Sign In

Wendy Mullin

CEO - Founder - Creative Director

Wendy Mullin is a Chicago native who began her entrepreneurial journey while studying at the University of Kansas, where she started selling her handmade clothing from a laundry line in her front yard.

She later moved to New York in 1992 to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and established mini Built by Wendy kiosks in independent record stores to sell her collection.

Wendy worked as a costume designer and stylist for music videos, collaborated with brands like X-Girl and X-Large, and in 1995, she began wholesaling her Built by Wendy collection and opened her flagship store in New York City in 1998.

In 2003, she became Creative Director for Wrangler Jeans, creating the successful Wrangler47 premium denim line, and in 2006, she delved into publishing with the Sew U series of instructional sewing books.

She expanded her brand with an online shop, multiple retail stores, and collaborations with Simplicity Pattern Company, launching a line of commercial sewing patterns.

Wendy took a break from brick and mortar stores due to economic challenges, launched Built by Wendy Kids and did a capsule collection named Soft Rock, and in 2016, relaunched Built by Wendy exclusively online.

In 2019, she entered the world of interior design with a flagship project in Santa Monica and founded Departing Dearly, a modern resource on death and dying focusing on green burials and death positivity.

Wendy celebrated 30 years of Built by Wendy in 2021 and joined the Costume Designer's Guild 892 in 2022. She also engages in renewable energy and sustainable materials initiatives with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator.

Wendy Mullin
Add to my network

Location

Los Angeles, California, United States

Related People

Related people

Related People

Related people