Want to feel old? When Marie-Louise Mogensen started designing undergarments for Baserange, the womenswear brand she cofounded with Blandine de Verdelhan in 2012, underwire bras were the norm. “It was important for us to remove the wires because, in a way, they dictate a more ‘correct’ shape or stereotype,” Mogensen, who is based in Denmark, says. “And breasts are so beautiful as they are.”
From the start, the goal was to design a line of earth-tone bras and underwear, as well as T-shirts and bodysuits, that were comfortable, made from recycled and natural fabrics like bamboo, and feminine without catering to the male gaze. Essentially, the opposite of Victoria’s Secret. A pair of high-waisted underpants, for example, were meant to support “our bodies and how they change throughout a day, a week, or years,” says Mogensen. None of the brand’s photos were retouched.
More than 10 years later, Baserange has grown to include an expansive ready-to-wear selection in line with its original mission. In August, it launched its first dedicated menswear line, and this month, it launched home goods as well, including organic cotton and more sustainable EcoVero viscose towels, tablecloths, and bed linens, in addition to pillows stuffed with fabric scraps and leftover Baserange socks.
The brand’s products are sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, with five stand-alone stores in Copenhagen, Tokyo, Kyoto, Melbourne, and Seoul. In many ways, Mogensen and de Verdelhan’s vision was ahead of its time. But instead of “moving fast and breaking things,” to quote a popular Silicon Valley phrase, they’ve found success growing slowly and intentionally without much fanfare—a rarity in the industry. “Our goal is always to make things that last with as little impact as possible,” says de Verdelhan, who is based in France.
