The Beauty Of Bumble
Marie Claire - US|October 2018

Whitney Wolfe Herd’S Empire Of Female Empowerment Is Branching Out Beyond The World Of Dating Apps. Up Next? A Skincare Line—And An Ambitious Campaign To End Misogyny

Daphne Beal
The Beauty Of Bumble
AT THE END OF EVERY WORKWEEK BUMBLE FOUNDER AND CEO WHITNEY WOLFE HERD likes to slow things down for her team. Often this means staying at HQ—a playful mid-century-style pad of many yellows and hexagonal motifs—to treat the now-60-person team based in Austin, Texas, to manicures in the designated Glam Room (which doubles as a nursing haven for new moms). But today she takes them to the local Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to see RBG, the recently released documentary about iconic Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The group of staffers, mostly women, fills seats around Wolfe Herd; the theater, with its menu of food and cocktails, provides a giddy sense of playing hooky rather than one of required reading. Betty Boop for President, a slyly subversive black-and-white cartoon, plays before the documentary. The two films are an appropriate combo for this gang: Bumble is nothing if not woman-centric, and its notions of womanhood intertwine strands of the cute with the noble, the ambitious with the decorous, and the feminine with the feminist.

A plate of chicken tenders on her lap, Wolfe Herd visibly relaxes when the lights go down. Watching the film, she seems to give herself over to not being Whitney Wolfe Herd, tech-startup mogul. For the first time all day, she’s just a 29-year-old at the movies.

Teetering between these two worlds has its price. Earlier in the day, soon after we meet, Wolfe Herd breezily says she feels dizzy. “Does that ever happen to you? I think it’s anxiety. I have so much. Yesterday, I cried for 20 minutes in my kitchen. Why is that?” Wolfe Herd says she used to try to hide her anxiety, but “if people look at me and think I’ve got it all together, why not tell the truth?”

This story is from the October 2018 edition of Marie Claire - US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2018 edition of Marie Claire - US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MARIE CLAIRE - USView All
“THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF BECOMING A MEDIOCRE CRAFTER"
Marie Claire - US

“THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF BECOMING A MEDIOCRE CRAFTER"

In her new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, author Amanda Montell explores the state of the modern mind. This exclusive excerpt examines why we're obsessed with things that are handmade.

time-read
10+ mins  |
The Makers Issue
Field of Dreams
Marie Claire - US

Field of Dreams

While agriculture has historically been a male-dominated industry, a new crop of farmers is working to make the community more diverse, inclusive, and cool.

time-read
6 mins  |
The Makers Issue
On Pointe
Marie Claire - US

On Pointe

As a dancer with the New York City Ballet, India Bradley knows a good performance-and that the outfit plays a role.

time-read
4 mins  |
The Makers Issue
MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT
Marie Claire - US

MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT

In today's murky fashion landscape of discourse and 'cores, to be a revolutionary is to tune out the chatter and focus on your skill. Here, a vanguard group of designers who prioritize their artistry above all else.

time-read
10+ mins  |
The Makers Issue
CAMERA, KIRSTEN
Marie Claire - US

CAMERA, KIRSTEN

After a two-year hiatus, the actress is back where she wants to be: the big screen.

time-read
10+ mins  |
The Makers Issue
Whiskey Business
Marie Claire - US

Whiskey Business

Fawn Weaver, the founder of Uncle Nearest spirits, is doing more than just raising a glass—she’s raising awareness.

time-read
6 mins  |
The Makers Issue
The 700-Mile Journey to Get an Abortion
Marie Claire - US

The 700-Mile Journey to Get an Abortion

As states continue to enact harmful legislation that restricts access to reproductive healthcare, a network of pilots is flying people across the country to get services they need. Marie Claire reports from the air.

time-read
10+ mins  |
The Makers Issue
INSIDE THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE WIZ
Marie Claire - US

INSIDE THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE WIZ

The famed show is back on Broadway, and with it, a dazzling new group of creatives. Before the curtains go up, writer Amber Ruffin gathers the cast to discuss the magic of making the musical.

time-read
10 mins  |
The Makers Issue
RAISING THE BAR
Marie Claire - US

RAISING THE BAR

Despite endless body wash options, the art of luxury soap making hasn't slipped away. Many beauty brands are leaning into the centuries-old product, while elevating it with unique scents and ingredients.

time-read
2 mins  |
The Makers Issue
What Really Happened to Jessica Savitch?
Marie Claire - US

What Really Happened to Jessica Savitch?

In the 40 years since her death, the pioneering newscaster has become an Icarus-like parable, a woman who was punished for her outsize ambition. She was one of the most powerful names in news, until one disastrous broadcast tarnished her golden image. In an exclusive report, her friends and family speak out about what everyone got wrong about her life.

time-read
10+ mins  |
The Power Issue 2023