Photo Credit: JPRCREATE
Making its debut at ComplexCon, STRIPT has redefined how we create and understand women in streetwear. Starting in 2020 after a personal search for the perfect bodysuit, founder and CEO Ari Davis built the brand around community, size inclusivity, and women’s empowerment.
At the festival’s 10th anniversary edition of ComplexCon, STRIPT made a statement. Beyond dropping an exclusive collection, the brand built an immersive world complete with the “STRIPT boardwalk” and a central BUJI Matcha cart, proving on one of culture’s biggest stages that streetwear belongs to women just as much as anyone else.
In this exclusive Q&A, Ari breaks down her experience at ComplexCon, the intersection of fit and culture, and her vision for STRIPT’s future.
Q: What is your brand’s vision for the future?
Ari Davis: “We want to do it all. Be in stores, collaborate with other brands, expand our offerings, everything. We’ll keep expanding the line, keep traveling, and keep building spaces where women know they belong.”
Q: How did your experience at ComplexCon help expand your brand image as a business owner and creator?
Ari Davis: “This ComplexCon was our first, and it was the festival’s tenth anniversary, so we made it count. We dropped an exclusive ComplexCon collection and built the STRIPT boardwalk, with a BUJI Matcha cart at the center. People came through our booth to play games and put their kids on the carousel. And so many beautiful women stopped by. ComplexCon isn’t only for the boys, and we proved it. Our booth let people step inside the world we’ve been building since 2020, not just shop it.”
Q: How have streetwear and womenswear inspired you to create pieces that resonate with your audience?
Ari Davis: “STRIPT lives where the two meet. From womenswear, I took fit. I started STRIPT because I couldn’t find the bodysuit I wanted, so I created it, and fit and size inclusivity are still at the center of every piece we make. From streetwear, I took culture. We make a shirt for every city we pop up in, so the girls can rep where they’re from. And our community helps decide what we make next. That’s why our pieces resonate: they fit like womenswear and move like streetwear. Our ComplexCon collection was for the women who have always been part of streetwear, even when the clothes weren’t made with them in mind.”