You might think there are only so many ways to make a shirt. Two sleeves, a collar, a few buttons. But after more than 30 years and hundreds of designs, Jill McGowan still finds things she'd like to change.
A seam here. A different silhouette there. A fabric worth trying. Some designs come and go, while others stick around for decades. One of her bestselling shirts, the Astrid, has been in her collection since approximately 2005. In fashion, where an entire wardrobe can become outdated between seasons, that's a pretty remarkable run.
But McGowan has never been particularly interested in keeping up with fashion.
In 1994, Jill McGowan took a leap of faith and left a stable job with benefits to start a business with a simple mission: to create quality clothing for women that would endure fashion whims and changes. Celebrating her 30th year of business in 2024, McGowan continues to focus on quality apparel with style and integrity that holds up over time. READ FULL STORY
“We call them ‘shirts,’ not ‘blouses,’ for a reason,”Jill McGowan says of her timeless, stylish, nearly indestructible women’s apparel. Going by her Exchange Street shop’s longtime success, it seems that hardworking women in Maine and beyond want their garments to put in as much effort as they do daily.
Today racks of McGowan’s beloved shirts fill a bright and cozy room in a historic Old Port building. There’s lots of variety even in her trademark white, with cuts from easy to elegant and a globe-spanning range of fabrics: Belgian linen, Italian silk, Swiss cotton, Japanese silk. Jewel tones, neutrals, and stripes diversify the selection, which includes dresses, pants, and jackets as well as shirts. Photo by Christina Week, Maine Home + Design
