The Instagram crowd’s favorite new fashion brand, I.AM.GIA, is also one of the most elusive. A section titled “Who Is Gia?” on its website simply reads: “CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET? YOU’LL NEVER KNOW.” That’s because Gia isn’t the name of the founder or designer—rather, it’s a persona that inspired (and continues to inspire) Alana Pallister to create the label. “The concept behind Gia was to create a character that every woman could embody and feel empowered by,” she tells Glamour. “Gia is a strong, independent badass who can take on the world and that is exactly how we want her to make other women feel.”

I.AM.GIA is barely six months old (it launched in mid-2017!), and it’s already a go-to for some of the most-followed fashion stars in the business: Bella Hadid, Jordyn Woods, Emily Ratajkowski… the list goes on. Scroll through Instagram on any given day, and odds are you’ll come across a very stylish individual wearing the brand’s pieces. (The tan Cobain pants, $84, and cropped Ankaa top, $54, are quite popular.) Pallister recognized the crucial role social media played in growing not only I.AM.GIA’s reach, but also the concept behind the whole endeavor. “I wanted to take away this ‘Insta famous’ facade that so many young women aspire to be. I wanted Gia to come out and tear apart those stereotypes. There is no rule book to wearing Gia. She is an advocate for going against the grain and being true to yourself. Some girls will wear a Gia piece with a pair of heels, some girls will wear a Gia piece with a combat boot—and either way is incredible.”

A big turning point for the brand was when they received a message from Bella Hadid’s stylist just four weeks into the business. “At that point we didn’t have a large following on Instagram and we didn’t have many ambassadors wearing the product,” Pallister says. “I remember reading the message and thinking, ‘This must be a joke’. I couldn’t believe it.” Lo and behold, her request for pieces to work during Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week was legitimate. Over the course of a week, she wore (and was photographed in) I.AM.GIA separates. “From that point it was a snowball effect in terms of sales because Gia had gained attention,” she says. “People within the industry were talking about her and wondering where she had come from.”

Pallister says the team doesn’t do trend research or forecasting for I.AM.GIA—rather, they design solely for what they imagine Gia is doing, where she’s going, and what’s inspiring her. “When we first launched the brand, the initial concept was to do four capsules a year,” she explains. (The first capsule came together in just four weeks, she says.) “However, once we took on the character of Gia, we realized that wouldn’t suit her lifestyle or the lifestyles of all women. Our girl is out there and she is doing so many different things, so now we create capsules monthly to keep up with her life.” The price point is meant to allow for that type of shopping: Prices start at $31 for a bodysuit, and cap out at $215 for a furry coat.

The Gia gang has grown to welcome more fashion influencers and industry up-and-comers, such as Kaia Gerber, a personal favorite of Pallister’s. “I draw a lot of inspiration from the ’90s so her mom, Cindy Crawford, has always been a muse of mine,” she says. “It was an insane moment for me to see this face of Cindy Crawford on this young incredible model who’s wearing I.AM.GIA.” As far as dream I.AM.GIA sightings go, Pallister wouldn’t hate seeing some mother-daughter outfits on the Gerbers. “I would love to see a ’90s supermodel in Gia next—Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford.” At this rate, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Ahead, see the one fashion brand Instagram can’t get enough of.

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