Inside Outsider

Written By: Mary Jane McCall | Issue: October 2023

Allison Waller and McKenzie Thompson

Childhood friends McKenzie Thompson and Allison Waller took different paths to arrive at the exact perfect place and time when they collaborated to start their clothing brand Outsider Supply, where art meets life in the form of well-crafted, sustainable clothing. 

This art history-focused clothing brand was developed and brought to life during the 2020 Pandemic.  Allison and McKenzie envisioned a clothing brand that catalyzed the 21st Century Renaissance.

Just as artists of the Italian Renaissance looked back to the art of the ancient Greeks and Romans, they look back to the artists and movements that have come before them, reframing historical ideas for the contemporary market and mindset. Their garments are their canvas transforming the wearer into a living sculpture, conveying art history in motion. 

 McKenzie and Allison each have art degrees, McKenzie receiving a Master of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Allison receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Alabama. Following her post-graduate work, McKenzie immediately began designing and manufacturing clothing for a number of personal lines, serving customers worldwide.  Allison served as the retail director at The Bascom and as gallery director of Shuptrine Gallery. 

The season of shifting that was the 2020 Pandemic served as the perfect storm for these two talented and creative minds to reimagine their futures, and Outsider Supply was born.  In a short time, they have achieved national acclaim, being named as the number one emerging designer in Nordstrom’s Fine Art Pop-In with Tappan Collective, curated by tastemaker Olivia Kim, and showcased online and in Nordstrom’s most outstanding flagships in the U.S. and Canada.   

Currently, their designs are available online at their website, outsidersupply.com, and in Nordstrom and Anthropologie, as well as boutiques across the nation.  Soon, their designs will also be available locally in Annawear.

Both ladies agree that it’s thanks to Highlands that they were able to form such a lasting bond that ultimately led them to this successful partnership.  From the beginning, Highlands provided them with a safe environment, strong family roots, an appreciation of nature and beauty, and supportive mentors who helped them along their paths.  

From the earliest days of their friendship in Miss Wilma’s Preschool, through their school years at Highlands School, each expresses gratitude for the guidance that allowed them to follow their passions.   And they can’t say enough about the guidance and mentorship of Sally Taylor, their art teacher at Highlands School. 

These ladies take a lot of pride in their Highlands heritage, and we take a lot of pride in their success and can’t wait to see what their future holds.