In House Is Betting That Fewer, Better Clothes Can Still Be a Scalable Business – Latest Fashion Trends & Style Tips November 07, 2025 at 07:15PM
📰 In House Is Betting That Fewer, Better Clothes Can Still Be a Scalable Business
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"Bespoke contemporary" brand In House may only be three months old, but for founder Rheanna Henney, the concept is years in the making.
"It's been an idea that's existed inside of me for a long time; it is really the embodiment of my life and the person I am," she tells Fashionista.
Like many entrepreneurs, before venturing off on her own, she built her resume with experience at other companies. But unlike with most of her peers, said credentials weren't entirely fashion-related. For years, Henney worked as a venture capitalist, focused on "sustainable" solutions and technologies. As time went on, she kept running into a personal hurdle: struggling to find high-quality investment pieces that were practical, fashion-forward and reasonably-priced.
Photo: Courtesy of In House
That was all the push she needed to officially launch In House, a New York-based, "ethically" made, contemporary fashion line for the working woman.
"In House came to be out of a desire for a reliable brand that is thoughtfully made, well constructed and is made with a client in mind," Henney explains. "I'm really designing things through the lens of what I wish existed in the world and what my friends wish existed in the world."
In September, the brand released its 11-piece debut collection, featuring minimalist workwear such as blazers, skirts, pants, tops, button-ups and a vest. But this isn't just another contemporary fashion label: "Sustainability" is foundational to In House, informing everything from its fabrics to its manufacturing partners to its production process. To that end, it currently operates on a made-to-order model.
"I wouldn't feel the need to contribute another fashion brand if there wasn't this underlying sustainability component tied into it," Henney shares. "There's no innovating our way out of consumption. So, we need to find ways to slow down how much people buy clothes and to change their relationship with their clothes. It's a more nuanced category, and that's really where In House tries to operate — making people feel connected to their clothes."
Photos: Courtesy of In House
Clients can order online or make in-person appointments at In House's showroom in Lower Manhattan. Henney hopes the approach persuades consumers to shop mindfully and intentionally. "I have no desire to lock someone into a piece that they don't want to own," she adds. "Pieces should feel precious to us and feel like treasures."
Henney's fabric choices are strategic, too: She sources biodegradable and recycled materials, including Bananatex, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)-certified Italian Wool Twill and regenerative poplin. The brand's buttons are crafted from the naturally fallen seeds of the Tagua palm, harvested in its native habitat within the Ecuadorian lowland rainforest.
Getting the brand off the ground has naturally entailed a number of obstacles and learning curves, especially around this slow-fashion approach.
Photo: Courtesy of In House
Manufacturing has been Henney's biggest headache, since she operates on a made-to-order model. Most facilities deal only with large order quantities, and those that do take individual orders charge high rates. At present, In House works with two manufacturers — one in New York's Garment District and another in India. (The latter used to work with now-shuttered Mara Hoffman.)
Pricing is another tricky dance that Henney is still learning. Factoring in tariffs, expensive manufacturing, high-quality fabrics, plus having enough to pay her small team, In House items currently retail for $380 to $1,050.
"We really are trying to give the most honest price points where we can still compete," she explains. "I don't necessarily think the world needs another $1,000 blazer, and I don't currently have a desire to operate in that market. I really want to create a blazer that someone who's working hard in their 20s, 30s and 40s can afford, and that stays with them throughout those periods of their lives." She hopes that, with larger manufacturing orders, she'll be able to lower prices in the future.
Photos: Courtesy of In House
As she approaches 2026, Henney already has a lot to look forward to. She's eyeing wholesale by partnering with boutiques to offer special, micro-order runs (20 pieces or fewer). The designer would also like In House to make its New York Fashion Week debut for the Fall 2026 season.
"We're hoping to be able to participate in market [week] and have some fall pieces we can show smaller boutiques we want to work with," she says. "There's slightly more playfulness in our next pieces, which I'm looking forward to and think is quite fun. It still exists in the universe and speaks to the same woman, but is slightly less rigid."
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