ATTREN. - Bold, Versatile, Fresh

Lucy Wragg
Jul 12
3 min read

For Matt and Lauren Rowley, co-founders of burgeoning streetwear brand ATTREN., street style is about more than dressing for comfort - it is a symbol of strength, resilience, and optimism. Though they only released their first collection in 2023, a rich, personal history is woven into the fabric of ATTREN.. Somewhat nervous when I made my podcasting debut earlier this month as an interview feature on ‘The ATTREN. Way’, I was immediately put at ease by the couple’s positivity and passion. During the episode, they shared with me the origin story of the brand, an exclusive preview of their original sketchbook, and their hopes for the future.

When I asked Matt and Lauren to tell me about how their brand originated, I was thrilled to see them reach for a sketchbook of their original ideas - dubbed the “ATTREN. Bible”. They talked me through the first designs from when they initially imagined the brand to be a fitness-wear company, and let me see the colour-focussed mood-boards that inform their current collections, but what struck me the most was a page of letters, phrases, and half-words, which Matt explained to be a visible representation of their brainstorming a name for the brand. After trying dozens of combinations, they settled on “ATTREN.” - ‘Matt without the “M”, and Lauren without the “Lau”...[with] a full stop like a bang at the end of it’.

Inclusivity is one of the core values of the brand, so when I asked Matt and Lauren what this means to them, they were eager to share their experiences with me. Matt explained that his life-altering car accident gave him a new perspective on fashion, as he found that dressing intentionally was "the only way I could make myself feel better when I’m sat at home." He said that putting outfits together became a hobby, giving him "something to do" with his newfound spare time, and that it was "all about me trying to find my confidence in walking around with a prosthetic leg on." This is where the brightness and boldness of ATTREN.’s rich colour palette of saturated pinks and blues derives from - showing off differences instead of hiding behind them.

For Lauren, the "biggest thing" is sizing. She spoke about her 30th birthday, when Matt promised to buy her a "nice, expensive leather jacket", but across the six different stores they visited, not one carried a jacket in a comfortable size for her. Another experience that stuck with her was overhearing a conversation between a mother and daughter in a changing room about how the daughter was "usually a size medium, but this is an extra extra large. It's huge." Fed up of the negative language around sizing, its inconsistency across stores, and brands not carrying a wide range of sizes inspired Lauren and Matt to come up with their own unique sizing system. The brand carries six sizes for men and women each, with names such as “stud” and “divine” instead of traditional lettering. The couple acknowledged that this can be "difficult" for their customers to understand, but that "trying to tap into that fashion psychology of making it a positive experience" in order to empower and uplift is their "real passion."

I also wanted to take the opportunity to ask Matt and Lauren a little about the podcast, which, alongside interviews with collaborators, features in-depth episodes about Matt’s accident, and is a beautiful insight into their marriage and personalities. I asked them if they could have anyone in the world on their podcast and wear their clothes, who would it be? They settled on an unorthodox holy trinity of Khloe Kardashian, Lewis Hamilton, and Danny Dyer, kindred spirits through their authenticity. Through the compelling colour palette, eye-catching collaborations with artists such as artJaz, and original sizing system, ATTREN. is a space created by Matt and Lauren to explore their own authenticity, and inspire others to do the same.

The best way to understand a brand is to hear about it from the founders themselves. So what do Matt and Lauren have to say about ATTREN.? To end the podcast, I asked them what three words they would use to describe the brand’s aesthetic: ‘versatile’, ‘fresh’, and ‘colourful’ for Lauren, and ‘bold’, ‘different’, and ‘out there’ for Matt.

To see for yourself, you can find the ATTREN. website here, Instagram here, and the link to the podcast episode here.