NUBIAN SKIN

A DIFFERENT KIND OF NUDE

Nubian Skin founder, Ade Hassan was frustrated by the lack of skin-tone choices to go with her wardrobe, she decided it was time for ‘a different kind of nude’.
She launched Nubian Skin in 2014 with a carefully edited collection of lingerie and hosiery to provide the essential underwear needs of women of color.

We chatted with her when we first launched BronzePage and we never want you to forget the journey of this incredible Black woman who made enough waves that Beyonce took notice.

Stick around as we bring you the story of Nubian Skin and the founder- who took a leap of faith.

BRONZEPAGE CHATS WITH ADE HASSAN

When we chatted with Ade Hassan, founder of Nubian Skin.

BRONZEPAGE:

Please tell us about yourself..... what part of Africa are you from and what inspired you to create this brand?

ADE HASSAN:

I was born in the UK and my family is Nigerian, but I grew up in a lot of places including the UK, Nigeria and the US.

I created Nubian Skin because I couldn’t find what I was looking for in shops! I wanted nude lingerie and hosiery – but it simply wasn’t available. I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt the same way – so I decided to create it.

I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I’ve always wanted my business to be fashion related. When I took 15 months off work. I decided to take sewing and pattern cutting classes, which I really enjoyed. I had several ideas in the past and a few that I looked into moving forward with, but ultimately when this idea came into my head, it truly stuck. I realized it was something I needed and was so essential, that it had to be something other women of color would want.

We are currently based in London, which is also where I live. Nubian Skin launched in October 2014.

BEYONCE'S FORMATION TOUR & OTHER HOLLYWOOD STARS

(Hollywood)

Nubian Skin was selected to provide the underpinnings for the Beyoncé Formation Tour! (Incredibly Amazing).

Nubian Skin garments have also been featured in the Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures" and also on the popular Fox TV show "Empire".

Several celebrities in Hollywood have been seen wearing or are fans of the brand Nubian Skin. These names include Beyoncé, Jourdan Dunn, Lizzo, Lupita Nyong'o, Viola Davis, and Taraji P Henson.

EMPOWERING WOMEN

ADE HASSAN:

“My nude isn’t the nude I see in shops. Despite the reality that women of color have the same needs as

all women when it comes to lingerie and hosiery, the industry simply doesn’t cater to us. So, I thought,

it’s time to rethink the definition of nude.”

A nude bra and skin tone hosiery are the basics of every woman’s wardrobe, at least in theory. For many

women of color, finding suitable skin tone hosiery and lingerie has not been an option. Nubian Skin aspires to be the brand that women of color can turn to when they need to find that much needed pair of nude hold-ups or a perfect nude bra. With the aim of redefining ‘nude’, Nubian Skin launched in October 2014 with a carefully edited selection of lingerie and hosiery to provide the essential underwear needs of women of color. With the philosophy of ‘Empowering Women-embracing our Color; Nubian Skin encourages women of all ethnicities to feel included, appreciated and most of all sexy, in lingerie especially tailored for them.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR

ADE HASSAN:

'I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I’ve always wanted my business to be fashion related. When I took 15 months off work several years ago, I decided to take sewing and pattern cutting classes, which I really enjoyed. I had several ideas in the past and a few that I looked into moving forward with, but ultimately when this idea came into my head, it truly stuck. I realized it was something I needed and was so essential, that it had to be something other women of color would want.'

''The biggest hurdle to overcome at the start was finding a good quality manufacturer. As a new and small business, a lot of manufacturers simply didn’t respond to queries, and others were looking for incredibly high volumes, so it was tricky. Once you actually secure a manufacturer, it’s always a battle to manage expectations. When I first decided on a manufacturer, I thought I’d be able to start selling in a few months, and we actually launched one year later than I had expected''.

Ade Hassan went to Duke University in the United States and did two Bachelors, one in English, and one in Economics. Then she completed a master's degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

Her parents are from Nigeria, where she was partly raised and Ade also speaks Yoruba.