Angie Johns, a sophomore at BYU-Idaho, crafted Adalee, a clothing company with the purpose of distributing modest, garment-friendly apparel.

Johns grew up with a love for fashion, but finding and making modest clothes wasn’t always her life’s goal. She said that while growing up in Arizona, she often wore tank tops and shorts. When Johns decided she wanted to be endowed and married in the temple, she worried there wouldn’t be any cute, garment-friendly clothes.

“I have always loved fashion, ever since I was a little kid,” said Johns. “I was really scared that I wouldn't have any clothes that I liked and that were cute.”

Once Johns realized how difficult shopping for modest woman’s clothing was, she switched from studying dental hygiene to marketing. She then created an Instagram page to grow a following for her developing company.

“I thought it'd be really fun to post spiritual thoughts and fun videos, just to reach multiple audiences, and to share Christ's love,” said Johns. “That's one of my big focuses in my Instagram and my clothing brand in general.”

When crafting her company’s image, she knew she had to choose a special name, a name that emulated her company’s goal.

Johns searched Google asking “How to come up with a business name.” Results often recommend using unique names or names related to ancient myths. Knowing she wanted a Christ-centered company, she looked into words rooted in Hebrew. John researched words relating to security because that's what she wanted to provide her customers.

“A lot of words were like safety, refuge and shelter. A place for girls to go and feel like they're at home, like they have the things that they need,” said Johns. “They don't have to worry or feel stressed. So I looked up the word refuge, and Adalee came up. This is a super pretty name that people use for their daughters sometimes, and it means, ‘God is our refuge,’ and ‘beautiful.’”

With her passion project up and running, Johns switched her major again from marketing to apparel design.

On Oct. 1, 2024, the preorder date of Johns’s first finished design launched for a dress named Annie. The Annie is named after a close friend of Johns’s who exemplifies Christ-like characteristics.

“I met her in high school, and like I mentioned before, I was inactive, and so I met her when I was inactive my freshman year of high school,” said Johns. “We were friends all through high school. She knew me when I was inactive and active, and she just loved me for who I am.”

Johns plans to name her future designs after other influential women in her life and wants them to have input in the unique style of the dress named after them. Annie caught a glimpse of the first dress design and loved it.

“It's inspired by the dress from “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” said Johns. “The shiny yellow, because that dress, I think, is so beyond stunning, then I was just marking up some designs and my Annie was over, and she was like, ‘That one is perfect. That one is literally everything I want in a dress,’ And I was like, ‘Perfect. It's named after you now.’”

Johns now has the Annie in five colors and multiple size from extra small to three XL, to ensure women of all shapes and sizes can have garment-friendly dress options.

“I want to make sure to be super inclusive on size and different body shapes and make sure that we can all get that because it is hard to find,” said Johns. “Right now, I think I have about 100, or 150 dresses available for sale, and I've sold around 150.”

Johns aspires to make and distribute more than one design and hopes to make dresses with different aesthetics, fits and cuts.

“I have two other samples of dresses that I'm working on right now,” said Johns. “I have one that is going to be more form-fitted and then one that's going to be more frilly. I hope to eventually do shirts and shorts for when summer comes around, because those are impossible to find. Then I want to do a cute, cozy wear line for fall or winter.”

To create and finalize her designs, Johns works alongside a manufacturer. She draws out her design and takes her measurements to help the designer. She sends them pictures of the new design, and together they discuss fabrics, lengths, and how to make the dresses flattering on multiple body types. After this is completed, the designer and manufacturer make the dresses and send them to Johns.

Johns knows that different garments have slightly different sizings and wants every woman who purchases her creations to know they are investing in a piece of clothing that will cover their garments.

“I'm making sure it covers every single kind of garment,” said Johns. “For example, there are different necklines of garments. So I'm making sure it covers every single neckline. So no matter what garments you wear, it will cover those. Then, lengthwise, I know a lot of girls who struggle with them just being too short. So I'm making of the dresses longer, and go past your knees. I will always cover both of the garments.”

Johns said she is excited to continue her journey designing clothing for women, but she hopes to create clothes for men as well. She added that it is rewarding to have happy customers tell her that her designs provide the coverage they need. She said she loves having a platform to share the love of Christ while also giving women clothing they feel confident in.

“I'm really excited to just get to share more with the girls, and hopefully, I can make it with the guys too,” said Johns. “But just seeing how happy the girls are that have received the dresses, and are like, ‘It covers 100%, I was a little scared, just because that is what we always feel when we're shopping.’ I love just getting to have a platform to share the love of Christ, and also provide girls with clothes that they love.”

Feature Photo: Johns and her friends. Photo Courtesy of Angie Johns