Jenn Im: From Thrift-Store Videos to the Eggie Label

Not many people have walked the road of going from fashion vlogger to fashion entrepreneur quite like Jenn Im. Starting off as a fun channel about budget fashion turned into one of the most recognisable fashion brands on YouTube and eventually into a clothing line that sold out in a matter of minutes.

Where It All Began: Clothes Encounters

Im was born and bred in Los Angeles to immigrant parents from South Korea. In 2010, she and her friend Sarah Chu launched a YouTube channel called Clothes Encounters, featuring content centred on affordable fashion. At the close of 2011, Chu took a step back as Im relocated to pursue a course in the University of California, Davis where she obtained a degree in Communication Studies in 2013.

The concept remained simple and consistent throughout: styling ideas, a mix of thrift store finds and more expensive items, and an authentic style. This formula was responsible for the growth to millions of subscribers and is now run under her own name, reaching over three million subscribers.

Brand endorsements and makeup products

Along with an increase in fan base came more chances for Im to collaborate. Im has partnered with many companies such as Calvin Klein, Levi's, Macy's, and Clinique. In 2016, she launched a makeup product range named Jenn Ne Sais Quoi with the cosmetics company ColourPop. The secondhand clothes addiction of Im has made way to an advertising campaign with the Ad Council in 2017.

Eggie: her own label

Im created Eggie, a clothing label, in August 2017, and the name of the label means "baby" in Korean because she is the youngest member of her family. The debut collection had cropped tops, bodysuits, hoodies, bomber jackets, tracksuits, jumpsuits, and blazers, and they cost somewhere in between $25 and $79. The debut collection was inspired by her Korean culture and had gender-neutral outfits, which sold out in no time.

But Eggie continued to release its collections. For instance, the second season, which came right after that, focused on the influences of the early 2000s and featured oversized cropped hoodies and embroidered tees. (To read more about this release, visit our article on Jenn Im's Season II collection from Eggie.)

In July 2021, Eggie stopped operating, as Im decided to focus on being a new mom.

Why hers remains an enduring narrative

Im's success is valuable for anyone thinking about starting up their own creative business on the internet:

• Begin with your strengths. Im's channel began with a hobby, one of affordable style, rather than any kind of business model.
• Be consistent. She kept her voice and her style consistent for over a decade, and that was what created a loyal fan base.
• Make your fans into your product. Eggie worked because the fanbase was already trusting of her judgement.
• When it's time to evolve, do so. Ending a successful line in order to make way for something else was a planned decision, not a failure.