The Interview: How Lounge founder Mel Marsden is turning the brand into one-stop-shop for womenswear

Melanie Marsden is one half of the husband-and-wife duo that founded Lounge. Their aim? To build an underwear and loungewear brand that blends fashion and empowerment. Historically known for its logo-imbued underwear, the brand is repositioning itself as a fashion powerhouse, growing alongside its evolving customers.

In 2015, when the Marsdens launched Lounge, they capitalised on the then brand-new way of marketing, otherwise known as influencer marketing. As one of the first to adopt the transformative tool that is influencer marketing, the brand " took off almost overnight", successfully carving a space for itself amongst the Instagram community.

Now, Lounge is evolving creating a department-store-like offering including clothing and hinting at accessories. Its new USP? Like the underwear it's known for, Lounge's fashion line will be contour-focused, with garments that flatter and contour curves.

As Chief Brand Officer, Marsden is the creative force behind the British brand, who took the passion project from a spare bedroom to an international fashion powerhouse. In this interview, Marsden peeled back the curtains on how the brand is taking on the global fashion market with its first expansion line. Think gingham corsets with matching capris to checkered blazer dresses with cinched-in waists and butter yellow corsets with matching blazers.

Whilst at university, you set up an eBay shop with your now husband, selling clothes. How did this evolve to become Lounge as we know it today?

Gosh, this is quite a long story, but I'll do my best to keep it concise. Through our fashion boutique, we gained invaluable experience in a short period. We initially launched on eBay, before quickly expanding to a Shopify store, leveraging Instagram to grow our brand presence. At the time, influencer marketing was just beginning to emerge as an innovative and powerful strategy and one that few established brands had yet to adopt. The timing was perfect, and it became clear to us just how transformative influencer marketing could be.

We were immediately captivated by its potential. While our boutique saw significant growth, we soon realised that to truly scale using this strategy, we needed our own product. Simply reselling off-the-rack dresses wasnʼt enough; we needed a product with strong, aspirational branding that would resonate with our young female audience in an authentic and attainable way.

Fully committed to this vision, we collaborated with a local seamstress to bring our first hand-drawn sketch, the Triangle design, to life. We built the website, launched a new Instagram page, and carefully curated the brand identity under what we identified as ‘Loungeʼ. Applying everything we had learned from our boutique experience, we accelerated our efforts to capitalise on the rapid rise of influencer marketing. At the time, very few brands had embraced this strategy, and we could feel the impact of being early adopters. The brand took off almost overnight, growing rapidly as we continued to introduce fresh ideas, new products, and a clear vision for the future.

Can you describe the brand in three words?

Empowering womenʼs futures.

The key thing for me throughout that expansion and future growth is connecting with our young female community and empowering her to feel confident and comfortable in her skin.

What are some of the challenges you faced being a woman in business?

There are many, but Iʼd say the biggest is balancing motherhood and business, two worlds I am equally passionate about, which has been one of the greatest challenges and privileges of my life. Pouring 110% into both demands a constant shift between two very different sides of myself and while some days leave me feeling completely drained, they have also shown me just how much I am capable of as a woman.

I push myself in business to set an example for my children and to show them what it means to be driven by passion and purpose. My goal is to raise them with a strong sense of self-worth, teaching them that when you show up authentically and give life everything you've got, the world opens up in the most beautiful way.

When was the moment you thought ‘ah weʼve made itʼ?

Ahh, there have been countless pivotal moments along the journey, everything from the early days of the brand to the milestones that followed. I still remember launching the website and having an Australian influencer post about our product. Almost overnight, we saw a surge in sales and an outpouring of love for the brand. The response was immediate and we were blown away.

Then came moments like moving into our first dedicated space, leaving behind the small box room at my parentsʼ house where it all began. We built a mezzanine office in the warehouse, allowing us to pick and pack orders in the morning while managing the business operations in the afternoon. I vividly remember conducting our first interviews and hiring our first team members, feeling completely in awe of the fact that we were now responsible for someoneʼs career and well-being.

More recently, moments like bringing our children in to work have been just as surreal. Iʼll never forget my eldest asking, “Did you build this, Mummy and Daddy?”...a question that still doesnʼt feel normal to answer.

Looking back, there isnʼt a single defining moment that stands out above the rest. Instead, it has been an ongoing, evolving journey, one filled with countless ‘pinch-meʼ moments.

You launched the first brick-and-mortar store in October 2023 in Westfield. Why was this the right time to open a store? Are you looking to expand Loungeʼs in-person presence?

It was a bold move, especially with the impacts of COVID, but we saw this as an opportunity to take a risk and push the boundaries. Lounge has built such a strong global community online, and we wanted to bring that experience to life in a physical space. Westfield provided the ideal location to connect with our customers in a more personal, immersive way, allowing them to touch, feel and truly experience the luxury and quality of our pieces. As our brand evolves beyond lingerie into premium clothing and accessories, this store represents a new chapter in our journey, solidifying Lounge as a high-end, experiential brand both online and in-person.

And yes, we are! We recently launched in Printemps in Paris, marking an exciting step in our global expansion and commitment to France. As Lounge continues to grow, we see in-person experiences as a key part of deepening our connection with our community.

Despite staying true to your core product, logo-stamped underwear, how are you elevating the brand?

Weʼre elevating Lounge by expanding beyond lingerie and bringing our deep expertise in contour, fit and the female form into clothing and accessories. We know the female form like no other, and now weʼre applying that knowledge to the full wardrobe, creating premium, high-end pieces that feel just as good as they look. Every piece is designed with the same dedication to quality, comfort, and confidence that makes our lingerie iconic. This evolution allows us to empower women not just in their most intimate moments but in every part of their day-to-day lives.

You very recently launched Debut, the first Lounge womenswear collection. Why did you decide to branch out into this category, and what makes it stand out in the market?

We knew Lounge had the potential to offer more than lingerie. Our community has always been at the heart of what we do, and we listened - women wanted more from us, and we saw a clear gap in the market for premium, accessible, contoured fashion.

The Debut was our first foray into that space, designed for the fashion-conscious woman whoʼs building her staple wardrobe with elevated everyday essentials. What makes it stand out? Itʼs luxury everyday wear, crafted with our signature expertise in fit and contour, bringing the same empowering feel of our lingerie into clothing that moves effortlessly with her life.

Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect from the new lines?

You can expect a full wardrobe. Lounge isnʼt just lingerie, it is a lifestyle. Weʼre bringing in accessories to complete the look, all in gorgeous trending patterns, seasonal colourways, and tailored fits that seamlessly blend lingerie-inspired details into outerwear and everyday essentials. Think pops of gingham, touches of British heritage, and maybe an exciting collaboration or two. And, of course, our signature lingerie will always remain at the heart of it all.

What does the future hold for Lounge?

The future of Lounge is bigger, bolder, and more empowering than ever. Weʼre continuing to evolve beyond lingerie, creating a full wardrobe that embodies confidence, luxury, and effortless style. Expect more premium, contoured fashion, carefully curated accessories, and timeless pieces that blend our signature fit expertise with fashion-forward design.

Weʼre also expanding our in-person presence globally, bringing Lounge to more locations so our community can experience the brand in real life. And of course, we continue to listen, innovate, and push boundaries...because Lounge is more than just a brand; itʼs a movement.