How An MBA Helped Me Launch A Sustainable Lingerie Brand

Spending 15 years working in advertising for the fashion industry, Magali Mercier gained invaluable insider knowledge that allowed her to spot a crucial gap in the market: the absence of conscious, premium lingerie that celebrates femininity without costing the earth.

Armed with this insight, as well as a Bachelor’s in Fashion Design and Pattern Making, Magali founded Cambaj in 2021, a responsible lingerie brand headquartered in Dubai.

To give her brand the best possible chance of success, and to develop the business acumen she'd need to make it thrive, Magali pursued an MBA with the University of the Arts London Fashion Business School, delivered at Central Saint Martins in collaboration with Birkbeck, University of London. This distinctive MBA, developed to bring art and design thinking into a business context, provided Magali with the knowledge and confidence to take Cambaj to the next level.

Here, Magali shares how her business school journey helped turn her dreams into reality, along with her hopes for the future of Cambaj.

Tell us about your business?

Cambaj is a lingerie brand where sensuality blends with sustainability, driven by femininity and creativity at its core.

We use only GRS-certified post-consumer waste materials, Oeko-Tex Certified Tencel, and GOTS-certified cotton. Even our elastics are recycled, and our dyes are free from endocrine perturbants. Our aim is to create a dream product, soft as a breeze, to accompany women from their morning to their evening.

Overall, we qualify our products as 'Lifestyle Lingerie', creating comfortable yet creative designs with timeless use in mind.

What inspired you to start Cambaj?

Cambaj has been living in my mind since I was in fashion school. I was always fascinated by lingerie: the history behind it, the craft, the authenticity, and the confidence it gives women. I found it fascinating how this first layer in direct contact with our body can influence our mood.

What I love about lingerie is that it’s not cyclical and therefore sustainable by essence. But it took me 15 years to get a clear vision of this project, and now it’s an ever-evolving journey for me.

Tell us more about your business today?

We’re a one-woman band surrounded by amazing specialists and consultants. It really has femininity and womanhood at its core.

Our pattern makers are based in France, while our production takes place in Dubai, where our headquarters is also located.

What part did your b-school experience play in developing your business idea?

The strength of the Central Saint Martins and Birkbeck program is that it’s a creative, practice-based MBA. It allowed me to experiment with the system in order to think in terms of consistent iteration. Being personally always afraid to fail, this experience brought me back some freedom.

In what ways do you draw upon the skillset you developed at b-school?

My biggest takeaway was that we were taught to intervene, to question business models and insights.

Also, understanding that nothing is set in stone was vital for me. It allowed me to see that in order to reach the next level, I might need to step out of my comfort zone and into the unknown—where some of the best ideas are found.

Tell us about your typical working day?

Every day is a new adventure in the studio—which I love. They usually start with fulfilling orders, followed by sending emails, as we always have either a collection in development or in production. If this is not the case, we’ll be working on an event for our community or shooting pieces. I also try to plan time for inspiration and trend analysis. 

After that, our time is usually filled with slots for at-home trials, an initiative we launched a year ago with great success that allows our customers to try their underwear in the comfort of their home, with, of course, no obligation to purchase.

Once a month, I also visit our retailer to check how our collection is being received, gaining insights into what we might want to change or update.

Generally speaking, I am out as much as I am at my desk, which is very exciting.

How has your b-school network helped you develop Cambaj?

It was great that we all came from different backgrounds, with different stories to tell. The richness of this melting pot lies in the unique perspectives everyone could bring to the table. There was always something positive to take from every session.

What have been some of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered?

Being an entrepreneur and a mother at the same time has been challenging. Trying to complete assignments and work alongside my duties as a mother often means that it feels like I need more than 24 hours in a day.

My biggest strength has been the unconditional support of my husband and the love of my daughter.

Where would you like Cambaj to be in five years’ time?

Where it belongs—in the world of sustainable, ethical fashion that makes women feel good.

What is one surprising thing you’ve learned from starting your venture?

That I can do it, and that if you need help, someone will always be there to support you—you just need to ask.

I have also learned that building a strong and consistent business takes time, dedication, and hard work.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business?

Plan, trust yourself, and go for it!