Erin Carpenter ’07

About

Erin Carpenter ’07 was born and raised in the Washington DC area. A classically trained ballet dancer, Erin graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in dance and a minor business in 2007.

Erin spent her years after college working as a professional dancer and commercial actress. She was signed by Bloc and MSA by day, and by night, dreamed up a product she’d spent years searching for.

In 2009 Erin founded Nude Barre - a line of intimates and hosiery designed to reflect the diverse world we live in. Nude Barre carries the widest shade range on the market, leading the conversation around inclusivity and authentic representation in fashion today, and was born from the firsthand frustrations and colorism she experienced. As a Black woman, Erin recognized an immense need in the market for products that both matched her skin tone and were durable enough for everyday use.

After bootstrapping the business with $3,000 of her own savings, Erin has grown Nude Barre from the ground up. From 2019 to 2021, she raised $3 million in seed funding from various investors including Serena Ventures, The Bumble Fund, Freestyle Capital, Katrina Lake, and Jason Calacanis.