In a move that echoes the intimate, personal curation of a well-edited lingerie drawer, Los Angeles-based beauty brand Uni has named model and actress Kaia Gerber as its first Creative Partner in Residence. The appointment coincides with the brand's expansion into over 1,600 Ulta Beauty doors nationwide starting July 12. For The Lingerie Museum, this partnership is particularly resonant: just as lingerie transformed from hidden foundation to celebrated fashion statement, Gerber's role signals a shift in how we regard body care - no longer an afterthought, but an intentional ritual worthy of the same reverence we give to silk chemises or hand-embroidered corsets. Gerber, 24, will collaborate across campaigns, product development, and events, though founder and CEO Alexandra Keating describes the involvement as still in its "discovery phase." The partnership came about organically after Keating learned Gerber was already using Uni's products, introduced through a mutual friend. "Usually there's an agency involved; with Kaia, it was just her and I," Keating noted. This directness recalls the intimate, one-on-one relationships between corsetières and their clients in the 19th century, where fit and personal preference were paramount. Gerber fronts a new campaign for Uni's bestselling 24-Hour Body Serum, Plush Marine Shower Oil, and Microalgae Body Oil, photographed by Theo Wenner. Uni, launched in 2022 by the Australian former tech entrepreneur, has built its reputation on marine-inspired ingredients and recyclable aluminum packaging - a modern nod to the sustainable, long-lasting quality prized in heirloom lingerie. With revenue up 300 percent year-over-year and a $4 million seed round backed by Sound Ventures and L'Oréal's Bold, Uni is scaling rapidly. Keating aims to keep a 50/50 split between wholesale and direct sales, much like a lingerie house balancing its ready-to-wear collections with bespoke commissions. Gerber's role as Creative Partner in Residence is envisioned as a long-term fixture, with Keating hoping Gerber will help identify future partners. As Gerber said, "Uni never felt like just another body care brand. There is a real point of view behind the products." In an era where body care, like lingerie, is finally stepping into the spotlight, this collaboration feels like a perfectly fitted beginning.
Originally reported by WWD