Underwear brand Parade launches in the UK

Inclusive underwear brand Parade is expanding into the UK market, after securing 20 million US dollars in Series B funding led by Stripes in 2021.

Parade’s venture into the UK marks its first into a new territory outside of North America and forms part of a wider global expansion strategy, which will be followed up with a launch in Australia in April 2022.

The underwear brand, founded by Cami Téllez in 2019, launched as a single category underwear brand before expanding into bralettes and a full range of loungewear and is looking to establish itself as the go-to destination for expressive basics.

Since launching, Parade has sold more than 3 million pairs of underwear, making them one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands. Its success has been fuelled by its use of sustainable and body-safe fabric and fibres, including low impact materials such as certified recycled yarns, plant-based super-soft Tencel and biodegradable packaging.

Cami Tellez, chief executive, founder and creative director at Parade, said in a statement: “Our community has been asking us to bring Parade’s sustainable, creative basics to the UK – and as a community-first brand, we’re so excited to see how they make Parade their own. We know people all over the world are looking for an underwear brand that stands for their values and celebrates who they are today.

“I started Parade because we were all ready for a brand that instinctively understood that underwear could be sustainable, inclusive, fun, expressive--and most importantly, for everyone, everywhere.”

The inclusive brand will launch underwear and apparel in UK sizes 4 to 26 and will allow UK customers to choose one of 4 charity initiatives to donate 1 percent of sales to per transaction including Black Minds Matter, Albert Kennedy Trust, Women’s Environmental Network and Brook. Prices range from 7 pounds for underwear to 46 pounds for apparel.