Fruity Booty's Founder on Community-Led Campaigns and Breaking America
We speak to Hattie Tennant about the rise of her emerging London-based label.
According to Fruity Booty‘s founder Hattie Tennant, “underwear is quite a loaded piece of clothing.” “It’s the first thing you put on in the morning, and if it doesn’t feel like you or make you feel good, it sort of sets the wrong tone for the whole day,” she tells us and honestly, she’s not wrong.
For far too long, women’s underwear has been designed through the lens of the male gaze, but in 2017, Tennant aimed to put a stop to that. Launching her London-based label, Fruity Booty, the brand has since become a go-to for it-girls everywhere who dream of wearing comfy and colorful lingerie that’s designed for their bodies only. In recent years, the brand has evolved into a fully-fledged ready-to-wear label, offering swimwear, accessories and clothing.
As Fruity Booty launches in New York City, we caught up with Tennant to find out more about how the brand began, the significance of its community-led campaigns and breaking America.
Scroll down to read the full interview.
Tell us a bit about the decision to create Fruity Booty. What sparked the idea for you?
I started Fruity Booty just after university, where I lived with eight other girls. I always found it so strange that none of us were wearing underwear that actually reflected our style or values, or made us excited to put it on. Sustainable fashion is everywhere now, but back then it was very different — mostly heavy hemp fabrics and organic dyes and they’re usually pretty expensive. To be honest, I never found it that appealing. I’ve always thought underwear is quite a loaded piece of clothing; it’s the first thing you put on in the morning, and if it doesn’t feel like you or make you feel good, it sort of sets the wrong tone for the whole day. I wanted to create something that matched our style, was affordable and was still kind to the planet.
Where does the name come from?
You know what, I can’t really remember when or where we came up with it, but it just came from playing. We wanted something a little bit cheeky because, as I mentioned, underwear already carries enough weight in how it makes you feel, and Fruity Booty just stuck.
Who or what would you say inspires you and Fruity Booty’s designs?
Ooo, good question, so many things – vintage, lingerie, interiors, art. But mostly it’s the people around us and in the studio. We love playing with nostalgia, we design slightly differently to other brands as we primarily source deadstock fabrics and you never know what you’re going to find on a sourcing trip. So we source first and then design around what we find, because if we design and want a super-specific fabric to tie the whole collection together, it could take years to find.
The brand is one of the few that actually seems to showcase lingerie and swimwear on a range of different body types. How do you ensure that you also design with bigger bodies in mind?
Thank you, it is really important to us – I think it’s just not being rushed and having more budget – because our suppliers are used to only sampling in one size, a medium. So when we have more time and enough budget, we can do full-size sets and then get fit models of all different ranges in. We listen to feedback from our customers, and we are constantly learning and improving. Our goal is to make pieces that feel good and look good on all bodies, without compromising on the design.
This inclusivity comes through in the campaign imagery, too. What can you tell us about the casting process?
Our casting process is very community-led. We love working with real people – friends of the brand, people we find through social media or even customers who reach out to us. We look for individuals with energy and presence, not just a specific look. We want our campaigns to feel authentic and relatable, like you’re looking at someone you already know.
Deadstock materials are a big part of the FB ethos. Why is that important? Where do you source your fabrics from?
Using deadstock fabric is both a sustainability choice and a creative one. It allows us to reduce waste by repurposing materials that would otherwise go to landfills, and it also challenges us to be resourceful and unique. We source our deadstock primarily from warehouses in the UK and Europe – often Italy or Portugal. Because the quantities are limited, it also means many of our pieces are naturally small-run, which adds to their uniqueness.
You just launched a pop-up in NYC. What can you tell us about the decision to venture into the US? What’s the reception like there?
The US has always been a really engaged and loyal part of our community, so opening a pop-up in New York felt like a natural next step. It’s a way to bring the brand to life in a tangible way – let people touch and feel the products, meet the team and connect with the energy in person. The response has been incredible – there’s something so special about seeing people walk into the space and instantly get what Fruity Booty is all about.
What are some of your other goals for the year and plans for the future of the brand?
We’re focusing on growing our product categories in a way that feels organic. Think more swim, more clothing and continuing to evolve our core lingerie pieces. We’re also exploring more retail opportunities, both in the UK and internationally. And behind the scenes, we’re investing in better systems and practices to make the brand even more sustainable, from our supply chain to packaging. Long-term, I want Fruity Booty to keep pushing boundaries in how people think about underwear – not just as a product, but as a statement of identity and creativity.
