TWOgetherness: A KURVE Anniversary Special
Happy 2nd Birthday, KURVE! It has been two years since our founder and CEO, Paula Anselmi, brought an inclusive brand to life. Starting a business isn’t always rainbows and unicorns but the little victories and milestones along the way make every success worth the fight.
Our first year has been nothing short of amazing but we’re taking things a little more personal this time around. To commemorate KURVE’s second year in empowering confident women, we brought Paula to share a little more about how KURVE came to be.
If you don’t already know, this year’s theme is ‘Togetherness’; an ode to the hardships, love, and support KURVE received in the past two years. From envisioning a groundbreaking mission to bringing out the confidence in women from all walks of life, Paula unpacks it all from the very start.
Humble beginnings
Every empowered woman has a backstory. Paula’s ventures in post-graduate life were a little far from the fashion scene but they were experiences that no doubt ignited a spark in her as a career woman.
“I used to work in a shipping company, right after I graduated college. A year later, I moved to another shipping company in the coal industry; I was in charge of handling the logistics.”
Diving into the professional playground was Paula’s plan for two years before she settled down. “I resigned after finding out I was pregnant. I needed to focus and spend time with my child and family.”
More often than not, women are expected to put their careers on hold once motherhood gets into the picture, but for Paula, it only inspired her to push forward: “Not long after I gave birth, the thought of starting KURVE popped in my head. I felt that I needed to be more productive, so I decided to make this brand.”
Behind every idea is a thoughtful inspiration
Behind every brand is an idea and bringing it to life is no easy feat. In the fashion scene, most especially, there is a constant need for fresh and creative ideas to flow through. It sounds a tad bit cutthroat but it pays to think outside the box.
Paula’s idea behind starting a basic wear line, however, was more personal: “It’s always been my style (basic wear). It’s the kind of clothes that I always buy often.”
Behind every idea is an inspiration and Paula found it through observation. “I realised that in Indonesia, not too many people wear this type of clothing. I needed to shop overseas to get clothes in my style.”
Aside from the scarcity, there were other prominent issues that Paula noticed when shopping for basic wear. This emphasised the need for a more inclusive variety of clothing and Paula wanted to call attention to it:
“Even if they are available in Indonesia, I find that the fitting’s not that great; either something is off in sizing, form, fabric, etc. There were too many clothes tailored for Western body types and not enough for Asians.”
This lack of variety is no doubt an issue other women face when building their personal style and Paula took this in mind when she conceptualized KURVE’s basic wear campaign.
“I felt that it’s not only me who likes this type of clothing. Basics are what I wear personally every day, and I want to introduce another source of confidence and share it with other people. Maybe KURVE will open their minds to it, so why not?”
Making KURVE happen
Every ‘first’ is memorable, especially when starting a business. Several fashion capitals in the world are introducing new lines that are nothing short of avant-garde but to some, the market for something new and innovative remains small.
For KURVE to make waves in Indonesia, Paula and her team sought to reach out to people who are constantly on the lookout for ‘the next big thing’. Online-based selling through social media was a fitting medium for the brand to connect with its target audience. The market for basic wear is relatively small in the country and they saw this as an opportunity to pioneer a women-centred campaign.
“We were one of the first pioneers, and due to that, it was easy for us to introduce more new styles since it was relatively a new thing to bring in the market back then.”
Even with the hype culture in tow, it was still a struggle to keep up with the constant thirst for something new. Not only that, the idea behind wearing form-fitting basics is not everyone’s cup of tea.
“In KURVE, we mainly offer body-fitted basics. It’s challenging to convince people that these body-fitted designs look good on you no matter the size and shape you are in.”
Despite the challenges, Paula and her team assert that every woman deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. The message they want to convey through their campaigns are nothing short of basic:
“At the end of the day, we want people to gain self-confidence. We’ve had our fair share of positive reactions to KURVE’s mission and vision since launching our first campaign.”
KURVE 2.0
In just two years, KURVE has grown into more than just your average fashion brand. As Paula and her team grow in number, so do the support and love they receive from empowered buyers. Two years may sound young but the journey of KURVE through the years is a worthy cause for celebration.
“KURVE will not be here today without the help of our beloved colleagues and Kurvies (customers) who have contributed so much to the cause. My love and deepest gratitude to all of you. You are the reason why we do this.”
Behind KURVE’s success is the collective effort of hardworking and empowered individuals. Paula and her team dedicate KURVE’s 2nd-anniversary campaign, ‘TWOgetherness’, to everyone who was involved in making KURVE what it is today.
Paula shares that after two years of running KURVE, she has finally found her passion. Challenges will definitely come her way in the future but she sees them as opportunities to learn and grow even more.
“As we aspire to be a global brand, we hope to make all Indonesians proud of who we are and what we can become. We know that it is a long road ahead, but with your support, we believe that we can achieve the impossible.”
With the new normal setting up more challenges to face, KURVE sets their eyes on achieving bigger and better goals, two steps at a time.