Commando founder Kerry O'Brien: Boutiques are set to see a resurgence

In fashion, the small businesses have suffered more than the big ones since March. But Commando founder Kerry O'Brien thinks that, for those boutiques that can survive a tortuous shutdown, the other side will be a lot brighter. "I think they're going to have a resurgence if they can make it through these times," she said. "Women are going to want to go to their local shop, and they're going to want to have a conversation with someone they know in a small setting." Boutiques were where Commando, which started off in the underwear category, got its start. It's still carried in more than 1,000 boutiques, as well as at major department stores. O'Brien launched the company in 2003, a few years after having quit her job at public relations giant Edelman the day after 9/11. The company has since grown, playing a role in the surge in popularity of bike shorts, according to O'Brien. Bella Hadid wore a pair by Commando at Paris Fashion Week in 2017. O'Brien thinks women shopping for clothes are now looking for two things: comfort and transparency about where the clothes came from. Commando manufactures its products in the United States and imports most fabrics from Europe. With the pandemic keeping retail foot traffic down, she's been spending most of her time at the company's home base in Burlington, Vermont. For a recent photo shoot, O'Brien said, "We used a local model. We can't bring in a New York City model, because they would have to quarantine."