Erin Carpenter, founder of Nude Barre, shares her journey of building an intimates brand that champions diversity by offering products in 12 complexion-matching shades. This episode provides valuable insights into identifying and addressing significant market gaps stemming from personal experiences, the power of a DTC model to control brand narrative, and adapting product strategies in response to evolving consumer demands and external challenges like the pandemic. It highlights the importance of purpose-driven brands in challenging industry norms and securing investment.
Key takeaways
Nude Barre's success demonstrates the strong market demand for inclusive product offerings that cater to diverse customer needs, especially in categories like intimates and hosiery where traditional options have been limited.
Utilize a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model to maintain full control over your brand narrative and foster direct relationships with customers, allowing for more authentic communication and faster adaptation to feedback.
Actively adapt product lines based on changing consumer behaviors and external events; Nude Barre successfully pivoted to offer more comfort-focused intimates and even face masks during the pandemic.
Prepare to educate investors on the market impact and commercial viability of purpose-driven brands focused on diversity and inclusion, as traditional investors may not immediately grasp the potential.
Leverage consumer activism and feedback, such as petitions for more inclusive products, as strong evidence of market demand and to inform product development.
Erin Carpenter, Nude Barre founder and CEO, quite literally walked a mile in “pink ballet shoes” and “beige tights,” and felt the pain of finding hosiery in the right shade. It's a struggle that has been experienced before by current customers of Nude Barre, which offers hosiery and underwear in 12 complexion-matching shades.
“I’m sure you see this in the market where you go to stores: You ask for something in nude, and usually they bring you options that are beige. I’m not beige,” said Carpenter, who is a former professional dancer and actress, on the most recent episode of the Glossy Podcast. “What I would have to do, and many other artists would have to do, is dye their tights and undergarments to match their skin on a weekly basis to be in uniform.”
People of color and white dancers alike have long complained about the lack of hosiery options and the fact that most are “[a] strange shade of beige,” said Carpenter. That led her to start Nude Barre. The demand for diversity in the industry has not yet died down. “There was a petition out about a year ago for the bigger brands like Danskin to make more pointe shoes and ballet shoes in different skin tones,” said Carpenter. “Thousands of people signed this, including dancers, so there’s been a big push for this from consumers,” she said. Carpenter specifically honed in on the intimates category, with a focus on items like bras and stockings. Nude Barre was not exempt from the shift in consumer desires, as a result of the pandemic. “Our customer is at home, and she wants comfortable underwear,” said Carpenter. “So we wanted to give her options other than just our seamless thong.” In turn, the brand launched a bikini panty, a girl short (a female-empowering twist on the classic “boy short”) and face masks. While Nude Barre is carried in retail and dance stores, most of its sales are direct-to-consumer. “We really love [that], because we get to control the narrative of how we want to talk to our customers,” said Car
Nude Barre's success demonstrates the strong market demand for inclusive product offerings that cater to diverse customer needs, especially in categories like intimates and hosiery where traditional options have been limited.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Utilize a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model to maintain full control over your brand narrative and foster direct relationships with customers, allowing for more authentic communication and faster adaptation to feedback.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Actively adapt product lines based on changing consumer behaviors and external events; Nude Barre successfully pivoted to offer more comfort-focused intimates and even face masks during the pandemic.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Prepare to educate investors on the market impact and commercial viability of purpose-driven brands focused on diversity and inclusion, as traditional investors may not immediately grasp the potential.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Leverage consumer activism and feedback, such as petitions for more inclusive products, as strong evidence of market demand and to inform product development.
