As part of our ongoing By Women series—which spotlights the best women-owned products and companies—we’re talking to Daryl-Ann Denner, an influencer and founder of three-year-old wardrobe-basics brand Nuuds. With this series, we’re committed to giving female founders who own 51% or more of their business a platform. This not only allows them to introduce their brilliant products to a wide and potentially new audience, but it also helps you—the discerning shopper—discover the best stuff out there.
While the rest of us were buying into the manic swirl of microtrends that defined fashion in a post-Covid world—remember Barbiecore?—Daryl-Ann Denner was quietly building an empire by doing the opposite: perfecting the basics. With its easy tees, slinky ribbed tanks, and the kind of high-waist leggings that make you question other pairs you own, Nuuds has quietly become a destination for people who understand the benefits of building a solid foundational wardrobe.
Like other fashion brands that are built around the idea of essentials, Nuuds has expanded its offering to include more than just hero tees and tanks—shoppers can also pick up loungewear, pajamas, swimsuits, and lightweight knits. But unlike many brands with similar DNA, Nuuds isn’t flashy or reliant on selling sex. It doesn’t have buzzy campaign stars or controversial drops. It’s just very good, which in 2025 should be enough, right?
Founded in 2022, Nuuds was born the way so many successful brands are—with the desire to fill a personal void. Denner, a high school chemistry teacher turned influencer who opted daily for a uniform of jeans and tees, had spent years looking for the perfect basics and struggled to find pieces that fit and flattered her body post-pregnancy. And her engaged social media followers—around 2 million—agreed, sharing their own experiences with attempting to source quality essentials that fit a variety of bodies.
Nuuds Slinky Rib Tee
Nuuds
Nuuds Mini Rib Bralette
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So Denner leveraged the feedback and set out to create a one-stop shop for accessible, high-quality staples. After 18 months of development, she launched Nuuds in October 2022. (If she was looking for validation, she found it when the brand’s six hero styles sold out within the first seven minutes.)
What makes the brand particularly unique is its community-first approach—Denner used her position as an aspirational but highly relatable influencer to build her company based on input from her loyal followers, and every product and launch is still shaped by their feedback and insights. The strategy has paid off, given the company says 75% of sales are driven by returning customers.
Below, Denner talks about the challenges of starting her business, her morning routine, her productivity POV, and more.
Glamour: You launched Nuuds in 2022. Why did you feel like it was a good time to start a company when you did?
Daryl-Ann Denner: I’d been creating content and engaging with my followers for years, and always thought that getting dressed every day should be simple. I’m constantly looking for the best products, and because I’m always listening to feedback from my community, I knew firsthand how hard it was to find great basics that make people of all body types feel their most confident and comfortable. My family and I kept saying, “Why hasn’t someone made a T-shirt that fits all of us? One that’s actually flattering and high quality?” Nuuds was born as the answer to that question. After 18 months in development, I launched in October 2022 alongside my husband and cofounder, Daniel. Every piece is thoughtfully designed with the feedback and support of the incredible, highly engaged community that’s been with me from the start.
Was it scary? What was one particular challenge you still think about?
Of course! It was terrifying. But I was willing to bet on myself. One challenge was that on the day of our launch, 10 minutes before the website was supposed to go live, it stopped working. The web developers told us it was going to take three hours to get it back up and running. We told them they had 10 minutes. We had a PR statement drafted, and we were so nervous, but they made it happen and we launched on time.
Nuuds Slinky Rib Racer Tank
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Nuuds CloudTech Shorts
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Do you think consumers care about who actually owns the businesses they spend on? If not, should they?
I think so. Or I think they’re starting to. But it’s all connected—because of who our team is, our product is the way it is. And once people try it, they’re obsessed. Our brand is built by real people, for real people. And while customers will choose to try the brands of people they believe in, I also firmly believe that the product speaks for itself, and the product is the reason that our customers keep coming back.
What’s one key piece of advice you’d give to other women looking to start their own business?
Don’t wait until you feel ready, because honestly, you’ll never feel ready. Do it afraid. One thing that we attribute to the success of Nuuds is that we weren’t experts in the industry. We ventured out knowing our customer, but not knowing the ways of the industry. Because of that, we had a fresh perspective and a different way of doing things that really worked in our favor. You’ll never have all the answers, and that’s okay. Start messy, find the right people to run alongside you, and figure it out as you go.
Nuuds SwiftStretch Long-Sleeve Shirt
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Nuuds Soft Cotton Everyday T-Shirt Bodysuit
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What time do you get up in the morning?
I’ll usually wake up around 6:45 a.m., so that I have a little bit of time before my kids are up to work out, read, journal, or just sit and take a moment before the day gets going.
What’s your typical morning routine?
After my kids are up, we’ll have breakfast and get ready for the day. If it’s school, we’ll pack lunches and run out the door. If it’s summer, we’ll play in the family room for a while before the day begins. My husband and I tag-team getting ready while having our mornings with them. Then it’s shower, skin care, makeup, hair in about 20 minutes, and then I’m off for whatever the day holds.
Your first childhood dream job was…
A doctor.
Your first actual job was…
Swim lesson instructor.
Nuuds Vintage Cotton Everyday T-Shirt
Nuuds Cami Bodysuit
Nuuds
How do you typically deal with rejection in your field?
With my natural personality and also being in such a public-facing industry, I’ve gotten really good at not worrying about what other people think of me. I keep my focus on staying true to my work and values, and I don’t take rejection personally.
The best piece of money or career advice you’ve ever gotten?
Give more than you take. The most successful businesses and people are the ones who focus on giving, not getting. When you shift your mindset from “How much can I make?” to “How much value can I bring?” everything changes.
What’s your go-to work outfit?
My current favorite is the Nuuds Perfect Tee, one of our more recent products. It was made to re-create that feeling of scoring the most perfect-fitting—and -feeling—vintage T-shirt. It’s supersoft, and the shape of it is so polished; it’s been my go-to for all my work meetings since it came out. I also love our Slinky Rib Tee. It’s my go-to when I want to feel cute and put together, whether in a business meeting, or on date night. It’s also my go-to pajama and lounge shirt. It’s so versatile and so good.
What’s the last great book you read?
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara.
What’s the last thing you bought you were excited about?
A lake house. I’m excited for our kids to get to grow up on the lake.
What’s one thing you have your eye on to buy?
A Rolex. I feel like it’s a very adult thing to want, and I always feel a sense of pride when I see someone wearing one, like they accomplished something if they were able to do that.
Explain the moment you realized, Okay, I might be onto something here…
It was right after our very first launch with Nuuds. We knew we were filling a need, but when our first initial buy—the one we thought would last us a few months—sold out in seven minutes, that’s when I realized, Oh wow, we’re really doing something. At the time, we wondered if it was just the hype of the launch, but since we’ve grown as a brand, customers keep coming back and the drops keep selling out. We get hundreds of DMs from women saying things like, “This is the first time I’ve ever felt confident in a T-shirt.” It’s so much bigger than building basics! We’re helping women of all ages and life stages feel confident in their skin.
nuuds Ribbed Crewneck Tank Bodysuit
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nuuds Vintage Fleece Hoodie
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What’s your favorite low-stakes treat after a productive day?
A large Diet Coke with extra ice and an evening in our backyard with the kids.
Your go-to thank-you gift?
A handwritten note and flowers. My love language.
Finish this sentence: People would be happier doing their work if…
When people start shaping their lives around what they think their brand, work, or image should be, it quickly stops being enjoyable. If you build a brand around who you actually are and show up every day as your real self, that’s value that only you can bring, and it’s so much more fulfilling to show up as your true self. The messier, the better.
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