This week, Emirates Woman speaks to the Charlotte VW, the fashion designer and partner at UNDERHANCE.
Born from a moment of frustration and transformed into a movement of confidence, UNDERHANCE began when its founder crafted her own solution for hip-dips, a subtle, sculpting design that made her feel instantly more empowered, feminine, and comfortable in her skin. What started as a personal fix soon became a purpose, to help women embrace their natural form and step into the world with unapologetic self-assurance.
Today, UNDERHANCE sits at the intersection of innovation and self-expression. The brand champions women who want more, more curves, more presence, more ownership of their narrative. With thoughtful designs that address real styling concerns, from hip-dips to softer silhouettes, its curated range celebrates shape diversity with intention and style. This is shapewear redefined: not to hide, but to enhance; not to conform, but to empower.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
So, to delve into her journey Emirates Woman, sat down with her to see how it all began.
What was your favourite subject in school?
I’ve always been a sponge for learning and had so many favourites, fine art, textiles, history, and psychology. I’ve always been a creative person and loved studying historic artists and couturiers. That naturally led me to study lingerie design at university, where I learned how to pattern cut, grade, and sew, skills that are absolutely integral to being a fashion designer.
What was your first job?
My first job was when I was 16, working part-time as a sales assistant at Marks & Spencer. I’m a very chatty person, so they often put me on the tills, I had a lot of regular customers who would come specifically to my counter. It taught me the importance of building genuine relationships, something that’s stayed with me throughout my career. My first job in the industry, however, was as an assistant designer for Next. I mainly worked on lingerie, but also supported the nightwear and swim teams. Because I’d trained across all three at university, it was a natural transition and an incredible learning experience.
What brought you to Dubai?
Honestly, I just wanted to live abroad and have an adventure. In 2013, after finishing my role at Next, the job market in the UK was tough, especially for someone fresh out of university. I’d been visiting Dubai since 1996 as I have family here, and during one trip, I came across an advert for a lingerie designer role at Landmark Group. Four months later, I was here, and I ended up staying with them for five years. After that, I joined Spanish fashion giant Inditex, designing special collections for the Middle East for three years before launching UNDERHANCE. I was tempted to move back to the UK a few times, but Dubai has a way of pulling you back, it’s been home now for 12 years.
What inspired you to enter the space and co-launch this brand?
My specialism has always been lingerie and shapewear, so when the opportunity to join UNDERHANCE came, I jumped at it. What began as an exciting career move quickly grew into something much more meaningful. I didn’t just join as an employee, I became a partner, deeply invested in shaping the brand’s mission and identity. I felt the market lacked options that felt fun, body-positive, and empowering. So much of shapewear is marketed around making women smaller, and we wanted to flip that narrative with the hero pieces being shapewear that can actually add volume and give a more curvaceous figure. It’s designed for women who want to feel confident, bold and beautiful, pieces that celebrate, not conceal. We want to merge functionality with femininity, creating shapewear that women are actually excited to wear.
Talk us through the concept?
UNDERHANCE is a shapewear brand built on confidence, comfort, and cheekiness. Our focus is on adding volume rather than flattening. We enhance your natural curves with designs that sculpt and lift in all the right places. We also offer the traditional slimming shapewear and soon loungewear. We want to offer women something for every occasion. We want women to feel good when they see our campaigns, not pressured. It’s about embracing individuality, not fitting into an ideal.
What are the elements of your role?
The main element of my role is product development, from the first sketch to final delivery. I design our shapewear and our upcoming luxury loungewear line, as well as oversee packaging, accessories, and logistics. Because we’re a small business, I also dabble in social media, marketing, and business development. I love that side of it too. I think it’s so important to understand every layer of your business. It keeps things interesting and makes you appreciate the process so much more. That way as we grow I can understand any problems we may face.
Talk us through your daily routine?
I find it grounding to start my day with a quick tidy-up. I work from home, so a clean space helps me focus. Once my pets are cared for, I sit down with a big cup of tea and go through emails, customer messages, and anything that needs my attention. Then I move on to product development, that’s where I need my full concentration. We have a policy of no meetings or calls before 1pm, which I highly recommend! It gives everyone uninterrupted time to get into their creative flow. Afternoons are usually for meetings, supplier calls, or business development.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in your footsteps?
Keep learning. The fashion industry moves fast, and the more skills you have, the more adaptable you’ll be. I’ve always tried to pick up knowledge from every department, from design and graphics to buying, merchandising, and now marketing. Make yourself indispensable by being curious and willing to learn. Don’t wait for someone to teach you. Dive in, experiment, and never stop evolving.
Tell us more about the pieces?
Our shapewear is designed to enhance, not restrict. Each piece is made with premium fabrics that sculpt and support while staying breathable and soft against the skin. Our bestsellers are our curve enhancing shorts and sticky booty and hip pads, they’re engineered to add volume where you want it, while staying invisible under clothes. We’re also working on our luxury loungewear collection, which blends comfort with sophistication. Think elevated silhouettes, buttery fabrics, and versatile pieces you can wear from home to brunch.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
“Don’t wait until it’s perfect, just start.” Perfectionism can hold you back, especially in creative industries. I’ve learned that progress comes from doing, not overthinking. You learn so much by starting and improving as you go.
And what is the worst?
“Stay in your lane.” I had a particularly chaotic manager in my early 20s who told me that, and it really knocked my confidence. It wasn’t until I had a more encouraging leader that I realised how limiting that mindset was. Now I believe the opposite, step out of your lane, explore, and find what lights you up. That’s how you discover new skills and unexpected opportunities.
What’s the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Building a brand from the ground up while wearing a dozen hats at once has been both the hardest and most rewarding challenge. But it’s taught me resilience and creativity in problem-solving. Every obstacle has helped me grow both personally and professionally. The hardest challenge is also what I love about a startup. I have had the opportunity to try so many different roles and I’ve discovered so many talents I didn’t know I had. The startup mentality is the opposite of a large corporation where you have your one role. For me, working on multiple projects is a learning experience not a hindrance.
What’s the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Building a brand from the ground up while wearing a dozen hats at once has been both the hardest and most rewarding challenge. But it’s taught me resilience and creativity in problem-solving. Every obstacle has helped me grow both personally and professionally. The hardest challenge is also what I love about a startup. I have had the opportunity to try so many different roles and I’ve discovered so many talents I didn’t know I had. The startup mentality is the opposite of a large corporation where you have your one role. For me, working on multiple projects is a learning experience not a hindrance.
What lies ahead for your brand?
We’re really excited about the launch of our luxury loungewear line in 2026. It’s a natural evolution for UNDERHANCE, bringing our design ethos into pieces that women can wear every day, not just under clothes. We also want to connect more with our community through pop-ups and events. Meeting customers face-to-face and seeing how our pieces make them feel is the best motivation there is.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Pexels @anete-lusina
