The Future of Denim Is Vintage: Inside Ali Grace’s Custom Levi’s Revolution

The founder is proving that slow fashion, community and confidence never go out of style.

Ali Grace / Courtesy of aligrace denim

We’re spotlighting inspiring female founders who are making waves in their industries. Female Founder Fridays is all about celebrating their stories—how they built their brands, the challenges they’ve overcome and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Ali Grace is rewriting the rules of how jeans are made, worn and loved. The founder of aligrace denim has scaled her label from a dorm room side hustle into a Revolve bestseller, all while staying rooted in the same philosophy that sparked it: denim should feel personal.

“I’ve always believed that aligrace’s strength lies in the details, so even as we’ve grown, I’ve stayed deeply connected to both the product and our community,” the entrepreneur tells SI Swimsuit. “I’m hands-on with our social channels, connecting with customers and reinforcing what matters most—that our true value lies in giving women confidence through denim and making sure everyone loves their jeans.”

Ali Grace / Courtesy of aligrace denim

That hands-on ethos is what sets her apart. By reworking vintage Levi’s into one-of-a-kind silhouettes, aligrace delivers slow fashion at scale—pieces that nod to history while fitting seamlessly into the present. She‘s building a brand focused on sustainability, community and individuality.

Everyone wants the look and feel and even the label of a perfect vintage Levi’s, but no one wants to do the work of finding them. That’s where Grace comes in—and takes it a step further by making clients a custom, one-of-a-kind pair, tailored to your exact measurements.

Everyone craves the look, feel and label of perfect vintage Levi’s, but few want to do the digging to find them. That’s where Grace comes in—taking it a step further with custom, one-of-a-kind pairs tailored to each client’s exact measurements.

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The aligrace website has clear instructions walking fans through how to take and send their measurements, and the versions sold on wholesale sites have been structured to match modern conventional sizing, ranging from 23 - 34.

Balancing detail and direction

As aligrace has grown, the UMass Amherst alum has had to evolve from solo founder to CEO and creative director. But while her responsibilities now include managing wholesale accounts, shaping long-term partnerships and guiding a team, she hasn’t let go of the meticulous product focus that defined her early days.

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“You’ll still find me in the warehouse pulling vintage, leading buying trips, digging through pallets of denim, and approving alterations to make sure the integrity of each pair feels right,” she says. “At the same time, I’ve had to learn how to zoom out—leading my team, managing wholesale accounts, building partnerships, and shaping the long-term creative vision. It’s definitely a balancing act, but I think our customers trust us because I remain as hands-on today as I was when I started aligrace in my dorm room.”

That balance—between rolling up her sleeves in the warehouse and steering the brand’s future—is what builds trust. Customers know that Grace is still involved in the process, making sure each pair of jeans reflects the same care and intention as the very first.

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A post shared by Ali Grace (@aliaidengrace)

“I want aligrace to remain a leader in showing that fashion can scale while staying values-driven—proving that you don’t have to compromise on ethics to build something beautiful,” she continues.

The craft of reworking denim

At the core of aligrace is a process that treats each pair of vintage Levi’s as raw material ready for reinvention. Grace and her team hunt for the washes customers love most, from soft, worn light blues to rich medium and dark tones. Even pieces that look too worn or stained often get another chance.

“Nearly every pair gets a second life, whether it’s transformed into one of our best-selling styles or recycled into pant legs for our Barrel jeans. Nothing goes to waste if we can help it,” she says.

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That mix of revival and reinvention is what gives the brand its edge. Grace is constantly experimenting with new ways to push the limits of vintage. “Right now, I’m definitely obsessed with our unreleased Reverse Jean—two pairs of Levi’s flipped and fused into one. It feels like wearable art and will be a highlight of our Holiday Collection launching this October,” she shares.

While innovation drives her forward, she also returns to the silhouettes that made aligrace a staple. Customers can’t get enough of the Barrel Jean ($398), which has become a signature across retailers. And when it comes to timeless, Grace points to a reworked straight-leg Levi’s like the Brigette Jean ($318)—versatile, flattering and foundational to everything the brand has built.

Scaling without selling out

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A post shared by Ali Grace (@aliaidengrace)

Unlike many brands that rely on big budgets and paid partnerships, aligrace grew by word of mouth and authentic connections. “For me, it was never about paying people to wear the jeans—it’s always been about creating denim people genuinely love enough to share,” Grace explains. That authenticity, she believes, is what has made the brand contagious.

The approach has fueled growth while keeping the brand grounded in its values. By reworking denim that already exists, aligrace extends the life of each fabric, preventing waste and proving that fashion can be both beautiful and ethical.

Ali Grace / Courtesy of aligrace denim

And, with sizing offered up to 55” waists online, Grace ensures that one-of-a-kind denim is available to everyone.

“I want [customers] to feel how much thought and care went into their denim,” she adds. “Sustainability and inclusivity aren’t buzzwords for us—they’re the foundation of every decision we make.”

Shop now at shopaligrace.com, or online retailers like Anthropologie, Revolve, FWRD and LSPACE.

Female Founder Q & A

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

The best advice I ever received wasn’t meant to encourage me. It was from a college guidance counselor who told me to stop pursuing aligrace and get a master’s in Data Science instead, because “so few entrepreneurs actually succeed.” Rather than discouraging me, it lit a fire. I wanted to prove that following your passion is worth the risk. In a way, that doubt became my biggest motivator—sometimes skepticism can push you harder than support ever could.

What do you wish you knew before starting your brand?

That growth doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. In the early years, I poured myself into every single detail, but learning how to build a team and delegate has been just as transformative—and difficult—as launching the brand itself.

What was your “I made it” moment?

When Gary Vaynerchuk personally reached out to say he was humbled by my following him, and that his chief of staff spoke highly of me. I’ve looked up to him since I was a teenager starting out as an entrepreneur, so to receive that recognition from someone I respect so deeply was incredibly validating.

What has been the most unexpected challenge of running your business?

The biggest challenge has been managing growth. More orders bring more expenses, and expanding our team to handle the workload is something I’ve never dealt with before. With a background in computer science—not business management—this is my first time learning how to run a company at scale.

What’s your favorite memory from starting the brand?

One of my favorite memories was making it to the final round of a business incubator I joined in college called Valley Venture Mentors. I went from being one of hundreds of businesses down to the top 12, pitching Shark Tank–style in front of real angel investors. I was the youngest and one of the only female founders in that group, and when I made it past the last round, I remember thinking: I really have something here.

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