Grammar – The Slow Fashion Brand For An Intelligent Wardrobe
THE CONJUNCTION, THE VERB, AND THE SUPERLATIVE ARE CRITICAL TO ONE’S SPEECH AND A SLOW FASHION WARDROBE. THEY ARE THE LEADING DESIGNS FOR GRAMMAR, A NEW YORK CITY-BASED SLOW FASHION BRAND CREATING THE FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS OF A MODERN MINIMALIST WARDROBE. WE SPOKE WITH FOUNDER AND LEAD DESIGNER ALTHEA SIMONS, WHO EMBODIES THE BELIEF THAT SIMPLICITY IN DESIGN SPARKS CREATIVITY. HER GROUNDING PRESENCE LEFT A HOPEFUL NOTE ON WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS HEADED AND HOW GRAMMAR WORKS TO BE A PART OF THAT CHANGE.
words by HAVEN HATHAWAY
photographs by SHANA JADE TRAJANOSKA
Grammar’s Founding Story
Althea Simons was at her kitchen table when her eyes were drawn to The Elements of Style by E. B. White and William Strunk Jr., sitting on the shelf with a quiet yet commanding presence. The book is a timeless guide to writing well, offering practical advice and rules. She has cherished this book since her first encounter in ninth-grade English, describing it as both a guide and a gateway.
At that moment, it became clear that Simons’ love for The Elements of Style mirrored the philosophy behind her brand, GRAMMAR—a clothing line dedicated to creating the foundational elements of a modern minimalist wardrobe. “Grammar is to writing what GRAMMAR is to your wardrobe,” she says, embodying the belief that basics are where creativity begins.
“Grammar is to writing what GRAMMAR is to your wardrobe.”
— ALTHEA SIMONS, FOUNDER OF GRAMMAR
The catalyst for starting GRAMMAR in 2016 came from misfortune and the stark realization of life’s essentials. That year, there was a devastating fire in Simons’ apartment, where she lost everything. Faced with the daunting task of rebuilding her wardrobe, she was guided by necessity, gravitating toward only the most essential wardrobe pieces—starting with a white button-down shirt. As fast fashion took hold in 2016, Simons recognized a gap in the market: the lack of quality and the mundane options when it came to rediscovering the classic white shirt. She saw this as her pivotal opportunity to create something of her own. It was her ‘aha’ moment to step out on her own terms.
The White Shirt
White shirts aren’t just a collection for her—they are her daily go-to, her personal uniform that gives her flexibility and confidence. “It’s not as rigid as Steve Jobs in the same Issey Miyake black turtleneck he wore daily. It’s more fun, creative, and interesting than that,” she says. “But at the same time, it doesn’t require much thought in the morning. There are other white shirt fanatics like me who are always looking for a good one.”
Channeling her love for functioning wardrobe staples, an appreciation for the female form, and a commitment to exceptional design and sustainability, Simons introduced GRAMMAR’s first five defining styles, focusing on shirting. Simons envisions her customers as serious, reverent, and deeply connected to the arts. They are engaged with the world, conscientious, and caring. The clientele spans various ages, and many still personally call or visit the studio to place orders, encapsulating the brand’s core message of “returning to the basics.”
Commitment to Education and Excellence
“I love having conversations with people and educating them. Many people don’t know that cotton is a plant. It’s crazy how little education, understanding, or awareness there is out there in the world about sustainability,” she says.
The backbone of GRAMMAR is the Garment District, which informs their eco-conscious practices. “It is never the easiest, fastest, or cheapest option,” she says. “But I knew I wasn’t going to do it if I couldn’t do it sustainably.” GRAMMAR shirts are made from 100 percent organic cotton sourced from an ethical producer in India that ensures Global Organic Textile Standard certification, which guarantees compliance with the strictest standards of sustainability and labor rights from seed to finished fabric.
“I love having conversations with people and educating them. many people don’t know that cotton is a plant.”
— ALTHEA SIMONS, FOUNDER OF GRAMMAR
They produce locally in small batches in the Garment District of New York City to minimize the impact on the supply chain and ensure that garments are made to the highest quality. According to Good On You, GRAMMAR has achieved an impressive overall rating of “Great,” scoring five out of five for its environmental impact and four out of five for its treatment of people and animals. “There are always trade-offs, and there is no right answer a lot of the time. But, we make the best decisions and just try to keep improving,” she says.
Simons and her team will even visit the factories and meet their sewers to see how things are being made. “They call me if there’s an issue, and I have a relationship with the people who make the clothes, and that just makes it so much more special and real to me,” she says. There’s no shipping to and from the factory for GRAMMAR. Instead, they use a simple camping cart to personally transport finished goods, eliminating waste, shipping costs, and emissions—a nearly unheard-of practice in the fashion industry.
“I have a relationship with the people who make the clothes, and that just makes it so much more special and real to me.”
— ALTHEA SIMONS, FOUNDER OF GRAMMAR
Grammar’s Fall Collection and Pop-Ups
The vibrant community around her Midtown studio fuels her design inspiration. Althea often hits the streets, testing her garments firsthand and observing what women wear—studying their silhouettes, color palettes, and hemlines. For Fall 2024, GRAMMAR embraces a monochromatic flannel aesthetic in rich shades of chocolate brown and navy, focusing on shirting and timeless wardrobe staples. “We make this really soft organic cotton flannel. Everyone thinks it’s cashmere,” she says.
To accompany the new collection, GRAMMAR will participate in pop-ups with Love Is The Answer Collective, spotlighting a curated selection of sustainable brands in NYC. The first one will be in Brooklyn from September 27-29, and the second one will be in Hudson during the last weekend of October. However, Simons also invites people to shop at the GRAMMAR studio anytime. There is a tab on the website titled “Visit Our Studio,” where people can make appointments.
Simons says sustainable fashion still exists in its own bubble, often disconnected from the broad public’s awareness. She’s drawn to those eager to learn about organic fabrics or how to care for garments properly. “GRAMMAR is sort of nerdy,” she admits, embracing a curiosity-driven approach that invites people into the slow fashion conversation. By fostering this dialogue, she hopes to instill the belief that brands mastering a single element—like a perfect white shirt—while prioritizing sustainability will truly stand out.
Get to Know Althea Simons
What is your favorite restaurant in New York?
Saraghina
What is your favorite quote?
“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.” William Strunk, The Elements of Style
Where do you go to recharge?
I go anywhere in nature where I can get my toes in grass, sand, or the ocean.
Where is the last place you traveled to?
Southern Rhode Island to see my family.
What artist instantly lifts your mood?
Beyonce. It’s cliche, but I don’t care; she’s amazing.
Further Reading
