Founder Spotlight With Jannike Sommar and Renata Souto, Jannike Sommar

Photo Credit: Jannike Sommar

Jannike Sommar and Renata Souto are the founders of the Paris-based fashion brand, Jannike Sommar. With a desire to create a queer universe in fashion that embraces diversity and inclusivity, the brand promotes self-expression and individuality, encouraging everyone to boldly express themselves without fear or judgment. Jannike and Renata also collaborate with drag queens, musicians, and various art performances to create bold and colorful collections that challenge norms and advocate for equality. 

During the interview we got to hear the origin story behind Jannike Sommar, the creative process when working on a new product, and how authenticity is at the core of their brand. Jannike and Renata also shared their journey as a couple and how they created the brand together. 

Let’s jump right in!

What inspired Jannike Sommar and how did you get started?

Jannike: Ever since I realized I wanted to do fashion I knew I wanted to have my own brand. That was my ultimate goal. But the idea behind Jannike Sommar really started to form when I was in school at Antwerp, The Royal Academy of Fine Arts. That’s also when I met Renata.

Renata: My background is in fashion and digital marketing. I always worked for big fashion companies here in Paris and when Jannike and I started dating, I could feel their potential. I could feel how people would react with such joy for their designs. 

Then Jannike developed their first capsule for a master runway show in Antwerp. From there, we started posting on Instagram and created a website. We were focused on testing just to see what would happen. Also, we both had full-time jobs so at that point the brand was more of a project vs. a company.

During COVID, things accelerated. We decided to turn it into an e-commerce company and then this past January we both quit our previous jobs and started working on the brand full-time. 

What does your creative process look like when working on a new product, brand, or campaign?

Jannike: I get inspired by our everyday life. Inspiration comes from the queer community, from events that we're going to and participating in, and from drag shows. Sometimes I’m observing something and then all of a sudden I get an idea and quickly create a sketch. I also always rework my designs and they develop over time. For example, our “Queer Kiss” logo came from the first sweater I ever launched. It was a patchwork sweater and then that design evolved into our logo. 

What is one challenge you have faced as the founders of Jannike Sommar and how did you navigate it? 

Jannike: One of our biggest challenges as an independent brand is to get out there and reach our target audience.

Renata: Also, having to do everything ourselves. We want to do a lot of collaborations, there are so many messages we want to share, and overall there’s so much to get done.

Jannike: On a personal level, I'm more of an introvert and building a brand is likely easier as an extrovert. However, I’ve been able to express myself and my pride through the designs.

What is your long-term vision for Jannike Sommar?

Jannike Somar

We would love to reach a bigger audience. We’ve mainly been focused on Europe but there's interest in the U.S. so it would be great to expand.

Also, our customers are very queer. We don't focus on one group within the community, so over time I want to be able to offer a more diverse range of products. That way, almost everyone can find something for them.

Renata: It’s also a challenge to be a queer designer when you want to be inclusive and diverse but then production is very limiting regarding how many sizes you can make and how expensive that gets. For example, when we want to create an adjustable one size or even many sizes, there are a lot of limitations. But going global and being able to offer a wider range of products would be our mission for the future.

If you could give one piece of advice to future LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Jannike: We have always done many different types of collaborations, from photoshoots to events. One piece of advice I have for future LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs is to collaborate within the community. We’re always stronger together.

Renata: The world is already tough out there so we need to be a big family.

What LGBTQ+ owned brands are your go-to's and why? 

Jannike: Maldito! They’re a Paris-based brand and our good friends. Francisco and Nico are the couple behind it and have very unique manga pieces, and they not only do clothes but also interior installations. 

Tell us about one of your values and how you have incorporated it into your brand. 

Jannike: Authenticity, to be who you are and live true to yourself. It's super important to us and what the brand is about. 

How do you take care of yourself, especially during this moment in history (a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being passed and an increase in violence against our community)? 

Jannike: We have a lot of friends here in Paris so we try to surround ourselves and spend a lot of time with them while also working on the brand. Being around things I love always helps me.

Renata: Also, educating ourselves as much as we can by watching the right documentaries, reading books, going to expositions, and visiting museums. That way, we can feed ourselves with arguments and learn about queer history to educate others and talk with new generations. 

Who is your favorite LGBTQ+ celebrity, and why? 

Jannike: Sasha Velour! She's so amazing, and I still remember when I saw her for the first time on RuPaul's Drag Race. I immediately connected with her and her bold, colorful costumes. We've also been to NightGowns [the drag show Sasha Velour started] and truly love everything she creates. 

Renata: We consider her beyond drag because she’s a visual artist. Her shows are mind-blowing. If you ever have the chance to see one, they’re amazing. 

Can you share one fun fact about yourself?

Jannike: At the beginning of this year, without telling very many people, I decided to get top surgery. I’ve been thinking about it for 15 years and decided to go to a private clinic. Thanks to the operation I feel more as myself and it helped me to be more open about being non-binary, which is how I’ve felt but didn’t have the words to describe it since I was a little kid.

Renata: I’m Brazilian, I hate summer, and I really don't like the heat. But then I moved to Europe, and I got married to a Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish person whose name is Sommar, which means summer. So I'm still connected to summer in some way.

Check out Jannike Sommar’s profile here.