Throughout the stuck-at-home, chronically online year of 2020, it was almost impossible to scroll through Instagram without seeing an influencer or one of your friends casually modeling a pair of brightly colored underwear in a mirror selfie, typically captioned simply with “@parade.”
The brand, founded and launched in 2019 by then-Columbia University student Cami Téllez, found success in building a digital community by offering free products to creators in return for promotional posts that, at its peak, translated into 10-30% of annual sales. The company went on to open a pop-up store in Soho, New York in December 2021. Throughout the year-long lease, the store had consistent lines around the block and thousands of photos in the space posted online, but reportedly only broke even when it officially closed down, leading to questions about the brand’s viability.
View the original article to see embedded media.
Amid reports of financial woes, Téllez stepped down from her leadership role — the catalyst for a handful of controversies (including quality concerns, questions about sustainability efforts and general uncertainty regarding profitability) to come to light.
Shortly thereafter, the brand was acquired by Fruit of the Loom’s parent company Ariela & Associates International; a lull in popularity and general consumer awareness followed. A little more than a year later, Parade is launching a new collection, ‘That Lace,’ in hopes of rekindling its previously fruitful relationship with the Gen-Z market.
“After the acquisition, we took some time to interact with our community and assess where the brand was today, where the customer was today and what they are responding to,” Athena Wrann, creative director and vice president of design at Ariela & Associates International, tells Fashionista. “We received that feedback and have been using the last year to really assess what we should move forward with.”
Photo: Courtesy of Parade
Despite the brand laying low over the last year to focus on collecting customer feedback, restructuring the leadership team and “refining product strategy” to create a better consumer experience, Wrann says that this new launch should not be considered a rebrand.
“We love the fundamental pillars that the brand was launched with. It is all about the community, inclusivity and sustainability,” she says. “This is really just evolving our product point of view. But the core of what the business was founded on [is] very important for us as we move forward.”
When asked if any changes should be expected in the product quality (something customers had expressed dissatisfaction with in previous years), Wrann responds, “We have very rigorous standards from a supply chain point of view and the brand is now going through all of those steps and processes. We definitely stand behind the quality, but we are always looking for feedback and striving to do better.”
Photo: Courtesy of Parade
What will definitely be different for Parade moving forward is its release schedule — an element of the brand’s original business model that had posed problems due to an inability to maintain enough inventory.
“For a long time, the brand was very frequently launching [new] drops. We are looking to be a little bit more paced out with our product newness,” explains Wrann. “We don’t plan to drop a new collection every month. We’re really looking at, ‘What are the most important items that our customer needs in their underwear and bra wardrobe?’ and ‘How do we build on those ideas and get feedback and perfect them?'”
To kick off the new game plan, Parade looked internally to determine what was missing from its offerings. That inward search resulted in the just-launched “That Lace” collection.
Photo: Courtesy of Parade
Photo: Courtesy of Parade
“When we were looking at what the core fabric collections within the existing assortment were most loved by our community, it was our Re:Play, silky mesh and new cotton,” says Wrann. “That’s when we said, ‘We have a little bit of a gap here. A more romantic, more feminine pillar would create a [more] well-rounded assortment.”
For the campaign, the brand partnered with Jen Brill of Brill Brill Studio, a New York creative agency behind a number of visual projects featuring “It” girls and other trending Gen-Z brands.
“‘That Lace’ is really our first foray into setting up [our] new product that we have coming through the beginning of next year,” says Wrann.
Photo: Courtesy of Parade
In the new Parade images, models show off the collection’s bustiers, see-through mini dresses, thongs and more on the streets of Manhattan to prove its wearability as underwear and outerwear. Prices range from $14 to $48 and are available in sizes XS-3XL at yourparade.com.
“We’re really excited for this launch and to get the product out in front of some existing customers and new customers,” says Wrann. “We’re really excited for the future here.”
Parade That Lace Unlined Balconette Bra, $32, available here
Parade That Lace Longline Bralette, $28, available here
Parade That Lace Bustier, $38, available here
Parade That Lace Thong, $14, available here
Parade That Lace Cheeky, $14, available here
Parade That Lace Boxer Brief, $18, available here
Parade That Lace Shrug, $32, available here
Parade That Lace Bodysuit, $36, available here
Parade That Lace Long Sleeve Dress, $48, available here
Parade That Lace Slip Dress, $42, available here
Parade That Lace Long Sleeve Bodysuit, $38, available here
Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. This in no way affects our editorial decision-making.
Source: Fashionista.com