TruNude™ Founder Danai L. Pointer, a Brooklyn, New York native, is hoping to solve the bra shopping crisis, through a selfie.
“TruNude™ is dedicated to ensuring that your color matches and your bra fits. We want to get it right the first time so our intuitive platform gives you instructions on how to take the best selfie for your color-match. We also offer cup sizes AA-M, a range of wing sizes, and tools to measure yourself,” the campaign explains.”If your skin tone or body changes you can update your profile and get matched for another season. We have a comfort and color guarantee.”
As of Monday afternoon, Pointer’s Kickstarter campaign has raised $18,701 of its $20,000 goal.
DIVERGE talked to Pointer to get details on her new adventure:
Where did this idea come from?
To give you context: I’m a busty black girl from Brooklyn. So several years ago when I was in three weddings and looking for a supportive, comfortable bra in my skin tone to wear underneath my gowns, I decided to visit one of the best specialty bra stores in Manhattan to find exactly what I needed. After zeroing in on several wonderful bras presented to me in beige and black, I asked to see them in my skin tone and the owner said, “that doesn’t exist.” The following week at work, I looked around and saw many of my colleagues in nude shoes, which also didn’t match my skin. I became obsessed with the notion that I didn’t match the standard color “nude” and, quite frankly, really pissed off that this is still an issue. One day at lunch I told my cousin Zerlina about my idea to create a company specializing in nude products for every woman. She encouraged me to follow my instincts and take a leap, so I purchased my first domain name at the table and now here we are!
Why was it important for you to this?
I’m a curvy girl, I developed early, and I always felt insecure about my body. Because of my insecurities growing up I avoided bra shopping and hid underneath my clothes. The process of finding a bra is confusing because there are so many different cuts and sizes across brands, and to get fit a complete stranger has to essentially feel you up, which is completely embarrassing and uncomfortable. Because of all these challenges for many years I settled for bras that didn’t really work for me. As I got older and gained confidence, I felt empowered going into that specialty store and investing in a well-fitting bra that would make me feel sexy and sophisticated. But I left feeling frustrated that I’d have to settle for a beige bra that peeks through my clothes and needs constant tugging and adjusting. I wanted to make the experience easier for women of all skin tones and sizes, and I wanted to help them feel valued, and provide an alternative to the way things are.
What is your background?
My background is in public service and communications. For 5.5 years I led the External Affairs Unit at New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, and when I had this idea I was working as a consultant at an international firm founded by Mayor Bloomberg to help other cities improve governance on behalf of their citizens. I loved my job and getting to help other civic leaders with cultural strategies, but the idea kept cropping into the front of my mind. So in my off time I started doing research and enrolled in a class called the Start Up Ecology to learn how to validate my idea. Eventually I learned so much about what women want and need that I decided to leave my job and focus on TruNude fulltime. I feel like my work is an extension of public service because ultimately I’m doing this to make life better for women everywhere.
Why is diversity important to you?
Growing up in New York, I was exposed to so many different types of people and developed a love for other cultures, our vast differences and our innate similarities. I was a precocious kid and would say “hi” to random strangers on the street, and learned early that I loved talking to people and making sure that they were ok. It only made sense that I would work in communications government! I’ve been fortunate to travel internationally and see how people all over the world live. It’s striking to me how much skin color has defined and divided us for so long. The presidential election is just one more example of the division here at home. In a way this company is an equalizer. We don’t care what “race” you are, your skin tone is your own and it’s unique and no one else should judge you for that. One of the most interesting things we saw when we were testing our idea is that one skin tone on the spectrum actually belonged to 13 different ethnicities (from Filipino to Black to Persian). So in a way we’re post racial because your skin tone has no bearing on who you are; you’re just wearing your TruNude.
What are future goals?
We want to do a great job and learn a lot validating our market through Kickstarter, and then give women an amazing experience when the app goes live in May. But in the future we want to be THE go-to brand for women and men who want to feel sophisticated and put-together wearing their second skin, and comfortable from day to night. We’re starting with bras and panties and one day want to provide maternity bras, leotards, slips, chest binders, undershirts, and even men’s underwear. Our customers should be able to go through life with our products.
Who has helped you get this far?
I should rephrase the question: who hasn’t helped me?! Seriously, I have been supported by so many family members, friends, my Start Up Ecology advisor and classmates, hundreds of women who sat through interviews, filled out surveys, tried on bras, answered my weird personal questions, former colleagues, Facebook friends, you name it! I knew I could not do this on my own and immediately enlisted several talented friends and industry experts (from IBM to ESSENCE) to consult on product development, marketing, and financial modeling. And my partner is a film and commercial director and he pitched in to film our amazing video and produce our graphics, which beautifully capture the heart of TruNude.
How is the kickstarter campaign going?
I’m not one to rest on my laurels, but the campaign is going great! We raised 10% on day one and are now 93% funded with 5 days left. I think our brand is relatable because we are celebrating women for who they naturally are. And the quality of our product makes it worth the backing; you won’t want to throw your TruNude away after 2 months! The campaign ends at 10PM on November 26 and we’re hoping to keep the momentum, reach our goal, and sell out of our amazing rewards.
Where do you see yourself in this business 5 years from now?
I hope to be the head of a successful company known for quality products that make costumers feel amazing in their skin! We want to build confidence and help people around the world to feel special. If we can succeed at doing that early on, in 5 years we’ll be in terrific shape expanding our lines to include other types of products, and building on our innovation. I also want to have a philanthropic arm that supports communities and helps women to have our experience and feel confident.
Why do you think this isn’t available yet, and why should it have been offered a long time ago?
Bras are the most difficult garments to make and get right, yet everyone has to wear them so it shouldn’t be so hard to find one that works for your body. Companies have gotten away with the beige “nude” standard because that’s just the way it’s been; economically it’s easier to produce one color; and we as consumers have accepted the lack of options because, en masse, we haven’t really required an alternative. It should have been addressed a long time again, but now society is changing, we’re diversifying, and our range of skin tones need to be reflected in staple, everyday attire.
More and more fashion lines are wising up to the fact that you have to meet women where they are. And there are a few new lines that offer prefabricated skin tone options. What I hadn’t seen is a line that combines size diversity, fit, and skin tone options in a personalized way. As a small fashion and tech start up we can be more flexible and bespoke for our customers. At the end of the day TruNude is about personalizing your most personal attire.
