WearLIVELY
WearLIVELY is a company.
Active
Updated: ·
Financial History
Total Raised
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at WearLIVELY.
WearLIVELY is a company.
Key people at WearLIVELY.
Key people at WearLIVELY.
WearLIVELY (LIVELY) is a direct-to-consumer apparel company specializing in bras, undies, loungewear, swimwear, and activewear that blend high-style lingerie with ultimate comfort, creating a new "Leisurée" category.[1][2][5] It serves women seeking empowering, inclusive intimates inspired by modern ideals of confidence and vitality, solving pain points like restrictive sizing, lack of sustainability, and uninspiring designs through size-inclusive products, recycled materials, and community-driven ethos.[3][4][5] Founded in 2015-2016, the company raised $15M in funding, achieved ~$12M annual revenue with 62 employees pre-acquisition, built a 150K+ ambassador network, opened retail stores, partnered with Target, and was acquired by Wacoal in 2019 for $85M-$105M, fueling post-acquisition growth to $11M online revenue in 2024.[1][2][4][6]
WearLIVELY was founded by Michelle Cordeiro Grant, a former Victoria's Secret executive, in 2015 (with official launch in 2016) and headquartered in New York.[1][2][4] Drawing from her industry experience, Grant envisioned lingerie that empowered "smart, healthy, outgoing, and confident" women, blurring lines between lingerie, activewear, and swim for a "Leisüre" movement focused on mindset over mere products.[2][3][5] Early traction exploded pre-launch via global DMs and emails praising its value alignment; the company secured $15M in Series A funding by 2018 (including $6.5M that year), grew to four retail stores, launched sustainable lines, and hosted events, culminating in its 2019 acquisition by Wacoal to scale inclusivity and accessibility.[2][4][5]
WearLIVELY rides the direct-to-consumer (DTC) revolution in apparel, amplified by e-commerce personalization and social commerce trends, where brands bypass traditional retail for community-led growth.[1][3] Timing aligned with post-2010s shifts toward body positivity, sustainability, and athleisure—market forces like rising female consumer spending on ethical intimates (vs. legacy players like Victoria's Secret) favored its launch.[2][4] It influences the ecosystem by normalizing "Leisüre" as a category, inspiring competitors like ThirdLove in fit/comfort focus, and proving DTC acquisitions (e.g., by Wacoal) accelerate sustainability and global reach in a $100B+ lingerie market.[3][4]
Post-acquisition, WearLIVELY is expanding sustainable lines into activewear and beyond under Wacoal's resources, with flat ~$11M online revenue signaling stabilization amid e-comm saturation.[4][6] Trends like AI-driven personalization, circular fashion, and Gen Z's wellness-intimates demand will shape it, potentially driving growth via global retail and tech-enabled community tools.[5][6] Its influence may evolve from DTC disruptor to category leader, empowering more inclusive apparel if it innovates on eco-materials and metaverse experiences—reinforcing that true sexiness starts with confidence in comfort.[2][5]
