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Liberare (Formerly Intimately) is a technology company.
Liberare creates adaptive intimate apparel, specializing in easy-on bras and underwear for women with disabilities and chronic illnesses. The company engineers stylish, functional products, offering comfortable, supportive options. Their approach integrates accessible features like magnetic front closures, ensuring a seamless dressing experience meeting modern standards.
Emma Butler, a Brown University graduate, founded the company in 2019 as Intimately. Her vision originated from observing daily challenges individuals with chronic conditions faced with traditional intimate wear. This insight compelled Butler to create empowering solutions, evolving her initial community blog into a product enterprise.
Liberare serves women seeking elegant, effortless intimate wear. The company’s long-term vision is to expand beyond intimates, empowering customers with a wider selection of accessible clothing. Its mission is to liberate individuals from conventional fashion constraints, fostering confidence and beauty.
Liberare (Formerly Intimately) has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Liberare (Formerly Intimately) has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Liberare (Formerly Intimately) has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in November 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2021 | $1M Seed | British Fashion Council, Venrex | Amplifyher Ventures, BBG Ventures, FAB Ventures, Maveron, RED Swan Ventures, Starther, True Ventures, XFactor Ventures, Agneta Breitenstein, Bianca Ambrosini, Halle Tecco, Henry Davis, Russ Heddleston, SEP Kamvar, Alexandra Fine, Michelle Kennedy, Sarah Drinkwater, Steph Korey Goodwin | Announced |
Liberare (Formerly Intimately) has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Liberare (Formerly Intimately)'s investors include British Fashion Council, Venrex, Amplifyher Ventures, BBG Ventures, fab Ventures, Maveron, Red Swan Ventures, StartHer, True Ventures, XFactor Ventures, Agneta Breitenstein, Bianca Ambrosini.
Liberare (formerly Intimately) is an adaptive intimates brand that designs and sells easy-on bras, underwear, and sleepwear for women with disabilities, particularly those with limited dexterity or chronic pain. Founded by Emma Butler, it targets disabled women seeking functional yet stylish apparel, solving the problem of difficult dressing through innovations like magnetic front-closures and side-fastening panties.[1][2][3][5][6] The company launched its products in February 2022, quickly sold out its initial release, secured $1.2 million in venture funding, and collaborated with Aerie, while building an online community and app for disabled women.[1][3][6]
Emma Butler, a Rhode Island native and Brown University alumna, started developing Liberare's products in 2018 while blogging from her dorm room, inspired by her mother—a Salve Regina University professor with chronic fibromyalgia—who struggled with shoulder and hand pain when dressing.[1][3][5][6] Butler initially launched the company as Intimately in 2019 or 2020 (sources vary slightly on exact timing), working full-time on it by 2020 after years of research and development.[1][2][3][6] Pivotal early moments included a viral blog, winning pitch competitions like Brown University's Venture Prize and Smith College's Draper Competition for $60,000, a successful Kickstarter, and rebranding to Liberare in June or July 2022—meaning "to set free" in Latin—to emphasize liberation from dressing challenges and societal stigma.[1][3][4][6]
Liberare rides the inclusion revolution in fashion tech, addressing the underserved adaptive clothing market for the 1 billion+ people with disabilities worldwide by merging e-commerce, community tech (app/forum), and apparel innovation.[3][4][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for functional, empowering intimates and growing VC interest in disability-focused startups—evidenced by Butler's Forbes 30 Under 30 nod and British Fashion Council support.[3][6] Market forces like rising awareness of chronic conditions (e.g., fibromyalgia) and e-tailer's shift to niche personalization favor Liberare, influencing the ecosystem by patenting tech, amplifying disabled voices, and inspiring adaptive lines from mainstream brands like Aerie.[1][3][6]
Liberare is poised to expand beyond intimates into adaptive workwear, scale its online marketplace for other brands, and launch its community app, building on sold-out launches and $1.2M funding with 1-10 employees generating under $1M revenue.[2][3][6] Trends like AI-driven personalization in fashion and inclusive design mandates will accelerate growth, potentially evolving Liberare into a platform leader that redefines beauty standards for disabled women. This trajectory echoes its origin—liberating daily dressing—positioning it to dominate adaptive intimates amid broader equity pushes in tech and fashion.