Commando The luxury intimates label loved by the A-list

Each week, we look into an exciting and innovative label that is taking the fashion world by storm in our regular feature #TheBrand. This time, we’re turning the spotlight on US luxury intimates label, Commando.

Underwear brands don’t always get the glory they deserve, but the comfort given by great-fitting undies can lead to a feeling of confidence that cannot be underestimated. This is the underlying message behind everything that luxury intimates label Commando produces.

“It’s impossible to feel beautiful and confident if anything you are wearing is bothering you,” CEO and founder Kerry O’Brien tells me. “Try leading a meeting if your outfit is uncomfortable. It doesn’t work!”

Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a Commando bodysuit underneath her Chloé gown at the 2019 Met Gala

O’Brien started the brand over a decade ago, when the lingerie landscape was entirely different – she sought to tap into a market that didn’t yet exist.

“When Commando first launched almost 15 years ago, there were really two categories of underwear: sexy and comfortable. The sexy underwear was horrendous to actually wear, and the comfortable underwear was beyond frumpy.”

“From the start, we changed the game by offering something beautiful, comfortable, and contemporary. I do see that the market has evolved and that women have higher expectations from their underwear now — and I’m proud to say that Commando was a catalyst for that.”

Courtesy of Commando

The brand is probably best known for the way in which many of its pieces lie so flat against the skin that they give an invisible effect underneath clothing. This is created because of the innovative way in which the pieces are designed and, even more importantly, because of the technical fabrics.

“I am a fabric fanatic,” O’Brien laughs. “I hand select all of Commando’s fabrics from some of Europe’s best mills then I see where they can take me.”

“Because we started in intimate apparel, Commando actually requires a higher level of performance and technical properties. Many of our fabrics are patented or can only be made on machines that exist at just a couple of factories in the world. I let the fabrics speak to me, and then I design. This has become a very important part of my process and how the brand has evolved.”

Kate Hudson wearing Commando briefs underneath her Valentino gown at the 2018 Golden Globes

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The fabric choices that have become Commando’s niche, and perhaps its biggest strength, were actually one of the difficulties that O’Brien faced at the beginning, in that she was told that it wouldn’t work. But ultimately, these weaknesses and her lack of technical design experience actually led to the success of the brand.

“When the idea for Commando came about, everyone told me that it couldn’t be done; that it was impossible to make the undergarments that I had envisioned. I actually don’t have a design background, so I didn’t know what the ‘rules’ were. I began to say, ‘Well, why not?’ It’s been that questioning of conventions that has really taken Commando from category to category.”

Now, the lingerie label has moved into ready to wear, although in a very Commando way. Sticking to the fundamental principles of its underwear, the brand has launched a line of bralettes, pencil skirts, shorts and luxe leggings, all of which have the same perfect second-skin fit that the underwear is known for.

Courtesy of Commando

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How do they always get it so right? It’s down to a woman designing for other women, and trying everything out herself first, O’Brien believes.

“Commando understands women. That’s been imbued into how we approach everything. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I fit-test every single garment that Commando produces. We sometimes go through a dozen iterations of a style before I give the garment the green light.

“We are very hands on and produce the vast majority of our garments in the United States. It’s all so we can be sure that we are producing the highest possible quality garments. In a world where clothing can feel disposable, we think that really stands out.”

Courtesy of Commando

And it would be pretty difficult to disagree with O’Brien’s statement, considering how many of its pieces have been chosen by some of the most famous women in the world, for some of their biggest red-carpet moments. This includes Rihanna’s naked moment for the CFDAs, where she wore a nude Commando thong underneath her sheer, shimmering Adam Selman gown. Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz and Priyanka Chopra are among the other stars to have chosen Commando for the red carpet, while brands including Ralph & Russo, Self-Portait, Proenza Schouler and Tibi have outfitted their models in Commando for their catwalk shows.

“I think the power of social media for us has really been in our authenticity,” she says. “We are fortunate that stylists, designers and celebrities really got what we were doing from the start. To this day, we have never paid an influencer to post about Commando or paid a designer to use Commando during fashion week. So, seeing celebrities and influencers wear Commando is a great validation, because I know they are wearing it because they love it.”

With so much success, you would be forgiven for thinking that O'Brien had accomplished what she had set out to do, but the founder believes there is still so much more to come.

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever say, ‘Okay, we did it,’ because my sights are set so high. I truly think Commando can be and do anything. But I will say that it’s incredibly validating to see how much women love our brand. I’ve had women tell me that Commando has literally changed their life, and that we make it easy for them to get dressed in the morning. Those are the best moments.”

Rihanna wearing a Commando thong underneath her Adam Selman gown at the 2014 CFDAs

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