Fashion Spotlight: FUN+CUTE Is Reimagining Athleticwear

Girlhood is one of the buzzwords taking social media by storm, finding a place alongside any and all celebrations of femininity. In the past two years, the color pink has become a top presence on runways and streets around the world, thanks to dopamine dressing, the Barbie movie, and the social media reclamation of all things feminine. Aesthetic trends like Barbiecore, balletcore, and Regencycore have revived many women’s affinities for conventionally feminine makeup, outfits, and home decor.

Third-year law student Jasmine Campise is welcoming the trend in its entirety with her New York City-based brand FUN+CUTE. EnVi spoke with Jasmine about embracing femininity, uplifting women, and the challenges of running a small business.

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The FUN+CUTE Origins

Before she was a third-year law student, Jasmine nurtured her long-standing interest in fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). “I have always made fashion sketches, ever since I was young. I think it runs in my family,” Jasmine says. Growing up, she was surrounded by her grandparents’ work at their manufacturing factory in Chinatown. Though she didn’t work at the factory, she recognized her love for design early on.

When she finished her undergraduate degree at the FIT, Jasmine followed in her father’s footsteps and enrolled in law school. “It felt like this familiar path that was safe,” she explains. But as she nears her graduation, she has come to understand that regardless of what her next step is, she needs to do something she loves. Right now, Jasmine finds joy in curating her style identity and expressing herself, even as a full-time student. “I feel more excited about what I’m going to wear to law school than actually being in law school,” she says, laughing.

At any given moment, Jasmine is balancing her law school responsibilities, fitness goals, and daily chores. Since she is always on the go, Jasmine’s preferred uniform to power through her to-do list is activewear. As someone who enjoys the comfort of athleticwear and the playfulness of feminine details, she struggled to find daily attire that matched her personal style. Thus, when Jasmine realized she could fill the gap in the market, FUN + CUTE was born.

The Real Elle Woods Experience

FUN+CUTE was founded with the mission to bridge femininity and activewear in a novel way. Tapping into the internet’s recent love for Y2K visuals and all things feminine, Jasmine created her first line of products. Drawing inspiration from the girls of New York, supermodel Bella Hadid, and nostalgic cartoon characters such as Hello Kitty and Sailor Moon, Jasmine spent months designing and refining a series of matching activewear sets. During that time, she even dealt with one of the biggest hurdles that come with starting a business: sourcing quality materials while staying within budget. With time, extensive research, and many conversations with suppliers, Jasmine was able to secure resources for her brand.

When it launched in February 2023, FUN+CUTE offered gym-ready sportswear products in black, baby pink, and pastel blue slate colorways. Many of the items were decorated with tastefully placed bow appliques, a touch that preempted the rise of bows as the epitome of the girlhood revolution. The thoughtful design of each sports bra is meant to provide functionality without sacrificing style, evident in the double-layered fabric, snap buttons, and adjustable straps. Since her first drop, Jasmine has expanded her lineup to include more products in the same colors.

With more people discovering FUN+CUTE on social media, Jasmine encountered the unexpected challenge of dealing with counterfeit products. As her social media following gradually increased, so did the number of replicas of her work. Even at FUN+CUTE’s six-month mark, there were already other brands taking her designs and imagery. “At first I was kind of excited and I was like wow, like, that’s cool. That’s kind of like validating,” Jasmine says. “But after a while, it just kind of got annoying… that’s where going to law school kind of helps me,” she adds, explaining she was able to write cease and desist letters thanks to her legal education.

Juggling a small business, law school, and personal life does pose a time management challenge, but Jasmine has found a way to accept the sometimes chaotic rhythm of her schedule. She splits her time between studying and attending to her business and tries to keep the two separate. For example, if she prioritizes her studies in the morning, she’ll set time aside in the evening to focus solely on FUN+CUTE. Try as she might, though, Jasmine can’t resist putting in extra hours for her business — after all, it takes a lot of effort to run a company. “It sounds bad, but to me, work is life and life is work,” she says with a laugh. “If somebody emails me at 11 p.m. I’ll probably try to respond.”

Making Lifting Fun and Cute

With the rest of 2024 on the horizon, Jasmine is thinking about what the future of FUN+CUTE looks like. What started as a passion project has quickly grown into a small, but dedicated community of online supporters who quickly sell out the brand’s drops. Throughout the entire process of growing her brand, Jasmine has maintained a friendly relationship with FUN+CUTE consumers. Not only does she regularly share photos of people wearing her products on the FUN+CUTE socials, but she also recently started a “Cute Chat” series that highlights a “cute girl” every month. “I want other people to feel a part of it,” Jasmine says, emphasizing the two-way nature of her interactions with fans of the brand.

Jasmine’s original plan to make fun and cute activewear has grown into a journey of empowering women to feel their best, whether they’re lifting weights in the gym or running errands. For Jasmine, FUN+CUTE is one way that she balances her interest in fashion with working out — which she does five times a week.

Photos courtesy of FUN+CUTE.

“It’s this very masculine energy coming from fitness in general,” Jasmine explains. She refers to the abundance of male-oriented supplement marketing strategies and the uninviting intensity that radiates from public weight-lifting areas as part of the driving force behind her dedication to FUN+CUTE. Specifically, the brand’s coquette-approved pieces can make fitness more welcoming for women who are hesitant to get started. “I feel like making girly and cute activewear is almost a way of bringing femininity into that,” Jasmine says. “You can look cute and be feminine and also be the only girl in the weight room.”

Though Jasmine might not have concrete plans for this year’s releases — in her own words, she tends to be spontaneous with her decisions, since she’s not a full-fledged corporation — she does have a lot of designs she hopes to produce. Jasmine is looking to expand her work with FUN+CUTE through creative collaborations with influencers, photographers, and potentially other designers. And, of course, she plans on revisiting her original designs and continuing to perfect each FUN+CUTE piece as she grows.

But, in a world of fast-paced fashion releases, Jasmine is not in a rush. Her small-batch drops with FUN+CUTE are designed and produced with intention and in a limited capacity — with no pressure to succumb to arbitrary deadlines or ever-changing trends. As she celebrates her brand’s one year anniversary this February, Jasmine is staying true to her intentions, finding joy in everyday treats, and empowering women to embrace their feminine side.

Get The FUN+CUTE Look

FUN+CUTE brings fashionable femininity to gym-goers and athleisure lovers alike. Treat yourself to available FUN+CUTE offerings and keep up with the brand for their March restock — which may include the launch of an exciting new product.