Angelrox Designer Clothing

Roxi and Julian stand at the entrance to their Angelrox where their designer clothing is produced in the Pepperell Mill Campus, one block away from Suger, the retail store where the designs are sold. Photograph by Portland Headshot

From Brooklyn to Maine, Roxi has Built a Unique Clothing Line

Roxi and Julian have been building our local community since they moved here in 2012, including annually raising money for the Biddeford Ball, bringing in new business, and growing their Angelrox designer clothing line. They also manage two retail stores where Angelrox is sold, at Suger in Biddeford, and their newest location in Portland.

Who are you and where are you from?

Our company produces our signature line of women’s bamboo clothing called Angelrox and operates two retail stores called Suger with locations in Biddeford and Portland. Founded and run by designer Roxi Suger with her husband Julian Schlaver supported by a talented team of Maine angels.

Tell me a little about your business?

We design and manufacture Angelrox, our line of women’s bamboo fashion wholly in the mill including spreading, cutting, stitching and distribution to over 300 boutiques nationwide. We serve our beloved customers through partner stores, mindful catalogs and online through our site and others. In addition we offer Angelrox along with a curated selection of other goods and gifts from a wealth of Makers at our two stores called Suger. Our first and flagship store is located at 25 Alfred Street in Biddeford and our second location just opened at 271 Commercial Street in Portland.

What made you choose the mill for your business?

The rich history of textiles in the mills was one of our biggest draws in locating our business there along with the wealth of space and potential to grow on site. The spirit of American manufacturing is vibrant and strong throughout the mills and we feel blessed to be picking up that thread of hard work, industry and crafting quality products in Biddeford for distribution around the world.

How long have you been doing this?

I launched my brand Angelrox in Manhattan in 1999. We moved the business to Biddeford in 2012, established Suger in 2013 and relocated our production and shipping to the Mill in 2014.

What makes your business interesting to you?

The most interesting aspect of our business are the beautiful angels we serve every day. Our mission is not only to provide stylish fashions crafted from natural plant based cozy knits but to inspire women to love their bodies and feed their souls with joy. We encounter the most amazing people who share a like minded passion for living well while minimizing our impact on the environment and giving back all that we can.

In addition to actively donating to local charities we also started the Biddeford Ball and are thankful for the outpouring of support from the community to celebrate our wealth of history and help others. In three years the Biddeford Ball raised over $65,000 for various causes. The first two years were both held in the Pepperell Mill and helped us support the Biddeford Mills Museum along with purchasing the lights that now wash our iconic smokestack is soft light every night giving our area a beautiful evening landmark.

What makes you stand out from others in the same industry?

We do not approach fashion the way most of the industry does. Our line is a continuum of classic signature styles that women can return to buy season after season. Our collection is designed to comfort as well as flatter and allow women to layer appropriately for all seasons of their vibrant busy lifestyles. Angelrox is ideal for travel and every day serving our customers from wellness to work to home to play and special occasion. We approach all that we do with mindfulness of the customer, the earth and our heritage.

Our fabrics are sourced as locally as possible along the eastern seaboard and we have built the collection to include multiple accessories and “littles” that help us maximize our fabric utilization and minimize waste. We are as much about philosophy and spirit as we are about producing high quality apparel and we are committed to charity while we grow. Our trademark logo represents balance and our mantra is “may peace prevail”.