The Nudie Collective: Vancouver-made custom candles celebrate all shapes, sizes, and colours
Many people can relate to wanting to change something about their bodies. Some may wish to be a little bit taller while others long to lose a few pounds or even switch the colour of their skin.
A Vancouver home and wellness brand focusing on racial inclusivity and body diversity has launched a new line of custom candles to help people repair their relationships with their bodies.
The Nudie Collective, founded by four friends and entrepreneurs during the pandemic, launched their “nudie” candles this summer to rave reviews from customers.
The Nudie Collective/Instagram
“We are so overwhelmed and thrilled to see the influx of support from our community,” said Anastasia Gassieva, co-founder of The Nudie Collective, in an interview with Daily Hive. “The Nudie Collective will help melt away your insecurities — literally — while also elevating your safe spaces.”
Gassieva, Jasmine Yadeta, Kelly Oswald, and Janella Blackman make up The Nudie Collective, which released the first five custom beeswax and soy blend female body-shaped candles this month. The candles were inspired by their experiences with social media during the pandemic.
The Nudie Collective (Tom Miller/Submitted)
“In the midst of the pandemic, four like-minded women came together to create a product where each of them felt represented,” explained Gassieva. “The home decor products that clogged our TikTok FYP and Instagram explore page had the same look and feel as a 2007 Victoria’s Secret fashion show.
“After hours of mindlessly scrolling through social media, one thing became clear: we’re struggling with our body image. This project is rooted in the notion that we want to work towards healing our relationship with our bodies and hope to inspire the same in our community.”
The Nudie Collective/Instagram
Blackman and Gassieva are childhood friends who met Oswald while studying at university. The three connected over their love of home decor and candles. Yadeta completed the founding quartet after Gassieva pitched her the concept while they worked at the same media-tech company in 2021.
The Nudie Collective’s candles are hand-poured in Vancouver, with each nudie available in the company’s signature scent as well as unscented. The signature scent is described as “warm and bright,” with notes of amber, fig, vanilla and musk combining for a “velvety, lightly sweet aroma.”
Nudies are made using non-toxic and cruelty-free ingredients, and the packaging contains only recycled materials.
The Nudie Collective (Tom Miller/Submitted)
The custom-moulded candles are also designed to be decor pieces that will elevate any home.
“During the pandemic, home decor quickly grew in importance as the isolating hours grew longer and connections became more challenging to keep,” said Gassieva. “That is why having uplifting, inclusive and body-acceptance pieces in your space can play a role in your overall thoughts and relationship with your body.”
The Nudie Collective offers five different candle products ranging in size from slim to curvy and with five skin shades to choose from. According to Gassieva, this is to ensure that all bodies are celebrated.
The Nudie Collective (Tom Miller/Submitted)
“At our roots, Nudie is a 50% black-owned business. We wanted to ensure that all visual components, creator collaborations, features, and our product were representative of that fact,” she added.
“Each body is unique, different, and worthy of appreciation. With the rise of social media content, our self-perception has significantly been distorted with crippling self-talk and insecurities. The fashion and beauty sector has made strides in body positivity and inclusivity, but we have not seen the same in the home decor space.
“The Nudie Collective is joining the movement towards a future where all shapes, sizes and colours are celebrated. We want to completely embody the phrase ‘body positive’ in all aspects of our business and strive for consistent representation.”
Candles are available for purchase through The Nudie Collective’s website, though the founders have plans to expand in multiple ways in the future.
The Nudie Collective/Instagram
“To our core, our community plays an integral role in what we do. Getting involved with like-minded people is one of our principal goals for the remainder of 2022 and forward,” shared Gassieva. “Currently, we are an eCommerce-only platform and hope to expand and partner with local businesses and pop-ups around Vancouver and beyond.
“Not only have we had the opportunity to partner with some exceptionally talented creators but we also recently worked closely with Poshmark Canada on a gifting campaign. We’d love to expand and launch new home products too. The world is our oyster and the sky’s the limit.”
For more information, visit thenudiecollective.com.
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