THE STORY BEHIND THE JULIE BIRKIN👛
AKA THE HOTTEST ACCESSORY IN TOWN
The greatest entrepreneurial duo of our generation is Julie Schott and Brian Bordainick, co-founders of Starface, Julie, Blip, and Futurewise (with Brian also being the founder of Overdrive Defense). These are brands we regularly cover on PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS, and for good reason. On the surface, their significance lies in their ability to solve big problems, often those rooted in taboos. But a deeper look reveals their true strength: a culture and community-first marketing strategy that breaks down stigmas in an accessible way, combined with products that truly work and address an unmet need.
We would love to write about each of these brands, but for today, we’re focusing exclusively on Julie. For those who don’t know, Julie sells emergency contraceptive pills that prevent pregnancy by stopping or delaying ovulation. The name "Julie" may be a nod to Julie Schott herself, but it’s also intended to convey the feeling of the brand being your friend - there for you when you need it - rather than an overly medical or scientific brand that feels out of touch.
That sense of comfort extends to every aspect of the brand, from campaigns to their partnerships and launches, which are designed to meet people where they are in a way that feels engaging. Julie brings color and levity to a category and product that have traditionally remained in the dark for far too long.
This week, we had the honor of chatting with Team Julie - Julie Schott, Chloe Hall, and Julia Muntean - about one of our favorite things they’ve done to date: the creation of the Julie Birkin (pictured above). It’s the epitome of everything they do so well at the intersection of collaborations and merch. We asked them all about their POV on brand merch and partnerships, the creative process behind the keychain, and their hopes and dreams for future activations and brand moments. A huge thank you to Julie, Chloe, and Julia for making this happen - the definition of a dream team. Let’s get into it:
MERCH
The first time we ever featured Julie on PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS was last year when they created a line of baby tees in collaboration with OGBFF. In true Julie fashion, the design and copy were epic, and the collection included the following iterations:
I took a pill in Ibiza
Sex happens
Julie pulled
I can manifest my period
To top it all off, they amplified the partnership by working with Galore during Art Basel, and also dressed Tana Mongeau who made a splash wearing the “Sex Happens” tee in the magazine:
While many brands simply place their logo or tagline on a t-shirt, Julie took a more creative route by partnering with a culturally relevant collaborator like OGBFF. They elevated the apparel with attention-grabbing copy that aligned with their brand’s message, without feeling overtly branded. This is where they truly excel - defying expectations and challenging stigmas while staying accessible in both language and formats, like apparel, that resonate.
Fast forward to last month, when the brand unveiled a completely different merch item: a mini keychain bag designed to hold their pills. This is yet another example of making a splash by doing something unexpected. Instead of a standard pill case, they created a hot pink, Birkin-inspired mini keychain bag. To launch the product, they partnered with a fashion designer during New York Fashion Week. We had to ask the Julie team about their decision to create this unique merch item, the behind-the-scenes look at the design process, the rise of keychains in the consumer landscape, and the future of these keychains:
PEOPLE BRANDS AND THINGS: Many brands invest in merch, but few nail it. Julie has always made a splash, from the OGBFF tees to these keychains. What’s your strategic POV on merch, and how do you approach the creative process?
Team Julie: Each assortment or item is designed to be collectible, fun, surprising, but function always comes first. That’s why we’re so excited about the pill purse.
The creative process varies and also depends on our partners as well, as so much of their character informs what we create and we are selective to align with partners that are as bold and self aware as we are.
PBT: Can you tell us more about the design of this keychain? Was the aim to create something buzzworthy, or did you prioritize functional relevance to the EC?
TJ: We’re all about having the morning after pill on hand in case you or a friend might need it. very few people are going to carry a box. With the keychain, carrying the pill, is easy and intuitive. We knew we wanted to make a small and iconic little purse to clip onto a bigger purse, keys—or anywhere!
PBT: Can you walk us through the design process? Were there multiple iterations? Why play on the iconic Birkin?
TJ: We experimented with different finishes on the metal and material, ultimately landing on leather so that it would feel genuinely luxurious and not like a throwaway. The see-through window revealing the pill is an important design feature that gives a peak at what’s inside.
As for the Birkin, it’s one of the most aspirational and highest coveted bags with elegant and utilitarian roots—it was Jane Birkin’s catch-all messy carrying basket. Birkins are the ultimate style equalizer: the Kardashians, your favorite French creative director, and viral sex workers on TikTok are all carrying this bag and alwaya will. In concept, it’s the perfect carrying bag for Julie.
PBT: There’s a growing trend of brands using keychains and charms as merch - J.Crew’s sweater charms, Glossier’s Balm Dotcom beads, Poppi’s soda charms. Why do you think keychains are making such a big comeback right now, and what do you think this says about what consumers are looking for?
TJ: After quiet luxury and clean girl trend cycles, there’s been a gravitational pull towards color, kitsch and self expression. The nostalgic iconography of charms and keychains allows us to really integrate our interests, taste, and beliefs into everyday style and there’s something comforting about a tangle of bag charms during stressful moments.
PBT: Any plans to make these keychains available to the public or bring them to life in another way?
TJ: We have something exciting coming out next month that will fit inside our Mini Bag Keychain as we build out the personal care toolkit alongside our Emergency Contraceptive. The bags will launch simultaneously with our new product.
PARTNERSHIPS
We’re best known for covering new collaborations on our page, which means we’ve sifted thousands of them that dropped this year. And while we’ve only just started Q4 and there’s a lot more to come, we can safely say that Julie’s partnership with Alfred takes the cake as one of our favorite collaborations of the year. It was a brilliant convergence of partnerships and out-of-home marketing, where the coffee cup sleeves became walking billboards for the brand, held by almost every major celebrity and influencer in LA. But it's not just that example - it’s also how they partnered with Olivia Rodrigo to have their Emergency Contraception given out at her GUTS tour, their past partnerships with OGBFF and Collina Strada, and now, their partnership with Elena Velez.
For context, they debuted these keychains at Elena Velez’s NYFW after-party at Soho Grand, alongside several other brands, including OnlyFans, Zacapa Rum, Blip, and Red Bull, to name a few. Influencers and other attendees rocked the keychains during the event, holding them in their hands, wearing them as crossbody bags, and attaching them to various parts of their outfits as an accessory.
We had to ask the Julie team more about their decision to partner with Elena Velez on this drop, their overall strategy behind partnerships, and those they dream of working with in the future. All of their answers make perfect sense - fitting perfectly into the larger "Julie world" they’re building:
PBT: Can you talk about the intersection between Julie and the fashion space, and why Elena Velez was the perfect partner to debut these keychains with?
TJ: Elaina Velez makes clothes that balance extreme femininity with strength, so her event at Fashion Week was a fitting place for us to canoe our own fashion statement.
PBT: You constantly execute partnerships so well, both in and outside of merch, like with your collaboration with Alfred. What’s your broader vision for collaborations, and what makes a person or brand the ideal partner for Julie?
TJ: For us successful partnerships start new conversations and hopefully offer a bit of entertainment. We partnered with Alfred on a coffee sleeve that read “when you’re not ready to be a mommy influencer” and it became a favorite with individuals that we’re proud to tell our story with like Alix Earle and Camilla Cabello. An ideal partner isn’t afraid to push the envelope and wants to do something that hasn’t been done before.
PBT: Beyond fashion, are there any cultural moments you’re looking to activate in or dream partners you’d love to collaborate with?
TJ: Kamala Harris would be a dream come true, Lana Rhoades is one of our icons. We’d like to put the Julie spin on a Bratz doll, 032c magazine cover, or Bravo programming. We are interested in getting further into the world of fashion—we love what Vaquera is doing right now. Hermes, hit our line, if you want to tap into your audience of sugar babies.
As they mentioned, the keychains will be available soon, and you can bet we’ll cover that on Instagram as soon as they go live for purchase. In the meantime, we want to extend a huge thank you to Julie, Chloe, and Julia for taking the time to speak with us. Julie is one of those brands making a HUGE mark on culture and will forever be remembered for their innovative, intentional, and impactful approach to marketing. A+++!
Want to submit a pitch? Email (or DM) us: peoplebrandsandthings@gmail.com