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As we say farewell to another remarkable year, it's the perfect moment to embark on a journey of reflection, revisiting the defining moments and achievements that have shaped 2023 for KRSTN NDRSN. This past year has been a whirlwind of growth, innovation, and camaraderie for our team, and we are thrilled to share our most significant victories with you. From welcoming exceptional talents to exploring distant lands and collaborating with inspiring individuals, join us on this retrospective journey through the 8 biggest wins that have made 2023 unforgettable for our brand.
1. Welcoming Trudy Gardner to Our Team: A Clo3D Wizard
One of the most significant wins of 2023 was the addition of Trudy Gardner to our team as a Clo3D Designer in late January. Trudy's impeccable 3D expertise, resourcefulness, and creative problem-solving skills have rounded out our talented group, enhancing our capabilities and allowing us to bring even more innovation to our designs and processes.
With Trudy on board, we're better equipped than ever to leverage Clo3D's powerful capabilities to create stunning and true-to-life digital prototypes and designs that align with our commitment to sustainability and ethical production. One of the first major accomplishments Trudy worked on was to help us with a grading project to review our garments on a variety of avatars representing realistic female bodies. It was long and arduous, but it gave us so much more confidence moving forward with size range updates.
Trudy is a humble yet fierce innovator, a collaborative and helpful teammate, and a passionate patternmaker, bringing a fresh dose of creativity to our team. I'm so proud of all we've accomplished by adding Trudy to our team. I look forward to watching her grow and develop with our team.
Learn more about Trudy and her role on the KRSTN NDRSN team here.
2. Exploring Sri Lanka: A Journey of Discovery and Collaboration
In early 2023, Bridget Mollner, my business partner for iteration, and I embarked on an unforgettable adventure, spending five weeks in Sri Lanka. I’ve never sweat so much in my entire life, but it was SO worth it!!
Making a 26-hour journey at the end of February, we spent all of March working in the region with a factory partner. This journey allowed us to iterate quickly on our patent-pending bra frame while forging meaningful connections with friends, factories, and suppliers. We spent our time gaining invaluable insights into the country's vibrant, warm, and kind culture and its fashion and manufacturing landscape.
Our time in Sri Lanka was more than just business—we spent time exploring the countryside, making new friends, experiencing new perspectives, and deepening our commitment to ethical and sustainable practices to enrich our business and lives. We were incredibly honored to be invited to several different homes to eat dinner with local friends and share in the cultural homemade cuisine. This incredibly memorable trip left an indelible mark on our brand and our hearts.
If you want to learn more about my time in Sri Lanka, check out this blog post.
3. Mentionables x Karlie Rae Collab
In June of 2023, we had the privilege of launching a design collaboration with the incredibly talented Karlie Rae Lang via Mentionables. Together, we brought to life two captivating lingerie teddies that embodied a harmonious blend of sensuality and charm. Karlie's vision for these pieces was clear, and we worked diligently to ensure her designs took shape seamlessly.
Our "sexy" teddy radiated a neon coral lacy allure, adorned with an elegant charm and adjustable straps. The other style we worked on exuded the sweetness of sunshine with its yellow and pink floral print with the cute ruffle at the waist.
These teddies, representing the sweet and sexy sides of lingerie, ran true to size and became a testament to our commitment to quality and innovation. Collaborating with Karlie and Mentionables was a highlight of the year, and these designs were so fun to develop!!
View the full Karlie Rae Lang x Mentionables Summer Lovin' Collection here.
4. Introducing Sheila: Fun in the Sun
In 2023, we proudly launched the first of two new brands under the KRSTN NDRSN umbrella: Sheila, an Aussie swimwear brand designed for those who love fun in the sun. Sheila's focus is on bright, bold, and luxurious swim shorts, and bikinis that ensure you're always ready for any adventure life throws your way. We were thrilled to collaborate with Clare Barrins, the founder of Sheila, to bring this exciting brand to life. Check out Clare's Lemons into Lemonade feature on the blog for an inside look at the journey.
Crafting the garments for Sheila was a labor of love, hard work, and dedication; we are so proud of the founder and how Clare’s vision shook out!
Shop Sheila's full collection of luxury swimwear here!
5. Presenting Blush & Bashful: Empowering Expecting Mothers
Alongside Sheila, we also introduced Blush & Bashful in 2023, a nursing bra line designed to empower expecting mothers with comfortable, cooling, and stylish intimates. Our dedicated team spent valuable time working closely with influencer, Christian Blair Vordy, ensuring that every product we created was supportive, ultra-comfy, and made women of all shapes, sizes, and stages of motherhood feel beautiful inside and out.
The launch of Sheila and Blush & Bashful exemplifies our unwavering commitment to expanding our product offerings while meeting the diverse needs of our customers. These brands not only reflect our dedication to quality and sustainability but also represent the passion, hard work, and dedication of our team and the founders who made these visions a reality.
Shop the collection of Blush & Bashful bras here!
6. Embracing Learning: Trudy's Clo3D Course
Learning is an ongoing, lifelong journey. In July of 2023, I took a significant step towards my growth and education by taking Trudy's Clo3D course on intimate apparel and diving into 3D design and development firsthand. After coaching my team and watching them work in Clo via Zoom for the past 2 years, I finally had the hardware to support my learning endeavor with this incredible tool.
Investing in my skills and knowledge in this direction has empowered me to further harness Clo3D's potential, ensuring that my team and I stay at the forefront of digital fashion design.
Continuous learning is essential for growth, and I'm excited to apply this newfound expertise to any and all future projects.
Interested in learning Clo3D? Check out Trudy's course here.
7. Team Bonding Retreat: More Than Just Work
Towards the end of summer, our team came together for an all-fun, no-work retreat, a cherished experience that solidified our bonds. This *might* be my personal favorite item on this entire list. It felt great to share the same air and spend time just having fun and enjoying each other’s company without the pressure of work and getting things done.
Since we're all located in different areas of North America, this was also the first-ever opportunity for all five of us to come together. Together, we bonded over shared experiences:
Thrift shopping in Brooklyn
Barbie the movie
A stroll through Central Park
Visiting the MET
Bagels in Manhattan
Vintage + thrifting in New Haven
Crafting and creation
Making memories ala polaroid photos
Delicious meals prepared by my husband Jonathan
Taking dips in my pool
We also can *never* forget all the TruFru we devoured during the five-day adventure--Thanks to Jasmine for turning us onto this delicious treat! This incredible adventure reinforced the importance of teamwork, camaraderie, and the joy of being part of the KRSTN NDRSN team.
Get your step-by-step guide on how you can work with our team here.
8. Intimate Conversations in Clo3D: A 4-Week Series
Last but not least, we spent Friday afternoons in October sharing our Clo3d experience, knowledge, and insights with our community. We proudly hosted a four-week series titled "Intimate Conversations in Clo3D." This series provided a platform for in-depth discussions, learning, and creative exploration in fashion design and Clo3D. We covered our favorite tools, discussed how to create custom avatars, held a pattern-making power hour, and shared some of the big wins we’ve had using this amazing technology.
After this endeavor, we are committed to fostering a community where fashion enthusiasts and industry professionals can exchange ideas and expertise.
As we look back on the exceptional year that was 2023, we are filled with a profound sense of gratitude. It has been a year of immense growth, innovation, and team bonding at KRSTN NDRSN. We've learned that embracing new talents and skills, venturing into uncharted territories, and collaborating with inspiring individuals can lead to remarkable achievements.
These milestones are a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality, sustainability, and continuous improvement. We are deeply thankful to everyone who has been a part of our journey, from our dedicated team members to our valued partners and our wonderful community. Together, we've created a year filled with memories and accomplishments that set the stage for an even brighter future in 2024. Here's to the exciting adventures and successes that await us on the horizon. Cheers to what's next in 2024! 🥂🌟