This Belongs To: Underwear You Won’t Want To Hide
With an exciting new swimwear collection on the horizon and a steadfast commitment to empowering women through comfortable, sexy, and sustainable underwear, we had the pleasure of sitting down and discussing all with Alia Mehta, founder of This Belongs To - underwear you definitely won’t want to hide!
“The ‘This Belongs To’ girl cares about our Earth. She can find cheaper underwear but she knows that to eradicate exploitation, and harmful plastics, that this is the fairest price possible.”
I know you've been passionate about fashion for a long time, tell us what sparked your interest in the world of lingerie…
At the time, I felt that there was a gap in the market for a cool underwear brand made by women for women, with a focus on confidence and comfort. I can't wear anything that isn't comfortable—a luxury, perhaps, but I just won’t do it. I still want to feel cool and sexy under my clothes, so it was about creating pieces that achieved all of those things at once. Our pieces are easy everyday bits that make your day feel a little bit more special, even in a small way. There is a very warm place in my heart for my classic black M&S pants, now too old, but when you put on your This Belongs To undies, you get a skip in your step! If I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, ‘ 'I’m wearing my This Belongs To pants, they’re my special knickers!’ well, I’d be super rich!
@thisbelongs.to
As a young entrepreneur, in a competitive industry, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
I try to keep close to a 9-5 routine. It rarely happens exactly like that, but giving myself some structure helps. When the weekend comes around, I want to be able to relax with my friends, and that only feels justified if I know I’ve consistently worked hard during the week. It allows me to unplug and recharge after five days of hard work. Of course, sometimes I will have to work over the weekend, but luckily, I love what I do! Keeping my schedule flexible, though it sometimes means you don’t fully switch off, can be an amazing luxury as well.
When challenges arise at work, how do you prioritise and protect your wellbeing?
Although I love what I do and count myself lucky almost every day, there are harder patches that can be overwhelming. I can be guilty of burying my head in the sand when things build up and feel like a mountain (my school teacher called it "ostriching"). To-do lists get longer, and sometimes it feels that I’ll never finish anything on time, making me feel like giving up. However, I’m getting much better at taking a step back, reassessing, and pushing through the hard parts. I never thought I’d be an exercise person, but booking swims or workouts 2-3 times a week keeps me sane and productive and is essential for a reboot. Eating well - balanced but delicious - is everything!
What are your favourite ways to unwind after a long day of work?
Cooking and eating a delicious meal with my house mates is the best feeling after a long day. When we’re too tired we’ll cook for each other or we order in, eat together and relax. A bath can really cure all as well. I would love to pick up a book more - I tend to be a holiday only book worm - but sometimes a bit of rubbish TV to numb and ease the mind is just what you need.
As a designer, how important is it to you to create pieces that empower the individuals who wear them?
It’s the MOST important thing I can strive to achieve. Empowered, confident and comfortable over everything.
How do you want people to feel when they wear your underwear?
The This Belongs To girl can’t be hidden, even if she is quiet, she is noticed. You might not see from the outside but underneath she is wearing the coolest knickers, and therefore she is confident in herself. She cares about our Earth, she can find cheaper underwear but she knows that to eradicate exploitation, and harmful plastics, that this is the fairest price possible. She wants to feel sexy when she’s feeling sexy, but she never wants to feel sexualised. She wants to be able to snuggle up in pants and a t-shirt under a blanket and feel cosy too. If we can make you feel all of that, what’s not to love?
@thisbelongs.to
It’s concerning to see that there is growing evidence of synthetic fabrics negatively impacting female hormone health. Why are natural materials so important to you when designing lingerie?
For underwear we stick to natural cottons and silks, to ensure the maximum breathability, ensuring the best possible fabrics for intimate and hormone health.
Sustainability is a key pillar of your brand’s ethos, why is sustainability so important to you? And how do you ensure your designs are created sustainably?
All my materials are responsibly sourced, we buy our fabrics locally in small batches to ensure little to no waste. With our swimwear, all our designs are printed on ECONYL®, a regenerated Nylon, made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean. Ethical and Sustainable practises should not be a company’s unique selling point, it needs to be a given. At the moment all manufacture is done in South London, by my AMAZING seamstress Gulia. She’s a really inspirational person as well as talented, she donates huge amounts to people in need and, fun fact, she was crowned Miss Kazakstan, such a cool woman! It was important to me that we kept things as local as they possibly could be to minimise excessive emissions and to ensure no one in this process was being exploited in the name of fashion.
@thisbelongs.to
How has your upbringing and cultural heritage influenced the direction and values of the brand?
Born in the USA to Indian and British parents my influences are spread all over the map, but Americana music, in particular, Country, Folk & Rock have played a huge part in my life, music that has been seared into my brain over the years, it was always going to feature in my designs. Or, in fact influence the whole vibe. If you know the references decorating the knickers, embroidered as terms of endearment, you can be my friend.
Who has been the most influential individual in shaping your life and career path?
I really couldn’t pin it all on one person, as I’ve had nothing but support and guidance from my close friends and family since embarking on this journey. They’ve had so much faith in me from day one. It does make me feel pressure sometimes but only because I don’t want to let them down.
Who do you hope to one day see wearing one of your pieces?
Ooo… Well I’m still holding out for Kendall <3
Lastly, what exciting plans lie ahead for This Belongs To?
I’m very excitedly working on our new swim collection, belts and buckles to be expected…and our first full swimsuit!
