Letter from our team: Flick Edition
Our team is pleased to introduce you to Flick, our chic new ring vibe. While designing this ring, we aimed to expand on what the world thinks a wearable vibrator looks like. It can be beautiful, a conversation starter, and, most importantly, fun to use.
Our core team of 6 is small and driven, but products aren’t made without the hard work and care of engineers, manufacturers, shipment carriers, product testers, and warehouse staff.
We’re so thrilled to share Flick with you! Read on for a little glimpse into the making of Flick:
Polly, CEO: I was terrified to tell the team that I thought we should revisit designing a wearable ring vibrator. Our last attempt with Palma in 2018 had won us 2nd place at TechCrunch Disrupt, but it also almost broke us.
The phrase "hardware is hard" is rooted in reality. Making a physical product that people incorporate into their lives is incredibly daunting. Wearable tech is notoriously difficult due to the size constraints and because it has to be something people actually want to wear out of the house. Oh, and did I mention that we're designing for one of the most nuanced and deeply intimate human experiences?
And yet, here we are, once again, holding our breath and launching Flick into the world. Not because we are fearless or faultless, but because we have the courage to keep trying. Thank you to Jing, Sam, Kate, Maddy, Claire, Candy, Vincent, Christy, Teresa, Lauren, Amy, Kellie and most of all – to my partner Sarah Jayne – because without your courage, there would be no Unbound.
Sarah Jayne, CCO: While we developed this ring, I had this constant vision of people running into each other “in the wild” and noticing that they were both wearing Flick. Sharing knowing glances, laughter, and connecting over the likeminded boldness of their choice to wear Flick out with them.
With every vibe we create, I always hope it empowers and pleases those who try it. With Flick, I considered a broader range of feelings that this ring could evoke: pride, joy, surprise, community, boldness, and anticipation. It’s a beautiful ring in its own right- so sculptural and smooth but it also serves as a statement. One that tells us that our bodies and what makes them feel good is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a fashionable fuck you to the people, policies, and belief systems that have told us to feel shame for who we are. May Flick help you celebrate what you already know about yourself and help you learn something new as well.
Maddy, Sr. Content Manager: One of my favorite things about building a new product is building the story behind it. Who is she? Who is she for? What does she represent? When asking myself these questions about Flick, a full-fledged being emerged from my mind: someone unapologetic, a little chaotic, and larger-than-life. I wanted to capture this spirit of Flick in our photoshoot(s).
Our shoots are always great, and our set is always fun, but Flick was particularly special to me because I got to lead the creative direction for it. I think the spirit of Flick consumed me as well, and this shoot became larger-than-life in its own way: dozens of props, at least 3 concepts executed, all shot over two days.
As you see the stills from those days, and, hopefully, as you wear your new Flick, I hope its spirit rubs off a little on you too. My wish for you is that you feel a little bolder, a little more chaotic, and 10000% more unapologetic about taking up space when you wear Flick (and always!).
Jing, Product Sr. Manager: Flick is not short of sparks from the design brain and cross-team contribution, from stacks of sketches to engineering, prototyping, and beta testing, to the assembly facility, and eventually to your hands. Not to mention the process that the metal itself has to go through melted in extreme temperatures, then cast in molds, sandblasted and vacuumed coated with 24k gold and palladium, then polishing, laser etching, screw fitting, and assembling. In my cultural background, an object that goes through a process to that extent can be called ‘Forged in Fire Thousands of Times.’ All of those intricacies bring out a gem to the world for you, our babes.
In my humble opinion, Flick speaks true to our mission: coming together. It’s a signal that you can choose to send to another person of your interest. It’s a secret code that only you know, and for whoever you want them to know. It’s a call for a good time spent together, and it brings us closer physically. When it’s off, you have the power of the world. When it’s on, it’s your moment to shine. It’s the ultimate metaphor for sex positivity for anyone who chooses it. So, are you ready to shine?
Kate, Director of Design: Flick was a product that had been in conceptual and developmental gestation for some time, and by the time we were ready to start birthing Flick, I went on parental leave with my own new baby. This led to us hiring the brilliant designer, Claire Fogarty, to fill in for me for a few months this summer. Of the many memorable things she contributed to the team, the packaging for Flick was one of the most beautiful. Every new product comes with its own set of challenges to conquer when it comes to packaging. It was important to us that Flick be size-inclusive and have the ability to fit as many people as possible, so the challenge was to create fun and functional packaging that could accommodate Flick's various ring bands and the tools used to change it out. This was accomplished with a sleek pull-out tray displaying all the ring bands that (as we hope with all Unbound packaging) could be proudly showcased on a nightstand. The cute illustrations didn’t hurt either. So thank you, Claire, for building Flick's forever home!
Sam, Wholesale Sr. Manager: As the person on our team who supports the retailers that carry Unbound, my role in the product design process requires me to tap into our retailers’ understanding of what their customers want from a vibrator right now and make that digestible for our team. It’s been such a pleasure working together with everyone, relaying feedback and ideas about what makes a great vibrator, and it’s been so hard to keep my mouth shut about this amazing project when I talk to our retail customers. I want to shout out Jing’s decision to engineer a one-Flick-fits-all resizable band, which eliminates the main problem many retailers have with carrying products that require different sizes (it’s a lot of inventory to manage). Maddy, Kate, Claire, & Sarah Jayne have, as always, done an amazing job with the creative. They work so hard to let the coolness of our products shine through, and it makes my job a lot easier. Congratulations to all, especially Jing (yay Jing’s first patent!!!!) & our fearless leader Polly, and I hope that Flick brings you as much joy as it has brought us– I am quite sure that it will.
