"Just graduating from college and moving to New York City to work in the garment district, I was barely able to pay bills let alone a dry clean bill every week," says Rachel Godwin Becker.
That's exactly what sparked the 25-year-old to design and create her own line of completely machine washable, but still sophisticated and stylish, dresses.
It's her answer to the wrinkle-free shirt for men! She calls it Laundrea, colorful, tailored and trendy styles that never need to see a dry cleaner to stay crisp and fresh.
Rachel estimates the average woman spends about $11 to dry clean a dress.
"If you dry clean two dresses, twice a month that adds up to about $650 a year," she says. "For that money, you can be buying more dresses!"
She hand-sketches each design in her Media headquarters. The dresses start at $98 and Rachel says the goal is for each piece to earn the investment you make in it.
"We like to keep it really classic, too. So you can take it from season to season," she says. "It is career appropriate, but you can still wear it to a wedding on the weekend."
She says her fashion inspiration is Philadelphia's own Grace Kelly.
"That's really what the Laundrea woman is," she says. "She's Grace Kelly. She's classic, sophisticated."
The dresses come in sizes 0-16 and XS - XL.
You can find Laundrea in 13 stores nationwide, including 4 here in our area.
