The Quality Makers: Maddy Cloud of LAUD

Raised and based in Florida, Maddy Cloud is the founder of clothing line and fashion label LAUD. With the intention of making clothes that last, not just in the sense of quality, but also beyond what was trending, Maddy has created solid, timeless, and forever rewearable pieces that fit just right. This ‘Made in America’ brand is truly made for everyone. Read more of Maddy’s story below.

What led you to the creation of LAUD?

I went to school for fashion, but I wasn’t really designing anything. My major was so broad that I could have gone down many different avenues, so I always was looking for something that encompasses all my interests and passions. I remember going to my dad one day and telling him I wanted to create my own clothing line. To my surprise, he said: “I think that'd be perfect for you”. And just like that, LAUD was born. It was a very slow start, and in full transparency, it was in the making for six years before it actually launched. 

I always loved having those good, solid basics in my closet, but I also love to experiment with what's trending. I will never be like Sophia Richie – she just has classic, timeless style and she fully kills it. I need to try out new and funky things in order to express myself. So when I was creating LAUD, I wanted to steer more towards the basics route. My goal was to create one of everything, pieces that everyone needs in their closet. But also pieces that you can still have fun with and style to your liking. Anybody can wear a white tee, whether you're more on the edgy style, or more preppy. I just wanted to make classic pieces that you could wear whenever and wherever. 

I feel that my personal style really comes through in how I style my pieces and post them on social media. Social channels have been a big resource for the development of LAUD. If you have a tee or buy one of ours, you can check us out online and we provide so many different takes on simple pieces. 

You say your brand is ‘intentional, foundational and constant.’ You spoke about the timelessness of your pieces, tell me about their quality. 

When I started the line, I wanted to try to cater to everyone, but at the same time, I knew it was going to be a bit more of an investment. I manufacture my pieces in America, which means my cost is going to be higher than if I was making something overseas. While I was keeping the fabric and manufacturing costs in mind, I also had to take the quality of our pieces into account. I think I washed some of the pieces a million times before I went with that fabric because I wanted to make sure that its quality is long lasting. I wanted to keep our costs reasonable, but I did not want to sacrifice quality in order to make things more affordable. Since the pieces are timeless and you're going to have them in your closet forever, it's worth that investment. 

I love that you're locally made. How do sustainability and ethical manufacturing play a role at LAUD?

Being ‘Made in America’ was a non-negotiable for me. I knew from the start that that meant my costs were going to be higher, but there's just so much more oversight and regulation when you’re locally made. I’m confident in my manufacturer. I don’t ever have to wonder what’s going on behind closed doors, and I needed that. I love my manufacturer, I visit her all the time. She runs the company with her sister and I adore them both.

In terms of thinking about factors like turnaround, say something sold out really fast, I didn't want to have to wait three months to get it again. I didn’t want to lose that momentum and it led to our rapid growth. As far as sustainability goes, I'm pouring back into the American economy, rather than putting things elsewhere. 

Tell me more about the different pieces and collections that you offer. 

Collection One basically includes every piece that I felt needed to be in the solid starter capsule wardrobe. You have The Trouser ($138), you have The Blazer ($172), you have The Tee ($52), The Tank ($44), The Mini Skirt ($112) and The Maxi ($128) dress. It checks all the boxes. Every collection after that builds on top of that first collection’s great foundation. Collection Two includes The Long Sleeve Tee ($72), The Trench Coat ($374), The Maxi Skirt ($146), and then I did The Blazer ($172) and The Mini Skirt ($112) in different colors too.

I'd love to hear about your design and your creation process. Where does your inspiration come from?

Initially, I wanted LAUD to be very heavily 90s inspired, which it still is to a certain extent, but I toned it down to be less trendy. I actually had two vintage blazers in my closet and I always wished I had one that was a combination of both. So that’s where LAUD’s blazer came from. For the tee, my original samples were very cropped, but as I got older, I noticed I wasn’t wearing cropped tees all the time anymore. So I shifted into more of a timeless factor, and now anyone of any age can wear the tee and feel comfortable in it. 

As far as designs go, everything looks pretty simple, but I can't even tell you how many tweaks I did on that mini skirt before I felt like it was right. I always looked at how things fit me first, but because I don’t have the standard body type, I then found ways for the clothes to be flattering on everyone. I never wanted anyone to buy LAUD and then have to get things altered. I put the pieces on my friends, got their feedback and incorporated it. In our Collection One photoshoots, I really want to emphasize the fact that nothing was pinned on any of my models. Everything fit them exactly how you saw it pictured. And that was a really proud moment for me. It was a goosebump moment to see how perfectly all my pieces fit different body types and different heights. 

What do you hope that people will take away from your brand when engaging with it? 

I feel like LAUD is a one-stop shop. You get everything, all the good basics, in one place. You know they're gonna fit you right, you know the quality is amazing, and on top of that, the way I do social media is such a resource for people. Even if you already have an oversized blazer in your closet, you can find other ways to style it through LAUD, whether that be with our tee or a tee you already have. I love being an outlet that people can use as a source of inspiration. I really want people to get the most use out of their closet. 

Our current climate of fashion is rooted in overconsumption, and we simply don’t need so many clothes. I really wanted a brand that said: you don't constantly need to buy all of the new or trendy things. You can have fun with what you already have because these pieces are timeless, they last forever and you can style them or rewear them a million different times and a million different ways. 

I would love to see everyone in LAUD. That is my ultimate goal. I would love to walk into a closet one day and see that everything in there is LAUD. But for now I want to continue creating strong and solid pieces that we can keep in our closets for years to come. I’ve always said I just want to be proud of the brand that I build and be the piece that’s missing in today’s fashion world, as well as tomorrows. I love being a space that people can turn to when they’re in search of some inspiration and I plan to continue down that path for the future.

Create your own capsule wardrobe here!