Using Storytelling to Achieve Global Success

An Interview with Baserange

Esteban: Let’s start with a foundational question. Give us a 30–60 second intro. Tell us a little about yourself and the brand, just so people have context.

Marie-Louise: After spending a year working in a children’s home in China, I reconnected with drawing and began studying visual communication and graphic design. I was curious about stereotypes of a “successful life,” about gender roles, and how these ideas are tied to larger—often unjust—systems.

After graduation, I considered a communications job but realized I’d always be translating other people’s ideas—often those of white men—of what was “commercially successful.” Instead, I started a small personal project while working at a café.

It began with a small underwear collection, exploring more flexible representations of women. Underwear felt intimate, and I realized that to tell the stories I wanted to tell, I needed products to build narratives around. What began as an experiment grew slowly, with shops like Assembly NY, Number 6, and Adam et Ropé buying pieces.

Baserange was founded after I met Blandine. She had studied chemistry and worked at Surface to Air. Together, we built Baserange: Blandine focused on business direction, sales, distribution, and fiber development, while I handled collections and visual direction. From the start, we wanted to challenge fixed female narratives, showing there isn’t just one way to be a woman—or a human.

We also wanted to deepen our connection to materials, fabrics, fibers, and dyes, working with sustainable options while being honest about where we could improve and transparent about our shortcomings. Over time, we’ve been grateful to build close relationships with the people who make our fabrics and collections. Their craft, skills, and knowledge have shaped Baserange more than anything else. They are our foundation.

Esteban: Was the idea always about building basics and redefining them? Or did it start with one specific product?

Marie-Louise: Underwear felt like an intimate format to explore. After finishing school, I was part of a studio where people were creating their own clothing lines. I remember talking with them about how clothes shape narratives of how bodies are “supposed” to look. None of our underwear has wires—because every breast is beautiful as it is. They shouldn’t be molded into a stereotype.

At the time, I had just given birth to my second child and was missing underwear that felt right. I wanted high-waisted, comfortable pieces for myself. There was a gap between sports underwear and luxury underwear. I didn’t see it as a business that would grow; it was more about the stories and imagery. Esteban: So you created what you wished existed, and it resonated with others. At this point, do you consider yourself more a designer, entrepreneur, creative director—what defines you most?

Marie-Louise: A little of all of them, but maybe more a storyteller through form. I think we are all storytellers, in one way or another. Even a business plan is a story.

Esteban: Storyteller and community builder?

Marie-Louise: We try to, yes. I don’t think we could do much without community.

Esteban: So in the beginning, you had one narrative, and today there are many voices?

Marie-Louise: Yes. Today we try to allow all voices to be heard. Of course, we need alignment and direction, but hopefully Baserange is now many stories. Our stores don’t have to be completely streamlined; they can be rooted in their communities. When I studied marketing, I was taught everything should be streamlined for recognition. That’s still important, but I think there’s value in leaving space for different interpretations.

Esteban: How do you balance open discussion and specific direction when building business infrastructure?

Marie-Louise: In the beginning, I oversaw both the clothes and visual direction. Now, others do as well, and I trust them. From the start, we had clearly defined responsibilities, me on imagery and direction.

We had guidelines: the person is more important than the clothes; the clothes must be comfortable, minimal seams; models look at the camera because the power is with them, not the camera. Early shoots featured friends or people we met on the street. Today, we have a casting director helping, but the ethos remains.

Esteban: So your approach to balancing openness and direction is building the right teams with specific functions.

Marie-Louise: Yes. You need aligned values and to believe in the stories you’re telling and the connections you’re making.

Esteban: Since you’re a storyteller, what is storytelling for you?

Marie-Louise: I think we all tell stories. We have stories in our heads—about one another and about ourselves. We can get stuck in these stories, but they also create meaning and connection. Personal stories are deeply individual, yet there are also stories that are fundamentally human and tied to nature. Sometimes it feels like we forget that we are nature.

At the same time, the stories in our heads and in our communities are also what create wars and class structures. Stories can heal, but they can also divide.

Esteban: How have you connected your focus on storytelling to actually building a business?

Marie-Louise: Blandine and I talk about this constantly, and we extend the same conversations to the people we work with. For us, business is like an organism that’s always changing. We spend days together at production, and those conversations are essential for finding solutions and direction. The stories often lead the way—the clothes and business decisions become their form.

Esteban: So in the beginning, you had one narrative, and today there are many voices?

Marie-Louise: Yes. Hopefully, Baserange now holds many stories, with people working together. We were taught that streamlined brand communication is necessary for recognition and brand value—which makes sense if growth and size are the goals. But today, I think shared space, life, smaller ecosystems, and resource care should matter more than building a “big company.”

Esteban: How do you balance open discussion and specific direction when building business infrastructure?

Marie-Louise: From the start, we had clearly defined responsibilities, but there’s still confusion sometimes. It can be messy. Then we have to stop and talk. It’s about taking the time to find solutions together.

Esteban: So your approach to balancing openness and direction is building the right teams with specific functions.

Marie-Louise: Yes. In some way, you have to believe in the stories you’re telling together and leave space to question them as well. The questions—and the time to sit with them—are often more important than the answers.

Esteban: What was your biggest challenge starting out?

Marie-Louise: At first, it was simply having enough money to live. I was a single mom, and some days I couldn’t pay my bills. It was stressful, but I also felt deeply connected to the story. Looking back, I’m not sure starting a company with small children and financial uncertainty was the best path. My kids are the most important part of my life, and working from home gave me flexibility to be with them. But it also meant taking extra jobs to pay rent, leaving little time for family and friends.

Today, the challenges are different. The company is bigger. Blandine and I have never lived in the same city or country, which has been beautiful in some ways—Baserange has always been a community without a fixed “nationality.” The same goes for collaborators like Giovanna and Dan in the US, Sachiko in Japan, and Michael in Paris. But as we grow, staying connected becomes harder. Conversation has always been the glue, and as work increases, it’s easy for connections to fade. That’s now our biggest challenge: making time to talk.

Esteban: Baserange looks like a very niche brand with a strong identity, yet you have 150 stockists and four stores. Why has Baserange been able to scale with such a unique identity?

Marie-Louise: The community, and our willingness to support one another, has been our business plan. Supporting each other has allowed us to grow slowly. Flexibility and mutual understanding ensure things don’t just fall apart.

Esteban: So essentially four things: not compromising on your story, having another job to pay the bills, partnering with someone with complementary skills, and building in community with patience and trust.

Marie-Louise: Yes.

Esteban: What’s the biggest challenge now—for you and for the brand?

Marie-Louise: Resources are limited, and our broken systems teach us to exploit them. How do you build a clothing brand without taking more than you give back? I don’t know, but reconnecting with how we share and use resources is where we must begin. Esteban: Last question. If you had to start over, what specific advice would you give yourself?

Marie-Louise: Trust the stories that come from within. It doesn’t have to be about volume or building a big company. Two beautiful pieces in your home can be just as meaningful—if not more—than a million. Trust your voice, and be part of a community where you can support one another.

And take care of your health. Don’t chase huge orders that could overwhelm your project. Smaller, supportive communities are often healthier. Make sure you have someone skilled in accounting and finances—knowing your resources helps you stay grounded when making decisions. Creatives often dive into the process and struggle with structure, but understanding what you have keeps you steady.

It comes back to redefining what a “successful life” means. Build your company with communities in mind, not just growth. And if needed, have a side job to cover your bills—that creates a safer foundation and keeps you grounded in reality. That’s the most important advice I could give.

Esteban: When you say don’t grow too fast, do you have any nightmare stories of big orders gone wrong?

Marie-Louise: Blandine has always been excellent at keeping growth organic and avoiding too much stock. She has a great sense for balance—making sure we don’t have too much money tied up, which can break a business. There have been cancellations, but because of our close relationships with factories and contractors, they’ve always helped us as much as possible.

The real risk is when big platforms pull out and you’re left with huge stock. That’s why community matters—so you’re not dependent on just one order or one partner.

Esteban: Amazing. That concludes the episode. I could talk with you for two hours. I’m a huge fan of the brand.

Marie-Louise: Thank you so much for your beautiful work and for inviting me.