True story: trying to title your company values in a non-cheesy way is kind of impossible.
In the end, I shamelessly stole the title from my mother. My mom has a nickname for the four most important people in her life: she calls us her “core four.” It’s not surprising that I thought of relationships, because it’s the people — the community — that are driving this idea.The idea for the store is about curating a collection of items and special delivering it to people who aren’t used to having those items chosen with them in mind, in an industry that all too often privileges particular kinds of bodies and identities and, however unintentionally, leaves those who don’t fit feeling — well, like they don’t fit.
With all of that in mind, these are bluestocking’s core four values:
1. Underthings are for everyone. Everyone should be able to shop in an environment where they feel accepted and safe.
2. Consent is critical. It’s not enough to say I’m a feminist-minded businessperson — I’ve got to follow through. This means prioritizing consent at every stage, from how I conduct market research right now in the startup phase to how sales associates interact with customers in the eventual brick & mortar store (read: not pressuring people to buy).
3. Representation is a practice, not an idea. It is vital to actively curate a bold selection of high quality lingerie in a variety of styles and sizes that is identity-affirming and ethically made. The most important piece of the puzzle? To have it in stock and not in the back corner.
4. Support the community we’re a part of and the broader world we live in. This is a small business. That means putting a premium on connecting with other small businesses. It means supporting and stocking independent designers who use resources local to their regions and who engage in ethical, sustainable business practices.
bluestockings 