Laurie Wirgler
CEO & Co-founder, Laugh Brand
Laurie Wirgler is founder and CEO of Laugh Brand, a designer children’s apparel company giving 30% of its profits to fight child trafficking. A 15-year executive veteran in the fashion industry, Laurie has overseen some of the largest and most prominent clothing lines for Gap, Old Navy, Disney Stores, Victoria’s Secret and Guess. Most recently, she served as the General Merchandise Manager overseeing all of Merchandising and Design for the Motherhood and Two Hearts brands. She is truly a lover of all things fashion with a successful track record for building some of the most well known brands and product lines in the retail market.
One evening a friend shared a video with Laurie about child trafficking. She was so moved by the stories of these children that she had to see the problem for herself. She traveled to 3 countries in Southeast Asia with a team of experts and met with children who had been rescued from exploitation. Upon returning home, she knew she had to help these precious children. “I knew if this was my child, I would do everything in my power to rescue them. Why do these children deserve any less?” And so, Laugh was born. In January of 2012 Laurie left behind the corporate retail world and founded Laugh. Leaving a prestigious career might seem crazy, but that’s just the kind of unconventional thinking that is making Laugh such a success. Laurie often speaks often on the subject of “using what you know to make a difference.” Laurie knows the fashion industry and she is leveraging that expertise to give back and help children.
Laugh launched in October of 2012 and has gained tremendous support from both individuals passionate about children’s fashion as well as those dedicated to fighting human trafficking. Offering a variety of outfit options, Laugh is the first designer children’s brand built on a platform of giving back. Laurie lives in Southern California with her husband (and co-founder) Dave and their two young children.