BY: CHELSEA OWUSU
Two students from Humber College’s fashion management degree program have announced the release of their intimate clothing collection.
The brand is titled Undivided; an underwear line for both men and women. Undivided aims to represent all body types and races with realistic ads, and specializes in intimates and loungewear for youth who believe in self-love and body positivity.
The debut collection features a men’s boxer brief, a women’s bralette and bikini style panties, and a unisex campaign t-shirt. All of the items in the collection are made in Toronto, as the owners want to improve the Canadian economy and provide quality control, by having the items manufactured close to home.
The Undivided brand was started by Shanice Romelus and Seerlee Archer, who met in their program at Humber College. The two of them have been working on the Undivided brand for over two years. “They received a grant allowing them to move forward with the launch, by entering and winning the college’s New Venture Seed Fund contest, which required them to develop a thorough business plan for Undivided,” says Linda Schuckova, PR Agent for Undivided.
Undivided claims to provide garments that flatter one’s body, by providing exceptional quality without sacrificing style. “The brand is based on men and women shopping for intimates alongside each other as opposed to shopping in separate stores/sections and fitting under different style and body image criteria,” says Schuckova. In most clothing stores, men’s and women’s clothing and intimates are divided by gender. “Shanice and Seerlee believe men and women should compliment each other in life and style,” says Schuckova.
Undivided keeps their body positive philosophy at the forefront of their company, by providing both men and women with exceptional design, un-retouched photos, and the unique fit of their garments.
Undivided recently held a launch party and pop-up shop on July 8th in Toronto. “The pop-up shop took the form of an apartment with three rooms; a living room, a bedroom, and a kitchen. The idea behind the space design is that intimates are worn at home. In your home, you are free to wear whatever you want and can lounge comfortably in your intimates,” says Schuckova. The student’s goal was to create an environment that was intimate and comfortable. The pop-up shop event celebrating the launch of the Undivided brand, also featured appetizers, a range of cocktails, and a live DJ.
While both Shanice Romelus and Seerlee Archer are giving men and women the opportunity to promote self-love through intimates and loungewear, the duo is also completing their bachelor of commerce degree in fashion management.
Undivided has also made its mark on social media to make it easy for those interested to follow the brand’s journey, and also get in contact with the Undivided team. “The Undivided Instagram account, @iamundivided, is the best way to get immediate access to what’s happening at Undivided with direct links for purchase linking to the site,” says Schuckova. “People are encouraged to like, comment, and share the page but most of all, any questions are welcomed in the comment section or even by direct message.”
You can also visit www.undivided.ca for more information.
