Chloe Eden Rhodes is not your typical fashion founder. Her biography reads like an action novel: plumber, soldier, bodybuilder, and nutritional coach. This diverse and intense background has uniquely forged her latest venture, the lingerie brand Eden & Rhode, a company built on the radical idea that lingerie should reflect a woman’s strength, ambition, and everyday power.
The Genesis of a Vision: A Life of Uniforms
Chloe’s journey began after school, seeking an active and purpose-driven path. She initially joined the Army, serving in warehousing logistics for several years. Searching for her true calling, she discharged and experimented widely, including working alongside her father in plumbing and high-pressure drainage, appreciating the physicality and handiwork.
Chloe’s return to the army as a physical training instructor (PTI) marked a pivotal moment in her career. This role immersed Chloe in the fitness world, leading to bodybuilding and later nutrition coaching. Bodybuilding became a transformative experience, revealing true capabilities and drive, culminating in participation at the world competition in Seattle.
The Pivot: From Alpha-Male Culture to Artistic Revelation
Despite her success in bodybuilding, Chloe found the PTI environment in the Army—which she described as a challenging and sometimes negative “alpha male style” culture—to be constricting. She realised her strength didn’t have to come with dominance.
This feeling, combined with an immense realisation of Chloe’s own power, inspired a search for an outlet to express long-suppressed passions—art and creativity.
The revelation struck while she was online shopping for herself. She noticed a gap in the market: most lingerie was either “delicate but impractical” or “functional yet uninspired”—too soft, flowery, and lacking adjustability. Chloe realised there was nothing to say to women who wanted to embody strength and power in their intimate apparel.
“I didn’t know how much I loved the creative industry.” As soon as I guess I had that little revelation, I was like, Oh, my God, this is… This is perfect.”
The Brand: Eden & Rhode—Where Innocence Meets Ambition
The brand name, Eden & Rhode, is a deliberate reflection of Chloe’s dual identity. “Eden”, her middle name, represents a softer, quieter, and conservative side, while “Rhode” embodies the “extremely ambitious”, expressive, and strong part of her personality.
The brand’s ethos is to redefine lingerie from being solely about sexualization and the bedroom—a style historically designed “for men to see”—to being about confidence, power, and self-expression for the woman wearing it. The goal is to make the product “wearable” and acceptable every day, blurring the line between underwear and outerwear.
Unique Innovations
Chloe’s background as a bodybuilder, where her size fluctuated significantly, directly informed the brand’s key technical innovation. Eden & Rhode introduces features for superior comfort and fit:
- Expanded Adjustability: Instead of the typical small hooks, the bras use a continuous slider system, like a shoulder strap, across the entire back to provide a much wider range of adjustability.
- Flexi-Moldable Wire: The use of a more comfortable, flexible wire that won’t “dig in.”.
- “Architectural” Aesthetic: The look is structured and less delicate than traditional lingerie.
The Launch: Overcoming Manufacturing Hurdles
The two-year development process was fraught with challenges, primarily in manufacturing. Lingerie is a highly technical garment that manufacturers often refuse to produce in smaller quantities. Chloe visited over 20 factories in China before a serendipitous meeting on her last day secured a partner who was happy with her initial order quantity and possessed the high quality she demanded. The manufacturer’s pedigree—having worked at Victoria’s Secret for 35 years—was a lucky discovery.
To ensure inclusivity, Chloe took a major financial risk by increasing her initial product order by 750 pieces to offer a starting size range from size 8 to 14, A to double D cup. This focus on sizing, along with the extreme adjustability, is a critical advantage, making the product highly versatile and reducing the dependency on a physical store.
Go-to-Market Strategy & Long-Term Vision
Chloe is adopting a modern, multi-channel launch strategy, heavily leveraging social media to market the product as a fashion brand rather than traditional lingerie.
The key launch event is a pop-up store in Brisbane:
- Location: Terrace Level 4, Shop 3, Queen’s Wharf, 100 George St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000
- Date: December 16 – 22
- Purpose: To allow customers to try on the product in person and receive professional sizing and fittings—a crucial step for building early trust and community.
Looking ahead, Chloe’s ultimate vision is to see Eden & Rhode become a massive international brand like Australian peers Kat the Label and Honey Birdette. The short-term goal includes expanding globally within five years and eventually opening a small, permanent store to continue offering in-person fittings.
Chloe Eden Rhodes is living proof that a diverse history is a strength, and her creation, Eden & Rhode, is poised to reshape what women expect from the clothes closest to their skin.
Chloe & Eden website: https://edenandrhode.com/
