Olivia Stansfield learned an important lesson from her older sister, C&C California co-founder Claire Stansfield: If your closet lacks it, why not create it?
After struggling to find flattering golf attire, Olivia Stansfield and her boyfriend, Brett Smith, created Three Tees, a women’s and men’s golf line launching for fall.
“My sister [Claire] would always say, ‘If you are missing something in your closet, act on it,'” Stansfield said. “Every country club store I go into has the saddest rack of women’s clothing, and there are all of these women outside all over the course.”
Just as her sister, who left C&C Tuesday (see related story, this page), dedicated her first C&C collection in spring 2003 to the perfect T-shirt, Stansfield made the first Three Tees line all about the perfect collared shirt, with a deep V-neck, tapered fitting and even vanity sizing for the XS to XL offerings. “Every time we would go golfing, the collared shirts were the issue — all were too short or too tight in the collar,” she said.
The Malibu-based company started six months ago with hats that have loops for three golf tees on the side. For the fall, Three Tees is offering shirts — in short sleeves, three-quarter-length sleeves and long sleeves — and bottoms in shorts, capris and pants. Smith and Stansfield ultimately want to expand into cashmere sweaters, accessories and even children’s. The hats wholesale for $18; shirts, for $30, and pants, for around $80.
Stansfield, 23, wouldn’t mind if Three Tees took the same trajectory as her sister’s firm. She saw her sister and co-founder Cheyann Benedict sell C&C to Liz Claiborne Inc. in 2005 for $28 million.
Three Tees is using the same factory that manufactures C&C, as well as Lisa Fink, who reps C&C out of Miami. The collection is targeting resorts and sportswear retailers.
“It has crossover appeal, so it’s something a regular rep can handle,” Stansfield said. “We can’t begin to project volume because there are not too many companies that bridge both areas.”
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Stansfield, who graduated from college last year, and Smith, a 36-year-old lifeguard in Malibu, said they also wouldn’t mind following the path taken by C&C’s co-founders once they sold the brand.