ThirdLove

ThirdLove was inspired by Zak's own challenges with bra shopping, when she could not find bras that were both beautiful and comfortable. In 2013, Heidi left her Google advertising job to take a data-driven approach to designing bras.{{cite web |title=Meet The Ex-Googlers Who Built ThirdLove, The DTC Challenger To Victoria's Secret |url=https://www.adexchanger.com/online-advertising/meet-the-ex-googlers-who-built-thirdlove-the-dtc-challenger-to-victorias-secret/ |website=Ad Exchanger |date=15 February 2019 |access-date=28 May 2021}}{{cite web |title=Meet Heidi Zak, one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People 2017 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/person/heidi-zak |website=Fast Company |access-date=28 May 2021}}{{cite web |title=ThirdLove: Most Innovative Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/company/thirdlove |website=Fast Company |access-date=28 May 2021}}

After using Craigslist to invite 100 women to photograph themselves wearing fitted tank tops over their bras, ThirdLove used the images to design both their prototype bra with the help of proprietary lingerie designer Ra'el Cohen and an app that would determine bra size. Upon finding that standard cup sizes do not fit 37% of women, ThirdLove created half-cup sizes.{{cite web |last1=Welch |first1=Liz |title=How an MIT Grad Made a $68 Bra So Perfect, You'll Forget You're Wearing It |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/201611/liz-welch/busting-out-feminine-product-revolution.html |website=Inc. Magazine}}

ThirdLove launched its first line in the spring of 2014. The company nearly collapsed when manufacturing in Mexico due to the high cost of importing fabrics. After losing $400,000 in investment capital, it transitioned to manufacturing in China. To generate more interest in the bras, the company streamlined its app and implemented its try-before-you-buy program in March 2015.

In 2017, Zak was named one of Fast Company's "100 Most Creative People".{{cite web |title=THE MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE IN BUSINESS 2017 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2017 |website=Fast Company |access-date=28 May 2021}}

In June 2018, the company added 24 larger sizes.{{Cite news|url=https://people.com/style/thirdlove-extended-bra-launch-waitlist/|title=The Bra With a 1.3 Million-Woman Waitlist Is Finally Here (and There Are 70 Sizes to Choose From)|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en}} In October, Forbes estimated ThirdLove to be worth $750 million and was placed on Forbes' Next Billion-Dollar Startup list.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2018/10/18/next-billion-dollar-startup-entrepreneurs-create-750m-bra-business-by-exposing-victorias-weakness/#2b703bf54d03|title=Next Billion-Dollar Startup: Entrepreneurs Create $750M Bra Business By Exposing Victoria's Weakness|last=Robehmed|first=Natalie|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en}}

In 2019, Zak and Spector received an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Northern California region.{{cite press release |author= |title=ThirdLove Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Heidi Zak and David Spector, Receive Prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Award in Northern California |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190625005706/en/ThirdLove-Co-Founders-and-Co-CEOs-Heidi-Zak-and-David-Spector-Receive-Prestigious-EY-Entrepreneur-Of-The-Year%C2%AE-2019-Award-in-Northern-California|location=San Francisco |publisher= |agency=Business Wire |date=25 June 2019 |access-date=28 May 2021}}

In 2019, ThirdLove opened its first pop-up shop in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood from July 24 until March 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/retailwire/2019/08/01/to-get-online-bra-fitting-right-thirdlove-is-going-physical/|title=To Get Online Bra-Fitting Right, ThirdLove Is Going Physical|last=Ryan|first=Tom|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-11-04}}

In 2021, NPD Group named ThirdLove the "third largest online intimate apparel brand" in the US, behind Victoria's Secret and American Eagle's Aerie brands.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-16|title=ThirdLove lowers prices in bid for Victoria's Secret shoppers|url=https://www.glossy.co/fashion/thirdlove-lowers-prices-in-bid-for-victorias-secret-shoppers/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=Glossy|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=ThirdLove updated its fit quiz to increase sales in more categories|url=https://www.glossy.co/fashion/thirdlove-updated-its-fit-quiz-to-increase-sales-in-more-categories/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=Glossy|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=ThirdLove Unveils New Virtual "Fitting Room®" Platform and Personalized 3D Shopping Experience Online|url=https://apnews.com/press-release/business-wire/technology-lifestyle-north-america-shopping-entertainment-and-media-technology-919baa90113d478c85410d2341a02b61|access-date=2021-06-29|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}

In 2021, ThirdLove launched its new Seamless wireless bra line.{{cite web |last1=Magaldi |first1=Kristin |title=ThirdLove's new product line might be more comfortable than its T-shirt bra|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/12/cnn-underscored/thirdlove-seamless-line-form-launch/index.html |website=Adweek |access-date=January 9, 2022}}

As of 2022, ThirdLove has offered underwear, loungewear, sportswear and sleepwear and had doubled its 2021 Style Count.{{cite web |url = https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287347 |title = This Founder's Best Advice for Entrepreneurs: To Succeed, Entrepreneurs Need to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable |author = Nina Zipkin |publisher = Entrepreneur |date = 6 January 2017 |accessdate = 27 September 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Collings |first1=Richard |title=ThirdLove Unveils Loungewear As Intimates Business Matures |url=https://www.adweek.com/commerce/thirdlove-unveils-loungewear-as-intimates-business-matures/ |website=Adweek |date=29 March 2021 |access-date=June 2, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Stych |first1=Anne |title=ThirdLove launches activewear category|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2021/09/millennial-favorite-bra-company-thirdlove-launches.html?page=all |website=Bizjournals |access-date=January 9, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Howland |first1=Daphne |title=ThirdLove emphasizes sexiness, comfort and fit in brand revamp|url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/thirdlove-emphasizes-sexiness-comfort-and-fit-in-brand-revamp/604974/?page=all |website=Bizjournals |access-date=January 9, 2022}}

ThirdLove raised $5.6 million in its seed round in 2013. Investors included NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Yuri Milner, Silas Chou, Barry Sternlicht, Munjal Shah, Nasir Jones (NAS), and XG Ventures. The Series A investment was $8 million in 2016 and investors included New Enterprise Associates and Lori Greely (former CEO of ThirdLove's competitor, Victoria's Secret{{cite news |last1=Kavilanz |first1=Parija |title=Bra sizing is wildly confusing. Her company seeks to change that |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/success/thirdlove-fresh-money/index.html |access-date=June 3, 2021 |work=CNN Business |date=January 16, 2019}}). In 2019, ThirdLove raised $55 Million in a Series B funding round led by L Catterton. Anne Wojcicki, Susan Wojcicki, and Tim Armstrong also participated in Series B.

{{undue weight section|date=May 2025}}

On October 23, 2018, ThirdLove's competitor Victoria's Secret officially filed two applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the name "Victoria's Secret First Love".{{cite magazine |last=Stampler |first=Laura |date=May 10, 2019 |title=Victoria's Secret Trademarks a Twist on a Rival's Name. Will It Backfire? |url=https://fortune.com/2019/05/10/victorias-secret-thirdlove-feud-first-love-trademark/ |magazine=Fortune |location= |publisher= |access-date=June 2, 2021}}

In a November 8, 2018 interview with Vogue, Ed Razek, former CMO of Victoria's Secret's parent company L Brands, expressed no desire to cast plus-size and “transsexual” models in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "because the show is a fantasy". Razek also claimed that the brand is "nobody’s third love" and that "Victoria's Secret has been women's first love from the beginning".{{cite magazine |last=Phelps |first=Nicole |date=November 18, 2018 |title="We're Nobody's Third Love, We're Their First Love"—The Architects of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Are Still Banking on Bombshells |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/victorias-secret-ed-razek-monica-mitro-interview |magazine=Vogue |location= |publisher= |access-date=June 2, 2021}}

On November 18, 2018, Zak condemned Razek's comments and pushed for inclusivity in an open letter in the New York Times that went viral on Instagram.{{cite web |last1=Lowe |first1=Lindsay |title=ThirdLove responds to Victoria's Secret CMO Ed Razek with open letter in New York Times |url=https://www.today.com/series/love-your-body/thirdlove-responds-victoria-s-secret-cmo-ed-razek-t142756 |website=Today |date=19 November 2018 |access-date=June 2, 2021}}

The next day, Victoria's Secret posted Razek's apology for his comment about transgender models on Twitter and Razek resigned from his role as CMO in 2019.{{cite news |last=Barden |first=David |date=November 11, 2018 |title=Victoria's Secret Boss Apologizes For 'Insensitive' Trans Comment

|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ed-razek-victorias-secret-trans-apology_n_5be7caefe4b0e8438898a5ad

|work=HuffPost |location= |access-date=June 2, 2021}}

{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=August 6, 2019 |title=Victoria's Secret boss Ed Razek has quit |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/a28618154/victorias-secret-boss-ed-razek-has-quit/ |magazine= Harper's Bazaar |location= |publisher= |access-date=June 2, 2021}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.thirdlove.com/}}

{{Andreessen Horowitz}}

Category:Clothing companies established in 2013

Category:Clothing brands of the United States

Category:Companies based in San Francisco

Category:Lingerie brands