In 2017, Brampton entrepreneur Chantal Carter Taylor launched Canada’s first line of intimates for women of colour. Last year she got a chance to pitch her business on Dragons’ Den, and now in 2019 the episode is about to air.
It all started back in 2015 when Brampton’s Carter Taylor came up with a solution to the Canadian lingerie industry’s serious lack of variety of “nude” shades for women’s bras and underwear. She launched Love & Nudes, the first boutique of its kind in Canada.
In her research she found 72% of women prefer nude toned bras and underwear over black, white and other colours, but not every woman could find intimates to match their skin tone.
After its launch the company quickly gained traction, getting features in CBC, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, Ebony, and other media outlets. Its next moment in the spotlight is about to air on Dragons’ Den.
Customers say Carter Taylor’s underwear and wire-free bras are incredibly comfortable. Just as importantly, they’re made in colours representing the diverse skin tones of the world.
Nude has been typically defined as the colour beige in the fashion and beauty industries, which isn’t accurate. Nude is the wearer’s skin tone which represents a far more diverse range than just beige.
A couple of years ago another Bramptonian, Balbir Sohi, pitched the Dragons for an investment in her mobile dental hygiene business Smiles on Wheels. Sohi’s company can provide teeth cleanings on the go, so long as there’s a parking spot. She was able to secure a $250,000 investment on the show.
We’ll see whether the same Dragons’ Den success happens for Love & Nudes on February 28 at 8:00 p.m. on CBC Television.
In the meantime, you can shop at Love & Nudes here. You can also check out Dragons’ Den episodes here, and you can watch the CBC’s 2017 spot about Love & Nudes below.
