A line of fresh and colorful preppy clothing and accessories has been gaining popularity around town with local students. Behind this new venture is a Woodbury brother and sister team. “We want the clothes to be bright and fun,” says Weston Ziton, co-founder of Seven Shores Clothing along with his sister, Amari Ziton.
Amari is a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas; Weston is a sophomore at East Ridge High School. They decided they wanted to be in business together, proving that you’re never too young to pursue your passion.
“I am really into fashion and so is my sister,” Weston says. “We realized that in the Midwest, there aren’t as many options to find the preppy clothing look like there is down south.” Inspired by brands such as Vineyard Vines, which sells classic “preppy” patterns like plaids, gingham and whimsical patterns in ties and shirts, Weston and Amari set out to create a local spin on the style they love. They launched their collection, Seven Shores Clothing, last May, featuring polos, shirts and caps and sweaters in colors such as neon pink, neon coral, tidal wave and limeaid.
Seven Shores Clothing also pays homage to their families’ nautical heritage. Weston and Amari’s great great grandmother, Jane Muckle Robinson, was the only female lighthouse keeper responsible for lighting the four navigation lights located along the Mississippi River between Dayton’s Bluff and the South St. Paul Union Stockyards from 1885 to 1921. Her love of lighthouses has been passed down in the family, including a collection of figures started by Weston and Amari’s grandfather Robinson. They named their line Seven Shores for the seven active lighthouses which remain in Minnesota.
The siblings parents have helped by investing in the business. Their mom, local realtor Kim Ziton, put them in touch with a graphic designer who helped flesh out their signature lighthouse logo. Their dad John Ziton, who is in the printing business, helped connect them with a production company in Ohio that manufactures the silkscreened garments, such as the cotton blend tees. Embroidered garments, like the caps and polos, are stitched locally.
“We came up with the designs and colors, and it probably took us two months to come up with the logo and fonts that we really love,” Amari says. “Along with the lighthouse, Seven Shores’ signature is a unique contrasting color button on each polo. Weston handsews each custom button himself.”
The brand was introduced on Instagram and by word of mouth. “My brother and I deliver orders to people’s houses, so it’s really personal,” Amari says; they also ship some items. “We’ve even set up a store in the back living room. "Amari says they also had success with a booth at Woodbury Days.
The most popular item is a unisex long sleeve t-shirt which comes in 10 colors. The siblings are hoping to expand their line of clothing to include button-downs as well as accessories such as socks and sunglasses clips, and dream of growing the business so they can offer private labeling for a manufacturer. “It’s cool; I see probably three to four kids each day at East Ridge wearing Seven Shores clothing,” says Weston.
Their hashtag, #RiseandShine, is the company motto. “We wanted this to be motivational as well, to rise and shine to be your best every day,” Amari says.
Orders can be placed online via an e-commerce shop, which Weston Ziton built.
