want my life to tell in 2024 is to be brave, resilient, and live with a sense of surrender and awe of what life puts at my feet. We landed on the name Momo as an homage to the lessons from our childhood stories. 

In design school, we’re taught to find a source of inspiration and design from there. Usually it's a place, a work of art, or something that you can pull inspiration from - colors, feelings, etc. And from there you create a collection. I design by allowing myself to absorb everything that the previous collections have been about, what customers have said about it, feedback, and then ask myself - “what will we crave now?” My inspiration is always - YOU.  Creating a brand that’ll support you (and me) in different ways, through different situations, so that we can get back to the most authentic version of ourselves. Sometimes that means pushing you to try a new color or maybe it's about introducing a new style that’s different from our norm. As I worked through this collection, it pushed me to go back to the “source” and create from a place of connection and foundation. When I chose these colors, it felt reminiscent of something. I realized they were similar to my first collections that I launched at Nordstrom many years ago. Muted tones that felt like home, coming back to meet me where I am now . . . Wash Black - I love all shades of black and gray. Antique White - what’s black without its counterpart? Vintage Denim - a grayish blue has always been a favorite fashion color of mine. This collection was connecting me back to my house of Identity. In astrology this is what we call the First House, where our birth sign is, where this sign “came to meet you.” This is how you articulate who you are, the “you” when you wake up in the morning.  At my designer core, I love basics - black, white, gray. My next base is muted tones or colors that essentially tip toward the grayscale of the color wheel. This is who I am when I wake up in the morning, this is where I began. And this is where we'll come back to... This is my 15th year in business. We’ll celebrate the brand anniversary (what we lovingly call Alliversary) in September. So it’s only fitting that we start to set the foundation now - go back to our First House. It gives me a place to connect back to, a reminder of where I’ve been, how far I’ve come, and how far you’ve come too. It’s an opportunity to celebrate and be grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve been gifted.  I’m so grateful to have you as my inspiration. Thank you for your support and for your willingness to be on this journey with me. Of self discovery, of acceptance, of celebration. Our vibrancy and best years that are yet to come.  So with that, I say THANK YOU! I hope you love the First House Collection as much as I do.- Allison

As a designer, I crave the chance to try new things, flex my design muscles a bit, and test new styles. So what better time to bring some to fruition than during the season of new beginnings. I love when moments align and this next collection, aka Spring Part Deux, is a sampling of all the new things I have planned for myself and the brand this year.  I’m excited to share 2 new styles that’ll definitely become staples in my closet. Warmer Spring weather means I’ll be in need of a good sleeveless and tank top! Enter MAX and TORI. The Max Tank is going to be my new summer staple.  It’s an edgy sleeveless top - a little rebellious and a lot of cute! It’s got the great arm coverage that you love from the brand, but has design details to make it stand out from the rest. The shorter front hem is the perfect half tuck look, while still offering hip and butt coverage from the longer back. If you love the Sawyer or Mandy Top - this fit is very similar! The Tori Tank was a design that came from our classic camisole style Camille Tank. I was craving a tank top that mimicked a t-back or racerback tank, while still offering great coverage of the underarm area (IYKYK), semi-fitted but comfortable, while still being a great layering piece. The Tori’s racerback detail is perfect for layering under tops like Devon or Ella to give a cut-out detail look to your tops. And it's our favorite combo of comfort and style so you can go from work to your workout without changing!  I also wanted to bring back a couple of crowd favorites that you’ve been letting us know you’d like to see again. The Sami Top, aka our boatneck style, is perfect for the petite girl! It's everything you love about the Misa Top, just shorter to give your body portion and elongate your legs! And there’s a fun little accent with the front pocket detail.  Then we have the Lara Top. She made a quick appearance a couple of years back when we were still at Ala Moana. She’s flowy and oversized, and features a v-neck with fun tie details. She looks great with all our bottoms and can easily be dressed up or down for a flattering and stylish look.  So many fun styles in this Part Deux of our Off the Grid collection. I can’t wait to see what you pick out!  May your Spring season be filled with joy and new opportunities... – Allison