Please welcome CUUP, the best fit for inclusive lingerie
Meet CUUP, the latest addition to Lerer Hippeau’s portfolio.
HQ: New York
Cofounders: Abby Morgan, Kearnon O’Molony, Lauren Caris Cohan, and Chrisden Ferrari.
The problem: For years industry experts have shared a surprising statistic: eight in ten women wear the wrong bra size. Some go up a size, but most opt for a smaller cup than they need. Surveys show that most women don’t know that they’re wearing the wrong size. Those with a bad fit deal with anything from general discomfort (straps that dig in or slid off) to more serious physical issues (persistent rib and back pain). As global consumer spend on lingerie continues to grow, trending towards an estimated $50 billion in the next five years, so emerges an opportunity to build a more inclusive, tech-enabled bra business that’s the best fit for modern consumers.
CUUP’s solution: CUUP puts fit front and center through both in-person and virtual consultations. The bra brand operates a SoHo showroom where CUUP’s fit therapists walk customers through their measurements. The company replicates this high-touch approach virtually as well, where customers have the option to book a 20 to 30-minute video call with a fit therapist. CUUP’s bra styles are unlined, underwire, and available in four silhouettes with a focus on inclusive sizing (30A to 38H) and four minimalist underwear silhouettes with sizing up to XL.
Origin story: CUUP was founded in fall 2018 by Abby Morgan, Kearnon O’Molony, Lauren Caris Cohan and Chrisden Ferrari with a goal to build a company that, first and foremost, delivered on product in an already confusing and noisey category. All four come from a retail background, gaining experience at brands including Victoria’s Secret, Free People, and BCBG. Kearnon spent years investing in innovative consumer brands through Protea after an early career in finance.
Why we’re betting on it: We’ve seen many iterations of the direct-to-consumer bra concept, but CUUP’s product is differentiated through its supportive, inclusive sizing, and design and a best-in-class fitting experience. We believe the CUUP team can successfully scale that deeply personal experience both in-person and online. Most women don’t know their proper bra size so we find that having the ability to have this deeply personal and transformative experience with a brand is really unique.
Our take: As customers move away from push-up bras and padding and seek out comfortable, supportive styles for their natural shape, we believe there’s an opportunity to build a new look brand in the space. We’ve found that the biggest issue with selling bras direct-to-consumer is fit. Other companies have tried to find a solution to this problem in a couple different ways: namely quizzes, fit predictor algorithms, and try-before-you-buy options. We believe that CUUP’s differentiated product and experienced founding team puts it in the best position to create the next major brand in this space and meet that need for millions of women.
Further reading: “Lingerie Start-up Cuup Receives $11 Million in Funding” via WWD
Learn about careers at CUUP.
