Dear Customers,
We owe you an apology.
We are deeply sorry that we have let you down by not taking action on suggestions to create a more inclusive environment within our brand. We have acted in the spirit of self-preservation and defensiveness, missing critical opportunities to grow into the company we hope to be. We are sorry that we have given lip-service to ideas without follow-through. We are sorry that in moderating social media groups, we have censored voices. We have discussed inclusivity at our headquarters often, but realize there is so much depth to this topic and we have only scratched the surface. We see there is so much to do. And we want to.
Here’s our plan:
Immediately, we are working with a diversity consultant who will help educate and bring light to areas we have not seen in the past. We are also assembling an official paid panel of diverse women to help bring new voices and frame of reference to our brand. The formation and structure of this panel will be guided by our diversity consultant. By the end of this week, we will announce our new panel application process and offer positions to those who applied in April 2018.
Additionally, we are launching two new shades of nylon headbands, that will be available with our Valentine’s Day launch on January 15th. We would also love to provide each of you with opportunity to switch your current headband nylons to our new nylon shades. Details on these items are outlined below. We hope you will share your opinions of the new style with us!
We have re-opened our Wunderkin Family Facebook page with new ground rules, and are in the process of finalizing a new team of admins. We have a strict, no-censoring policy, with the exclusion of hate-speech, and an intention to make the group a place where difficult discussions can be had with respect. It will be a safe space for mothers to connect on these tough, real discussions about everyday life, as well as topics of parenthood and raising confident kids, family adventure, and fashion.
Long term, we will work with our consultant to expand the diversity and voices at our headquarters, create a more inclusive social media and brand strategy, and make inclusivity the forefront of our growth-plan for 2019 and beyond. We will continue to work with local refugee organizations as well to expand the voices within our workforce.
Your brave, curious, kind, creative, and joyful children are the heart and soul of our brand. They are what Wunderkin means to all of us, and we are so grateful to be a part of their adventures. And you, brave mamas, are the reason we go to work every day and strive to be better and better. Thank you for supporting us in the past, and we are committed to earning this support in the future by listening and responding to all of the voices in our community here.
If you would like to try one of our new shades of nylon headbands, please fill out the form below, and we will send the first 150 applicants a free bow. Everyone else who applies will receive a complimentary sample pack of our two new shades. We would love your feedback, and we would love to see and share your images.
If you have current Wunderkin headbands and would like to send them in for a retie in one of our two new shades, you can see the form below as well.
Thank you for your continued support as we grow as a brand. As a small company, we will work as quickly as possible to implement these changes and to evolve our brand for the better. This will be a process, but one for which I am taking personal ownership. If you see an area where we can do better, please feel free to reach out to me at hillary@wunderkinco.com and I will do my best to respond.
Thank you,
Hillary + The Wunderkin Team
LINK FOR FREE BOW + NYLON KIT: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSc6R75pkzDNhBB8m0…/viewform
LINK FOR RETIE INFO: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLScSgEeXd4ehw_pHtm…/viewform
Hillary Denham is the Owner and Creative Director of Wunderkin Co. She is a wife and mother to two wonder-filled girls – Adeline and Aria – and a plump little nugget man – Emery Jacob.
