Meet Marissa Vosper: The Co-Founder of Negative Underwear

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who’ve made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Marissa Vosper has completely transformed the intimates industry as the co-founder of Negative Underwear, a brand dedicated to merging comfort with cool aesthetics while emphasizing quality, fit, and function over frills and lace.

After earning a degree in political science and Spanish at the University of Pennsylvania—where she met her future business partner, Lauren Schwab—Vosper ventured into brand strategy, spending eight years in the field. But she soon realized this path wasn’t her calling. With a shared passion for fashion but no direct route into the industry, Vosper and Schwab decided to take a leap of faith.

The duo embarked on a journey of self-education, enrolling in night classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology. There, they identified a gap in the lingerie market: women were looking for comfortable, stylish, and functional underwear that wasn’t widely available. This insight sparked the inception of Negative Underwear. After four years of meticulous research, development, and learning the ins and outs of the fashion world, they launched their brand in 2014.

The response was immediate and overwhelming—their initial collection sold out in just two weeks, validating their vision. Stepping into what can be described as her second life, Vosper displayed bravery and an astute understanding of market needs. Under her leadership over the next eleven years, Negative Underwear has grown from a simple idea into a powerhouse in the intimates category. Remarkably, they’ve achieved this growth without seeking outside investment, a testament to Vosper’s strategic foresight and business acumen.

Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Vosper’s story is one of courage, proving that with passion, determination, and a willingness to learn, one can indeed revolutionize an industry as a total beginner. And keep scrolling to shop some of our favorites from Negative Underwear just ahead of Valentine’s Day.