About Butterfly Reign
OUR JOURNEY SO FAR
Natalie’s dad and Emily’s parents went to high school together, but the real story began in a barn in Aledo, Texas. There, the two girls spray-painted the tin walls with *Nat + Em = BFF*. Fast forward to middle school, the same girls were giving away clothes from their own closets to style their schoolmates. Although their parents eventually put a stop to this, fashion remained a passion for them through high school, their time as roommates at Ole Miss, and into motherhood. Their beautiful friendship was bonded by creativity, clothes, fun, schemes, and what Emily’s mom liked to describe as “trouble” from time to time.
More recently, the girls struggled to find clothes they liked; everything seemed the same, unflattering, and when they did find a fun piece, it was hard to find something to match with it. That’s where the idea and vision for Butterfly Reign began. Two friends, grown up loving fashion, with busy lives, and a heart for styling people they adore (but this time, their husbands insisted they actually charge money).
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The name Butterfly Reign was born shortly after Instagram launched in 2010. Emily’s youngest sister, Mallory, named her Instagram handle Butterfly Reign after convincing her that it was the hot new social media tool and she “had to have one.” At the time, Mallory birthed the name Butterfly Reign as a symbol of what they thought Emily had already endured, a series of events that were transformative and life-changing. The name reminded her of her strength to pivot, persevere, and continue chasing her dream no matter the circumstances.
Emily, her sisters, and her mom grew up having a love for Butterflies. Emily’s mom always reminded the girls that a Butterfly was the sign of life. They symbolized the Beauty of Transformation, the Possibilities of New Beginnings, the Power of Change, the importance of our Faith, and most importantly, they represented God’s gift to us; Eternity with Him. After Emily lost her mom and youngest sister, Mallory, catching a glimpse of a Butterfly floating by was always a reminder of His promise that one day she would reunite with them again in eternity. To Emily, they also reminded her in hard times to persevere, that despite how hard life became since losing half her family, anything was possible when leaning on her faith. She had a deep desire to remember her family in a beautiful way that reflected the things they all shared a love for.
Jami, Emily’s mom, shared an appreciation for high fashion that was sophisticated and timeless with her girls. Fashion became a passion, especially for Emily, throughout her life. After a lifetime of events, Emily was finally caught by His Perfect Timing and was aligned with the right people who reminded her that anything was possible with her faith. In 2022, she began turning a lifelong dream into reality by starting her own clothing line. Butterfly Reign was the obvious and perfect name. After a year in the process, Emily felt like something was missing. That missing link was her childhood best friend, Natalie, who mirrored an appreciation and love for fashion and was also who Jami favored over the years. Together, they are partnering to Reign over the fashion industry.
MEET EMILY
Emily grew up in Aledo, TX, as the oldest of four and surrounded by strong women with Southern values. As far back as she can remember, her Saturdays were spent lunching and shopping with her mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-aunt, and sisters. As a child, Emily modeled in the Fort Worth Neiman Marcus fashion shows, and it was then that she began to cultivate a genuine appreciation for fashion, the quality of products, and the art of piecing together outfits for herself and others. Helping others feel like their best self was a passion she developed and continued to do throughout high school, college, and into adulthood. After graduating college from TCU (Go Frogs!!) Emily began a career in pharmaceutical sales and has spent the past ten years helping others in the healthcare industry. Fast forward to the present day, Emily married the love of her life six months ago, Garrett, and they are now raising their blended family of five beautiful children together back in Aledo, TX where they both grew up.
Emily gives all the praise and glory to God for the launch and development of Butterfly Reign. She holds the scripture from Ecclesiastes 3:1 close to her heart:
“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
ECCLESIASTES 3:1
Grateful for His perfect timing and having a husband who is so incredibly supportive and encourages her to chase her dreams is the result of Butterfly Reign coming to fruition.
MEET NATALIE
Natalie was born in Fort Worth, TX, as the stereotypical third child. Her earliest memories include “creating” in her art room that would get so messy you couldn’t walk without stepping on glue, tape, or paper cuttings.
Creativity is truly the essence of Natalie’s being. As one of her favorite quotes goes, “In the midst of chaos lives creativity” Natalie claims, “Whether I choose it or it choose me as a life motto; I am not sure.” Creativity is not the only way to describe Natalie; another quality you will quickly discover when being around is her pure joy for life. A scripture that often reminds me of her is:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
PSALMS 17:22
Natalie has always embraced the joy of life and bringing the best out of every situation, and laughter is something you can always count on when being in her presence.
Now, still rooted in Fort Worth, Natalie’s days are lively and joyous, shared with two energetic boys who have decisively won the “don’t throw balls in the house” debate and a daughter whose imagination and talent for transforming a room through creative chaos rivals her own. With a teenager, a pre-teen, and a young “big” boy, life is constantly moving. Jake, Natalie’s husband and favorite person in the world is her anchor. He brings laughter and sanity to her days, even when tears seem like the only option. Over the past decade, Natalie’s career in interior design has been both enriching and enlightening, collaborating with clients, working alongside Jake’s development and building company, and continually reimagining their own home – a space some say transforms with the seasons. While Natalie’s initial dreams were rooted in the fashion industry, interior design has become a profound passion. However, the allure of fashion has never left her. Now, as she embarks on this exciting new journey into the fashion world, she is reminded that their unique talents and passions have the power to evolve and intersect in the most surprising ways. Natalie is grateful for the opportunity to use her creativity to inspire and enrich the lives of others, both through design and fashion.