Remarkable Women: Sophie McGuire
The author of the fashion blog Much Love Sophie used her keen sense of style to help design non-medical face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sophie McGuire, who’s preparing to start at SMU in the fall, started her blog when she was 13 as a way to “express my creativity and passion for style, beauty, and lifestyle.”
She’s since amassed a following of more than 18,000 followers on Instagram.
Nicole Musselman, owner of the clothing brand Koch, said she first met McGuire when the then 16-year-old applied for a social media manager position.
“We want girls to make a mark on the world through joy-making and risk-taking. Sophie has a similar mission in that she’s trying to spread joy and positivity,” Musselman said. “She’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen.”
McGuire worked on social media for Koch while being homeschooled. She’s been homeschooled since her sophomore year.
“Because the program is self-paced, I made it a big goal to graduate a semester early. I graduated in December,” McGuire said.
She said she also found working on social media for Koch to be a good fit for her.
“I looked at it as an incredible opportunity for me to learn from The Koch crew. I managed their social account for one year, and loved every second,” McGuire said.
So when the novel coronavirus brought stay-at-home orders to Dallas and Musselman was searching for a way to keep her workers employed, the women found collaborating again – this time on face masks – a natural fit.
“Sophie called and said, ‘What do you think of this idea? (to make face masks) You have the manufacturing (capability) in place,” Musselman said.
McGuire explained, “Nicole and I both wanted to spread joy during this uncertain time in our country. We designed face masks using Koch’s fabrics, and the masks were made in the Dallas factory.
“The first half were given away at zero cost to those interested in acquiring one for their own safety,” McGuire said. “The first two releases were sold out in minutes, and due to high demand, more masks became available for sale, with 10% of the proceeds going to the North Texas Food Bank.”
McGuire also answered some questions.
What are some of your favorite stores?
Sophie: Shop Koch is amazing. I love visiting the Koch House and seeing all of the beautiful pieces. The Market in Highland Park Village is another favorite. Their Love Shack Fancy Selection is amazing. I also love Cabana/Canary. There are just so many great places to shop in the Park Cities.
What’s a fun fact about you?
Sophie: Hope it’s OK if I share two… Being RewardStyles’s youngest influencer when I was 14 was really awesome. Also, I don’t know how to ride a bike, but one of my summer goals is to learn.
Learn More:
To order a Much Love Koch mask, visit Sophie’s blog: muchlovesophie.com
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