Universal Standard Empowering Every Body with WomenLed Duo in D2C Retail Fashion

1. Universal Standard: Empowering Every Body with Women-Led Duo in D2C Retail Fashion Have you ever come across a gorgeous dress, the perfect-looking jeans, the right colored top, the perfect design, at the right price and affordability, but unfortunately realized that it doesn’t fit you?! Ugh, the frustration and annoyance of being in a situation like that passes through your body and makes you walk out of the store in disappointment and sadness. It was just perfect and you almost had it, but alas! Many young girls, teens, young women adults, and the older generation, find it difficult to find the right size and fit by the few companies that promote a size-inclusive clothing brand. A Size 6 in one store can be sizes lower or higher in another store. One might not even have their size available! Or, they might be the perfect size, but just not the right fit at all. No wonder most women take quality time in physically trying out clothes in-store so that they are satisfied with the right size as well as the right fit. Some women even sacrifice and compromise to “fit into” the wrongly sized clothing, which can be quite unhealthy if done with self-harming intentions and actions. Every one of us is physically different in shape and size at different stages of our lives. Therefore, finding a clothing brand and platform that manufactures, designs, and sells clothes for all sizes while encouraging women to embrace their shape and size beautifully and graciously will surely receive positive reactions and reviews from customers. Plus-size fashion empowerment is an innovative and customer-centric strategy in the fashion retail industry that sells specifically curated and size-inclusive clothing wear, it attracts customers and creates a loyal customer base for as long as the goal is to have a customer-centric focus instilled within its pillars. Therefore the right size and fit are essential for people’s good mental and physical health as well as the impact and recognition of the brand’s mission itself. Therefore in this article, we will be covering the story and journey of a company established in The United States of America, that specializes in being the world’s most size-inclusive brand. Led by women duo - Alexandra Waldman and Polina Veksler, Universal Standard Fashion (US) was founded to empower women to embrace their bodies by selling premium and high-quality material, style, design, and fit. Visit The Business Magnate for more interesting content. Alexandra Waldman and Polina Veksler - Co-Founders at Universal Standard: Alexandra Waldman was the Co-Founder and Creative Director at Universal Standard (US). Founded the company in the year 2015 alongside her friend - Polina Veksler - the current Co- Founder and Chief Executive Officer, the trailblazing, inspiring, models, and entrepreneurial power duo have broken barriers and come a long way since in accomplishing their goals. “We believe this is the right way to express sizing in the apparel industry because it actually represents the American woman as she is, and we hope that other brands consider adopting

2. this sizing as well.” - Alexandra Waldman, Former CEO and Late Co-Founder of Universal Standards. Alexandra Waldman completed her formal education with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature and Comparative Linguistics. After her degree and before her co-founding Universal Standard, Alexandra had job opportunities in different roles and sectors in the industry all of which covered Fashion, Arts, Entertainment, Research Publishing, and being the Managing Director and Global Head of Marketing and Public Affairs. With a set of diverse skills, talent, and experience working alongside different people, Alexandra knew her goals were leading her on a different path where beauty standards in the fashion industry and the world had to be changed, redefined, and revamped. “We believe in Fashion Freedom for all of US. As We Are.” With hopes of making the world a better place to live in, Polina Veksler partnered up with Alexandra Waldman and co-founded Universal Standards. To create a fashion brand advocating women's clothing wear that is more accessible in style, size, quality, and fit, the two co-founders set together on their path to finding the best factory in Peru that would manufacture their designs and pieces that would bring their ideas and vision to fruition. Polina Veksler completed her formal education in Accounting through a bachelor's degree at The University of Florida, after which she went on to complete her Master's in Accounting from the same university. Being an Investment Banking Analyst to a Senior Strategy Manager, and from Investment Director to Co-Founder of Universal Standards, Polina too has come a long way in her life’s journey until finding her shared dream and goal with Alexandra. Universal Standards - US: Co-founded in the year 2015 by Alexandra Waldman and Polina Veksler, is a women-led fashion brand - Universal Standards, which has its headquarters established in Greater New York City, in the USA. Universal Standards is a DTC fashion and apparel retail brand committed to “pushing boundaries, leading with innovation, questioning established norms, being radically authentic, and banding together to build the future”. Universal Standard is the World’s Most Size-Inclusive brand, where “Style is the only Filter”. The brand is famous and recognized for its manufacturing and selling of Sizes 00-40 as “Fashion For All Of US. As We Are”. To embrace inclusion and empower women, as well as to break down beauty standard barriers and norms, Universal Standard is here to “change everything and to unite the divided”. The fabrics and materials that are used in their clothing are made of “Premium- Quality Peruvian Cotton Luxurious Italian Wool, Sumptuous French Satin-Black Crepe, Expertly Engineered Denim, and Signature Stretch Linen”. The materials are sourced and manufactured in a Peruvian factory in Peru and the clothes are made to last. The clothes that

3. are finally stitched are wear-tested by the brand to make sure that the perfect fit and size are engineered carefully and meticulously. Universal Standards being an inclusive fashion retailer has collaborated with many partners since its establishment such as Danielle Brooks in 2017, J. Crew, and Goop in 2018, and was soon named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies”. In 2019, Rodarte and Adidas were collaborated with by the brand, and was also when their children’s book - “What Could Fashion Look Like If It Included All Of Us?” was published.