You know what they say, what really matters is on the inside, and boy does that ring true with underwear. I would wager a bet that all woman, and many men, have a special pair of underwear that they will wear on a day of an interview, big meeting, or performance. It is a boosting confidence super power! With this in mind, Katie Fritts founded Underclub — the monthly subscription service to receive adorable all female owned sustainable underwear brands. How awesome is that? There are selected stylists who choose surprise looks for each client according to their preferences; so, it is like Christmas comes every month. They even shared one of their designs with Jejune, which fits perfectly and is currently empowering me as I write this introduction. To learn more about the beautiful options available and how the whole process works, please read on.

Where are you based?
Austin, Texas.

What inspired you to start UNDERCLUB?
I started Underclub realizing I had decade-old underwear and no alternatives for brands I felt inspired or empowered by. I grew up when Victoria’s Secret was in its heyday, but after heading off to college, and then, into an all-consuming career in Investment Banking, underwear shopping fell off my radar. I thought my desire to find beautiful styles from quality brands that fit my evolving size and style preferences should be easily attained, but finding new intimate brands that checked all these boxes felt overwhelming and time consuming. So, I ended up not buying anything — for over 10 years!

I went back to grad school with the goal of one day starting my own company, and soon realized this personal pain point was a massive opportunity. After sending an email to girl friends asking for their feedback on underwear shopping, I found I was far from the only underwear hoarder who felt alienated by brands marketing either over-sexualized or ultra basic options. And beyond the underwear itself, I saw the need for normalizing real women and real bodies. I wanted to create a brand that inspired women to love themselves exactly as they are today.

Seeing the opportunity to create a new line of products the market was lacking, and also to build a company that empowers and celebrates women led to the founding of Underclub — the designer underwear subscription service that makes it all about U. We work with sought after female founded brands and artists to design thoughtful, beautiful, high quality intimates for everyday wear. Underclub turns the pain-in-the-butt chore of shopping for underwear into a monthly treat.

UNDERCLUB is such a cute idea! Can you tell our readers all about how it works? How often do members get new panties or sets? How is it decided what goes to each person?
We turn the chore of underwear shopping into monthly self love moments with intimates curated just for you. Subscribers tell us their size and style preferences, and then each month our Styling team hand picks a new pair! Subscribers can also add pairs to their Wishlist, and leave notes for their Stylist for future deliveries.

We cater to sizes XS-4XL and work with female-founded brands to deliver the highest quality design and fit. Our most popular program is our Underclub Underwear and Bralette Subscription Service — members take a Style Quiz so we know your size, color and style preferences, and then every month our team of underwear experts curates new styles to introduce members to their next favorite pieces. Reviews from thousands of women go into every style and pair we curate for our members.

Underwear is kinda like a special little secret, especially when it is beautiful. It can empower the wearer in unexpected ways. Can you tell us a little bit about your thoughts on this?
I couldn't agree more. Doing something for yourself that boosts your confidence and self-love is incredibly empowering, and your underwear is such an accessible way to start. It’s like putting on your power suit before getting fully dressed. When you take care of yourself, you show up as your best self for others.

Jejune loves that you only work with female designers. Can you tell us why this is important to you?
We are a small female founded and run business, and we like to pay it forward. Each month we launch new Underclub collections of bralettes, underwear, and sleepwear in collaboration with female founded designers to celebrate the beauty and diversity of everybody. It’s important to us that women can see themselves represented and celebrated in our brand.

You also make sure that all your designs are body inclusive, ranging from (from XS-4XL). Why was this so important to you? Do you take in consideration your clients body type when selecting their looks?
Absolutely! We’ve communicated a lot with our subscribers through our Style Questionnaire, monthly reviews, and social media. The more clients want to share with us, the better! Our goal is for everyone to feel their most confident, sexy self with our deliveries.

Finally, Jejune loves that you are very careful about selecting ethically sourced designs. Why did you make this a priority?
Realizing we are a part of a world that’s much bigger than ourselves makes things like this table stakes.

How do you decide on which designers to highlight or bring into your “club”? Do you work with new designers all the time or try to stick with the same ones?
We are always on the lookout for up and coming designers and artists, and our goal is to grow these partners with us. We start by looking at the design, fabrics and craftsmanship. Quality is a huge component in who we partner with; so that, we’re always delivering top tier garments in every sense of the word.

Do you have an opinion on what the perfect lingerie set is?
Perfect lingerie is what makes you feel your best self!

We also love that every month you donate a percentage of your profits to different organizations. How do you decide on who to support and why was this important to build into your business model?
Uplifting others with us as we grow has always been important to me, again, it’s about paying it forward when you are in a fortunate position. We choose organizations that are in line with causes that our team, subscribers, and community support. We’ve partnered with Dress for Success for several years now and I feel grateful to be able to support another organization also dedicated to empowering women.

Covid proved to be a tricky time for the fashion industry. How did the pandemic impact UNDERCLUB?
There are always unexpected challenges when building a company, whether it’s a global pandemic or supply chain issues or cultural shifts. I’m always reminding myself to stay flexible, creative and resourceful. We are very fortunate that underwear is something people need regardless of the economy, and I know Underclub’s service was a highlight to many people throughout these times!

To see more from Underclub, check them out at the links below:
Instagram: @underclubco
Website: www.underclub.com

The Super Power of Underclub