ThirdLove bills itself as a progressive, feminist, woman-led leader in lingere.
In this expose (https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/9/16/20864206/thirdlove-bra-company-women-employees-quit-ceo), evidence is offered that it is something rather different. The following quote is a summary of the culture, one incompatible with a staff primarily made up of women:
“This about-face was compounded by company norms — don’t negotiate your salary, don’t leave before 6 pm, don’t work from home, don’t skip a happy hour — that felt out of sync with the brand’s external image.”
Indeed, I would say, incompatible with any person first company.
The article says it reached out to the company for comment and none has been forthcoming, so I imagine the allegations are mostly true, though I obviously have no idea.
I merely want to add what I think Adam Smith is likely to conclude. In a number of ways, the company seems to be either dodging, or hoping to manipulate, the spectator.
One of the biggest complaints from staff is the role of David Spector, the husband and co-founder of the company with Heidi Zak. Ms. Zak is the public face of the company and Spector’s role in the company is obscured in social media and the company’s own website. The suppression of Spector’s active management of the company is to protect the image of the company as for women by women.
For Smith, this is a tell-tale sign: if you are trying to con the spectator, rest assured other bad stuff is afoot.
