Introduction and interview by Jesse Scott
Arriving at UCLA as freshmen in 2018, Presley Campbell and Alden Kramer found themselves in the roommate situation of dreams. Now both best friends and business partners, they turned their mutual love of fashion into a wildly successful brand, Campbell & Kramer that’s been embraced by Hollywood “It Girls” like Emily Ratajkowski and Olivia Jade.
It’s also a brand with a heart, as Presley and Alden focus on providing sustainable everyday essentials at an accessible price point. Ahead of launching the Thalia collection, available as of November 1, Presley & Alden sat down with Rain to share their vision of coastal chic and what it’s like to do business with your best friend.
The idea for Campbell & Kramer was born when you were roommates at UCLA. Tell me about how you first met.
Although Presley and I were both born and raised in Orange County, CA, we never crossed paths until finding each other in the UCLA Class of 2022 roommate Facebook group. We started messaging on Instagram and instantly clicked—we had so much in common. I remember instantly feeling like we would be great friends, and from that moment we moved in and basically did everything together that first year of college.
What was the catalyst for you to launch your fashion projects? Was there a specific moment of inspiration or was it a natural synthesis of your shared passions?
Both! Part of our original conversations included our mutual love for fashion. So from the onset of our friendship we often discussed fashion, brands, and influencers that we drew inspiration from on Instagram. We both had an interest in working in the fashion industry, but none of the current brands or jobs on the market inspired us to really pursue the industry. UCLA also offers no fashion courses, so the closest we could get was Economics and Entrepreneurship.
Presley was in a sustainability course during the spring quarter of our freshman year in 2019. We did a small unit on fashion and explored how terrible fast fashion is for our environment. She ran back to the dorm to tell me all about it, and we began to realize there were very few sustainable fashion options, especially affordable ones that offered pieces we actually wanted to wear as college students aside from thrifting or vintage stores. We looked at each other and said, ‘let’s start our own brand to fill that gap.’ We created our logo that night and never looked back.
Alden, the new collection is inspired by Thalia Beach in Laguna. What is the Thalia Beach vibe? How have you translated that to the clothing?
I have really poignant memories of summer days at Thalia Beach—getting dropped off early morning, pretending I could surf, occasionally (and embarrassingly) trying to skim board, and swimming at Oak and Anita. Everyone would be there: my middle school friends, my brother, his friends. There's a lot of beauty and nostalgia concentrated in these memories and more broadly in the coastal, laid-back lifestyle of Laguna Beach. That's exactly what we wanted to translate into our collection. We strive to channel that same effortless ease into each piece, creating versatile clothing that transitions smoothly from one setting to the next. Just like those carefree beach days, this collection is about reminiscing and romanticizing an effortless way of living.
Sustainability and conscious consumption have always been at the core of your brand. I understand that everything is made locally in Los Angeles. Can you tell me about your production process?
We strictly source dead stock fabrics and we produce in small batches with a local family-owned sew shop in L.A. Presley and I love the concept that we aren’t making anything “new” since everything is made from repurposed deadstock fabrics that would otherwise have been thrown out to landfill; instead, we are transforming something unused to something beautiful. Due to inconsistent supply of dead stock fabric, we produce in limited, small batches. This adds a beautiful element of rarity to our collections. Each piece is only 1/X, so you won’t have the exact same thing as every other person. The clothing becomes as unique as the wearer.
Who is the Campbell & Kramer girl? Take us through a day in the life of someone wearing your coastal casual clothing.
I love this question because Presley and I draw inspiration from so many of our friends and community. The Campbell & Kramer girl can be so many different girls! Most importantly, she has strong personal taste—be it in fashion, music, reading, or art. She knows what she likes, and she’s not afraid to venture out of the mainstream. She’s intellectual, she’s natural, and she’s effortless. We’re inspired by those who have a strong joie de vivre, and find enjoyment in everything.
Her typical day might involve throwing on a Thalia set with a vintage jacket or bag or shoe, meeting friends for coffee, doing something that inspires her, and spending time outdoors. By the evening, she’s meeting friends for drinks and having a great night out.
What is it like being best friends and business partners? How do you balance the different sides of your relationship?
It’s actually the best thing ever. I get to spend everyday in constant communication with Alden, my best friend, discussing our favorite thing: fashion. I’m so grateful for that. The trust we have for each other is irreplaceable and I couldn’t imagine pursuing this dream without her or with anyone else by my side.
The balance comes pretty easy to us I’d say, from living together to being business partners to being best friends, we naturally discuss fashion and the brand within our larger friend convos all the time. It doesn’t feel like work because we genuinely have so much fun doing it together.
Is it the same for you, Alden?
Our friendship is really special, and I often think about how thankful I am for Presley. I don’t have a sister, but I imagine this is akin to a sister relationship, where you can be vulnerable, brutally honest, and transparent because there is such a strong foundation of trust and mutual support. Also, being able to talk nonstop about one of your biggest interests to someone equally interested is way too fun. Personally and professionally, we are so lucky to have each other.
What’s next for you two?
Alden and I have so many dreams and aspirations for the brand. We would love to be widely recognized as the go-to spot for sustainable basics, while also offering unique pieces that can be dressed up or down. We want to continue developing garments that can be the centerpiece of an outfit or play a supporting role, complementing the main piece.
We want to create pieces you will wear everyday, reach for day and night, and stay in your closet forever. In the immediate future, we look forward to furthering our in-person presence in L.A. and NYC through community events and pop up shops. We love partnering with like-minded, female-owned brands and connecting our audiences to spread love for small, sustainable businesses.
