Clothing company M.M. LaFleur will lend free clothing to women who are candidates in races up and down the ballot, the brand announced Tuesday.
“We never purport that clothes help move the needle on female representation, but we want to do our part to make things a tiny bit easier,” CEO and founder Sarah LeFleur said in an email to the “M.M. community” Tuesday.
Women running in any race can email the brand for more information on the offer.
“Yes, it’s true! We’re lending clothes to any woman running for public office at any level,” the brand tweeted. “Are you #readytorun? Reach out to us at readytorun@mmlafleur.com with your name, location, and description of the office you’re running for and we’ll be in touch.”
Asked on Twitter if the offer is open to Republican candidates, M.M. LaFleuer’s account responded “we’re here to support women in leadership in all of its forms!”
The brand’s decision was championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who gave the announcement a shout-out on her Instagram story Tuesday.
“When I was running for office (even now!), accessing clothing for the job was a big challenge both logistically and financially,” she wrote. “As a candidate, a large part of asking people to vote for you is helping them visualize you on the jobs. As a member, that professionalism helps you challenge subconscious bias.”
Ocasio-Cortez added that she had no clothes to prepare her for Congress and relied on hand-me-downs from friends before she was sworn in.
“So shout out to anyone helping, and if you know someone running ask them if they want an old blazer or dress!” she added.
M.M. LaFleur launched in 2011 by Sarah LaFleur and co-founders Narie Foster and Myako Nakamura. The brand is centered on the idea that women have “better things to do than worry about what to wear,” with a goal of taking “the work out of dressing for work,” based on its online description.