ThirdLove, the third largest e-commerce intimates apparel brand in the U.S., recently announced Tiffany M. Griffin, Co-Founder of Bright Black, as the second recipient of its incubator program, “The TL Effect.” The program fosters the success of early-stage consumer-focused companies led by women of color.
With a vision to create a world where the complexity, beauty and brilliance of Blackness is widely known, recognized, embraced and celebrated, Bright Black uses scent as an artistic medium and handcrafted candles as a platform to share positive narratives about Blackness. The candle brand rapidly received recognition when selected for a curated list of small black-owned businesses by Beyoncé. Bright Black embodies high-quality and clean candles that honor the Black Diaspora. It has custom fragrances such as Kingston, Paris, Durham and Addis Ababa. These are available direct-to-consumer and in select retailers across the United States.
Building on the inaugural incubator program
“Following a successful experience with our inaugural winner of the TL Effect, Arah Sims, CEO of Kyütee Beauty, we’re excited to see the program evolve with Tiffany of Bright Black, whose mission of celebrating diversity aligns with the core values of ThirdLove,” said Heidi Zak, CEO and Co-Founder of ThirdLove. “Bright Black has a unique market proposition of driving change through the use of scent as a medium. It creates a positive narrative that inspires the world around us. We were captivated by the brand and their products, and look forward to supporting the company on their business journey.”
Program details
Through the application process for the incubator program, Griffin was chosen from hundreds of candidates to receive multiple levels of strategic support from ThirdLove to build on the early success of Bright Black. As a part of the incubator, Bright Black will receive a $20,000 grant in collaboration with Felicis Ventures, substantial amplification of the company through marketing and PR efforts, and business and financial advice from ThirdLove’s founders. The program also offers mentorship from various ThirdLove team members who can help with a range of business aspects. This includes product development, production, supply chain management, creative and more.
“We are grateful to have been chosen as the winners of the TL Effect’s second cohort and are excited to receive mentorship from ThirdLove during this critical moment for our business,” said Bright Black Co-Founder, Tiffany Griffin. “Similar to ThirdLove, we’ve experienced accelerated growth and it means a lot to be holistically supported by a company that we respect, who can also provide access to resources and social capital that is essential for the long-term success and expansion of our company.”
Future applicants
Applications for the third cohort of the TL Effect are expected to be available on ThirdLove’s website on June 21. Female founders of color are encouraged to submit their business for consideration. For more information, visit ThirdLove’s website.
About ThirdLove
ThirdLove is a multi-generational women’s lifestyle brand focused on elevated essentials across bras, underwear, loungewear and more. They are designed to support women feeling effortlessly comfortable and confident. In the intimates space specifically, the Company is the number one digital bra brand among millennials in the U.S., according to NPD’s 2020 Intimate Apparel Awards. To date, over 18 million women have found their fit with ThirdLove’s original Fit Finder quiz and can now experience the next generation 3D interactive fit and style experience via ThirdLove’s new virtual Fitting Room. ThirdLove supports the broader community through its TL Effect program, created to encourage and support early-stage companies run by female entrepreneurs of color and through the donation of more than $40 million worth of products to women in need. To learn more, visit ThirdLove.
About Bright Black
Founded in 2019 in Durham, NC, Bright Black uses scent as an artistic medium and candles as a platform to share positive narratives about Blackness. The juxtaposition of the words Black– which often has a negative connotation – with Bright meaning beauty, brilliance, and intelligence, were purposefully chosen to ignite the company’s vision for a world where the complexity, beauty and brilliance of Blackness is widely known, recognized, embraced and celebrated. Available DTCand at select retailers, Bright Black candles are made with love and carefully handcrafted with all-natural, vegan and phthalate-free coconut and soy waxes, lead-free wooden wicks to create intense fragrances captured in a stunningly modern design. To learn more about Bright Black, visit its website.
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