Willie Norris Named Tomboyx's First-Ever Chief Creative Officer

Intimates brand Tomboyx has appointed fashion designer Willie Norris as its chief creative officer, a new role at the company.

Tomboyx, which is in its 11th year of operation, has become known for its gender-affirming, inclusive pieces, which include compression tops and packing underwear.

"What I think I'm trying to solve for is making people feel more comfortable in their clothing, more like themselves and just genuinely more supported and seen," Norris tells Fashionista. "I think Tomboyx has done an excellent job of addressing this, but I also believe it's kind of a chronic thing — the search for affirming clothing that makes you feel better and alive never ends."

Norris was most recently the design director for ready-to-wear brand Outlier, and operates her own eponymous label. As part of her new role, she'll introduce what she's calling the Tomboyx Futures Initiative, which will house completely new designs inspired by her personal apparel desires.

"I consider myself a designer and a person with a body, which I consider to be my biggest asset. I have always acted as my own fit model and I test everything," Norris says. "A lot of the Tomboyx Futures products are going to appeal to people who might fit a similar profile to me, and that's trans femme people. One of my first prerogatives is to introduce a pair of tucking underwear that's built exactly to my body and fits me perfectly."

Norris will also be introducing Tomboyx Co-Signers, a multilayer ambassador program centered around an editorial-style campaign. "It's for the publishing end of the brand — [we're going to] partner with voices that inspire us, meet the moment and feel poignant to feature right now."

In a 2022 interview with Fashionista, Norris described her creative mindset at Outlier as being "pragmatic." Making practical (and sellable) clothes for everyday wear that people can implement into their existing wardrobe remains just as high a priority in the 34-year-old artist's new venture.

"I won't be creating anything that's not wearable on an incredibly regular basis," she says. "I love and get the most energy and excitement out of products that answer life's questions and just feel like you were born with them on. I want to be expressive with designs, but I really want to solve a problem, at the end of the day."

As for how Tomboyx customers might see the brand change under her leadership, she says to expect a shift in visuals and quality: "I hope to bring a more expensive cut to the brand. Not necessarily raising prices, but I want there to be a lot more fitting and just obsessive technicality with the underwear. That's really where I thrive."

Ultimately, this new role helps to fulfill Norris's ultimate goal as a designer.

"By the time I retire, I [want to be able to say] that I've found a way to distill my vision into as many different product categories as possible," she says. "Intimates, underwear and swimwear is something that has always been on my mind as something I want to do. [The opportunity to do it] in a proper way was the gas behind my decision to go with this job."

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