Bio of Chelsea Rippy
CEO and founder
The idea for Shade Clothing came to Chelsea Rippy after one of many frustrating shopping trips. As had happened so many times before, she spent hours scouring clothing racks looking for items that were stylish without being too revealing. Fed up with her unsuccessful attempts to find hip, modest clothing, Chelsea decided to take matters into her own hands. She spent one year designing and developing a line of undershirts with the goal of giving women exactly what they need to dress modestly, comfortably and fashionably. In September 2004, when she felt like her shirts were “just right,” Chelsea founded Shade Clothing, a company with a simple mission: make clothes that help women feel comfortable and happy.
In its first year, Shade Clothing far surpassed the expectations of all those who have been involved since Chelsea first came up with the idea to create hip, modest undershirts. Shade shirts initially gained popularity with women in Utah, but have quickly garnered attention across the United States.
Today Chelsea serves as the CEO of Shade Clothing, focusing on expanding distribution channels and introducing new designs. Chelsea fully intends to keep Shade Clothing right where it is – leading the industry – by continuing to stay one step ahead of its competitors. The drive for constant innovation and expansion of its clothing line is built into the company’s strategy. Rather than stake its success on a particular fashion trend, Chelsea strives to create new products that enhance and expand current fashion offerings. As long as the company stays true to its mission, Chelsea feels confident that its products will never be out of style or obsolete.
Chelsea graduated from Brigham Young University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in health science education. Before founding Shade Clothing, she worked as an incentives and recognition manager for Tahitian Noni International. She also owned an interior decoration and design company called From the Attic, making Shade Clothing her second entrepreneurial venture.
Chelsea, a mother of three, lives with her husband and children in Utah.