RAGNHILD.

It is Swedish family name that means "Amazon," or a legendary race of female warriors, and fittingly serves as the title of Academy of Art University Tennis alum Jenny Johansson's clothing brand.

A 2015 graduate from the School of Fashion, Johansson followed a path as unique as her products in taking the fledgling idea of a clothing line to what is now a thriving international business. RAGNHILD combines a Scandinavian design aesthetic and a focus on sustainability with the goal of creating "clothes that make a difference from the first step of the chain to the last, from when the fabric is selected until it is hanging in our customers' closets."

Sold in stores across the country, RAGNHILD offers jackets, shirts, tote bags, and dresses based around the brand's foundation of "female empowerment." According to the www.RAGNHILDClothing.com website, "the clothes are designed to encourage women to be fearless and embrace their individuality. RAGNHILD is built on of the passion for quality craftsmanship, uniqueness, expression, and most importantly for women who want to stand out and make a memorable statement."

When asked of the origin of RAGNHILD, Johansson recalls an Academy of Art Construction/Draping/Flat Pattern class project in the fall of 2013.

"At school, we had to make a bomber jacket," said Johansson. "We did the patterns and then sewed it. It was a really fun project that I enjoyed because I have always loved bomber jackets, but never had one. Then we got to choose to do our own project and I chose to make the bomber again, but with slight changes to fit better. I picked a cool fabric and, at this point, a lot of my friends said they loved the jacket and so did I. It sparked something in me, but I didn't do anything about it until school finished for the semester and I went back to Sweden for the holiday break."

That spark led to the birth of RAGNHILD as Johansson set out to make more one-of-a-kind bomber jackets. Upon returning to San Francisco, she ordered fabrics and brought patterns as well as her samples to different sewing factories, asking if they could make the jackets.

"I was just a fun side project," said Johansson. "I didn't know that it would take me to where I am now; basically working it full time to really get it out on the market for the world to see."

After producing the first 12 jackets, Johansson put her concept on hold for nearly two years as she completed her degree and simultaneously helped the Urban Knights make history in 2015. As a senior, Johansson contributed to 20 victories across singles and doubles with one of those coming during a 5-3 upset of No. 7 Hawaii Pacific in the semifinals of the Pacific West Conference Championship Tournament which led ART U to its first-ever opportunity to host NCAA West Regionals. She would later be announced as one of Academy of Art's nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.

"Managing to juggle a lot of things at a time is one of the things you need to learn quickly being a student-athlete," said Johansson. "That skill is definitely coming to use now being able to plan, schedule, and use my time efficiently to make sure I get everything done. I also learned that perseverance is the only way to be successful. You have to do things over and over and try and fail and try a little more to actually get the best result. My teachers and my coaches throughout my time at Academy of Art really helped me understand the importance of always giving it 100 percent. I am thankful for the way that they pushed me and always made me try to improve even when I thought I had 'done enough.' There is never an 'enough.' Instead of letting that sound discouraging, I think of it as there are endless possibilities."

Following her graduation and a three-month rest period, Johansson resumed her work with RAGNHILD, initiating the process of making more unique prints and having new patterns made - all professionally. 

"I never find prints that I love when I am out shopping," said Johansson. "So I wanted to create prints I loved that you can't find everywhere. It did take a while and the process of test printing, test washing, etc. is long and takes a lot of time, but the end result is absolutely worth it!"

As the RAGNHILD began to take off, Johansson was learning the value of testing different companies and quality communication about the brand's philosophy regarding quality. Never settling for sub-par efforts, RAGNHILD was and continues to be driven by the tagline: "Chose to be remarkable, let others be mediocre."

"For us, quality is extremely important," said Johansson. "I keep repeating this all the time to everyone I speak with. If it's about zippers, fabric, sewing, etc., I want everyone to understand that we accept nothing less than that. If it doesn't live up to the standard we have set on quality and feel, I ask for options. It is a long process to find the right materials and right quality, but it is worth it."

After a recent visit to RAGNHILD's collaborative factories in Portugal, Johansson expressed the following on the brand's official blog www.RAGNHILDClothing.com/blog:

"It is important to us that we at RAGNHILD are very transparent with our production and in everything that we do. We are proud of what we do and who we work with."

Beyond the physical labor necessary to create its products, RAGNHILD has relied upon the efforts of several individuals in addition to its creator. One such individual is Johansson's friend and three-year teammate on the Academy of Art tennis courts: Nina Gajdosikova. Handling graphic design responsibilities, Gajdosikova has worked closely with Johansson to infuse the core philosophy, "Get your RAGNHILD on," into everything the brand releases into the world.

Johansson explains via the website, "It is who we are. It is the belief we infuse in every garment that we create. It means: Embracing who you are. Believing in yourself. Being authentic. Facing your fears. Being brave. And pursuing your dreams. Don't sell yourself short. Choose to be remarkable. Embrace the spirit of the entrepreneur, the creative, the artist, and the maker and make a difference."

Having already been featured in a variety of publications such as BobCut and various newspapers in Sweden, RAGNHILD currently has its products available at Shop657 in San Francisco, Monark in Paris, and online at www.RAGNHILDclothing.com.
 
"My advice is to launch a clothing line only if you are really passionate about it," said Johansson. "Absolutely try it if you want, but it takes so much time, dedication, and persistence that even for me, I sometimes wonder what I got myself into. It's important to love what you do. I always think it's important to try everything, but like I said, being passionate makes everything easier. There are so many bumps in the road that unless you love what you do, it will be very discouraging."

What does the future hold for RAGNHILD now halfway through its third year? Expanding its personalized approach via a new #CustomMade campaign, Johansson sees the brand, much like the Amazons, bravely continuing forward no matter what challenges may come.

"The one thing that makes me keep going is my love for creating; it always wins over the uphill battles," said Johansson. "Never let anyone tell you it can't be done. Always listen to your heart. It is always right. If you know and feel like it can be done, never let anything discourage you. Keep doing and trying! You may not always end up exactly where you hoped to be, but it's the journey that's the most important! You'll get there eventually; wherever it is you're meant be!"