In this Brand Spotlight, we’re so excited to introduce you to Seujan Bertram, CEO of tomboyx, and share a conversation that feels especially meaningful during Pride Month.Seujan tells us more about leading as a queer woman of color, what it means to move through rooms that weren’t built with you in mind, and why Pride is so much more than visibility or celebration.
Hi Seujan! Can you please introduce yourself?
Hi, I am Seujan Bertram and my pronouns are she/her. I am the CEO of tomboyx and am honored to lead this next chapter at tomboyx.
For anyone who’s unfamiliar or new to the brand, how would you describe tomboyx and the need it was created to meet?
Tomboyx is an inclusive, purpose driven apparel company offering undergarments and swimwear in sizes XS through 6X. The origin story is one of my favorites: It started in a one-car garage. Fran and Naomi initially just wanted well-fitting, stylish button-up shirts for women — the kind of quality you could find in menswear but not in the women's section. They launched a Kickstarter campaign and about a week in, realized they were tapping into something much bigger than shirts. As the business grew, customers kept asking for the same thing: boxer briefs for women. It was the number one request. When Fran searched "women's boxer briefs" on Nordstrom, up came a pair of Spanx and nothing else. In September 2014, they introduced two lengths of boxer briefs, pre-sold them via the website, sold out before they arrived, and tripled revenue in six months. The rest followed from there.
In addition to the tomboyx website, customers can also purchase tomboyx garments at REI, Nordstrom, Amazon and of course Viva Voce!
Tomboyx was founded by Fran and Naomi to create better underwear options for people who were failed by the status quo. What does that mission mean to you today?
The founding philosophy of tomboyx is even more critical today as many in our community are under attack. When a brand exists to say “you belong here”, that is a stance. And right now, that stance matters more than it did when Fran and Naomi started this in their garage. My job is to make sure tomboyx can keep showing up, which means building a business that is financially strong enough to sustain the mission long term.
As a queer woman of color and CEO, what does it mean to lead a brand rooted in challenging who fashion and underwear are “supposed” to be for?
I have spent most of my career being the first or the only. The only woman in the room. The only person of color. The only lesbian. Many times all three at once. I learned early how to move forward without a map, how to build space where none existed, and how to lead in rooms that were not built with me in mind.
Leading tomboyx feels like a natural extension of that path. This brand was built for everyone who has had to figure it out without a roadmap, who has shown up anyway, who has never quite fit the mold but kept going. I am one of those people. And I am ready for whatever this work asks of me.
Since this feature is going live during Pride Month, what does Pride mean to you beyond visibility or celebration?
My Pride story began in a classroom in upstate New York in the 1990s. I was outed and fired from my first teaching job. At my second, I was outed again and nearly fired. My principal intervened, said I was a good teacher and he did not care. I spent the next ten years living by a quiet don't ask, don't tell rule, teaching in one town and living far from it.
When I moved to Seattle, I made myself a promise. I would never hide again.
I have kept that promise through every role since, building my career openly and visibly as a queer woman of color in rooms that were not always ready for me. Pride, to me, is the accumulation of all of that. It is accountability. It is showing up visibly when visibility costs something. And it is the responsibility to be here now, building something real, for the people who need it most.
If you could write a letter to a younger version of yourself, what would you say to her?
I would tell her that it is going to be okay. That everything that makes her different is actually her superpower. That the path will not be linear and she will have a great time, meet interesting people, and have lots of adventures. She will find her people and find herself. She will walk into rooms where no one looks like her and build things that did not exist before she arrived. And she will not only build a wonderful life, she will be there for so many others who needed someone to go first.
What do you think people underestimate about underwear?
What you put on first and closest to your skin sets the tone for the whole day. If what you are wearing does not fit right, does not reflect who you are, or was clearly not made with you in mind, you carry that. It is subtle but it is cumulative. The right foundation changes how you move through the world.
How does tomboyx think about size inclusion and body diversity when creating pieces meant to support so many different people and identities?
I am so very proud of tomboyx’s commitment to inclusive sizing. One of the things I am most proud of is our extensive use of fit models across sizes and gender identities. That is how we ensure our apparel fits every body, not just a scaled up version of one idea of what a body is.
What does it mean to you to help create products that people wear closest to their bodies, especially for people who haven’t always felt safe or affirmed in their bodies?
It is a real responsibility and I do not take it lightly. Early in my career I learned that people just want to be seen and feel heard. That has been true in every organization I have led and it is true for our customers too. When someone finds a product that fits them and feels like it was made for them, that is not a small thing. For many of our customers it is the first time something has fit the way they needed it to.
You recently joined us in Nashville for a Viva Voce pop-up. What was that experience like for you?
I had so much fun. As a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand, we rarely get to see how customers actually experience our products in person, the way something feels when you pick it up, the quality you can touch and see firsthand. Being there and talking with people about what we make, watching them connect with it in real time, that was something special. And the community was so welcoming and affirming. You really know how to throw a lovely party. I left energized and grateful.
What are 1–2 tomboyx pieces you’re especially excited for people to experience right now, and why?
I am absolutely crazy about our bamboo rib line. I have fairly sensitive skin and the feel and quality is exceptional. I can wear it all day long and never have a reaction. It is buttery soft, breathable, and honestly it is the perfect underwear for hot flashes. If you know, you know.
What do you hope someone feels when they discover tomboyx through a space like Viva Voce?
I love the diversity of products you offer at Viva Voce and how tomboyx fits right into a space that was built with inclusion at the center.
