Head Strong with Monrowe
Launching a custom brim line — Monrowe — America’s Next Top Model alum and BODE Magazine Fall 2019 cover model Dani Evans had one mission in mind: to start a quality classic brand for everyone. Evans is following the beat of her own ensemble creating a path for her custom crowns to reign strong.
Dani Evans for Monrowe, wearing the Johnny | Photographer: Manny Roman; Videographer: Oksana | Location: Sofitel NYC
Launching custom brim line — Monrowe — in 2017, Dani Evans had one mission: “To start a brand of hats that are classic brims, that age well if taken care of, and can be worn by men and women.” In a similar suit to soloists in the pre-developing free jazz era, seeking to explore their style without the hindrance of form and traditional rhythm, Evans is following the beat of her own ensemble creating a path for her custom crowns to reign strong.
“I too am bridging a gap by being a black woman making luxury pieces that aren’t limited to only my demographic of people,” shared model now-designer Dani Evans. Proving that thirty is thriving, the trailblazer is building her empire on her own terms, furthering her stature as the beacon of light. Heavily inspired by the journey and life of maternal grandfather Monrowe, Evans is keeping his legacy alive through her luxury brim line, Monrowe. “My grandfather carved his way in the American South by starting his own Jazz band in the late 40s. He used music to bridge the gap during the height of discrimination and racism,” exposed the designer.
“If Monrowe were a drink, it would be a Bourbon. If it were sound, it would be Jazz. If it were a smell, it would be leather and Santal mixed together.”
Designing for the confident and casual wearer, Evans is exclusive to rich, muted tones, drawing inspiration from people mostly, but also situations. “I love horses and if I ride I wanna be in a dope but comfortable, and stylish brim. Sometimes it’s as simple as seeing someone with a look on and feeling like if they had a Monrowe to go with it, it’d be even better. I’m super visual! I have to see it to create it. I recently made two bucket hats simply because I was thinking back on the 90s and how great that era was style-wise.” A victim of the gap in structured top-wear, the model experienced much trouble in the search for a non-floppy hat. “Floppy just isn’t my style so I decided to design my own. Monrowe is designed to be structured more like a men’s brim. I like some girth for my hats! I actually had a conversation recently with a product manager regarding expanding Monrowe to more than just hats. As long as I still have time to get solid seven-eight hours of sleep at night, I’m game with expanding the brand,” laughed the designer, matter of fact.
Pre-release, Evans dropped hints of a pending brim landing its spot on her coveted must-have list. “My go-to Monrowe at the moment is the bucket that I haven’t released yet. I like wearing the brims first to get a feel of it as well as reactions from others when I wear it. It helps me to know whether it’ll be good to incorporate into the collections or not,” revealed the visionary. Sporting a crown with just about any look, Evans prides her line on its simplicity and the ability to be worn with just about any style and on anyone. “Less is more, but sometimes more is more,” teased the model. “[For example,] my go-to styling for a man [in a Monrowe brim] is a fitted tee, nice worn-in jeans or sweats, dope sneakers or a good pair of Chelsea boots, and he HAS to smell good. Absolutely nothing better!” An advocate of confidence, Evans reveals the secret to rocking a timeless brim is to not overthink it. “Wear it proudly and don’t second guess if you look silly. Rocking a brim is like wearing clothes. You just have to find the hat that suits you. My everyday life is pretty much make up free with the exception of under-eye concealer and mascara. When I’m styling the shoots for our campaigns I’ll play up my cheeks bones with contour and add layers upon layers of mascara to make my eyes pop. Putting a brim on after that just adds to the dramatics of your face.”
Pouring her heart and soul into the namesake of her grandfather’s memory, Monrowe is the outlet for Evans to spread light into an industry of some darkness, promoting confidence, determination, and authenticity. With an impressive resume to date, a need-to-know model, designer, and entrepreneur leave us with these powerful words: “The tools you need in order to start anything, will change as you get to the next level. You’ll never stop growing and developing when you’re determined to be successful. Success also changes as you reach new heights. The only constant changes so get used to it.”
