Meet La Maison Komandō: Our First Ever Featured Seller!

We’ve always wanted to feature more amazing brands on our website, but we’re SO picky about who we’ll work with. We want to make sure they fully align with our ethics, quality, environmental values, and are a part of our queer community. 

So when we say we finally found the perfect brand, you should not take this lightly!

We’re SO proud to introduce our very first featured brand: Maison Komandō. Montréal-made, Black and queer-owned, and deeply aligned with everything we believe in when it comes to ethical production, small-batch design, and creating for our community, not just marketing to it. If it’s here, it’s because we trust it fully. And we really do.

Maison Komandō is an award-winning, identity-driven intimate apparel brand redefining what underwear can look and feel like. Their pieces are designed to fit who you actually are, not who the industry expects you to be.

At the heart of it all is their Foxerz™ collection: boxer-cut underwear engineered for bodies with curves and hips. It’s a premium alternative to traditional “feminine” underwear, built with comfort, quality, and style in mind, without compromising identity. These queer boxer briefs are made from the softest sustainable bamboo. These quality boxer-briefs have the kind of fit that moves with you, supports you, and doesn’t ask questions about how you identify.

And like everything we carry, it goes deeper than the garment itself. Foxerz™ by Maison Komandō are about representation. It’s about making space. It’s about high-quality, sustainable essentials that reflect real people and actively uplift BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Watch the video to learn more about our new featured seller, or read the transcript below!

Transcript for Origami Customs’ Interview with Maison Komandō

Rae: Hi everyone! This is Rae from Origami Customs, and I'm here with Murielle. We are going to talk about an amazing collaboration that's coming up between our two brands. Do you want to tell me a little bit about it? Who you are, what you do?

Murielle: Absolutely! going with my full name- so I'm Murielle Bien-Aimé. Artist name: Truly. And I'm the founder and creative director of Maison Kommando. 

Rae: An amazing brand. 

Murielle: Thank you so much, thank you so much. And I've discovered your brand. Um, recently. And there's a lot that happened since. 

Rae: We want to tell you the story because this is so- to back up, this is the first collaboration that we're doing as a brand.

If you don't know me and Origami Customs, we do gender-affirming underthings, swimwear with a focus on gender-affirming garments like gaffs and binders, specifically for the trans community, but everything is made to measure, which means anyone can get a piece that fits them amazingly.

We make everything here in the studio where we're filming today with a team of all queer and trans people. So it's all In-house, it's all for the community, by the community. And when we found each other, this felt like the perfect place to start a collaboration for the first time. So these will be products that will be featured on our website that people can buy. And there's a lot of overlap. 

Murielle: There's a lot of overlap and it's pretty exciting because, whenever the first time that we got introduced to each other- because weirdly, we were in the same city in Montreal. And we've never crossed paths.

And then we met in Toronto, at the CQCC Gala. And people kept on saying, like, 'You guys need to know each other. You guys need to know each other.' You guys need to know each other. And then. We started to talk and that was back in what November 25. And today it's almost May 2026 and here we are starting the collaboration, yeah that's pretty cool. 

Rae: People kept telling me, 'Oh, there's another Montreal maker who's doing bamboo underwear like you guys know each other right And we're like, 'No.' Like, four people came up to me at this gala that we were at in Toronto. So I was like, 'Okay, obviously we need to meet.' And we did, and the rest is history. We've been working on this collaboration for a couple months now. Um, tell me more about your products. What can people expect? 

Murielle: So basically, at Maison Komandō, we specialize in making undergarments that stand  as a premium alternative to traditional feminine underwear. So I like to call them I like to air quote them so-called traditional feminine underwear.

So again still on the market you know we have very traditional underwear, you know- something lacy, you know, and stuff like that. And those are things that never really match my aesthetic, my comfort level, the way that I identify. So I decided to create an alternative to that because we deserve options, and we deserve better.

Rae: They're awesome. I wear them, and they're amazing. 

(*accidental video shut off*)

Rae: We're back from the break. laughs (The alarm on Rae’s phone went off)

Murielle: That's right. Snooze

Rae: Okay. Um, let me go back to saying that the material that we use is actually the same bamboo, which is rad.

We both obviously care a lot about not just making comfortable underwear for the community, for queer and trans people, but also like the sustainability of making things locally and making things out of sustainable materials like bamboo. So there's like so many checkboxes here between the two of us and obviously we had an idea of what was important to us when we were designing and creating our brands.

Murielle: Absolutely, and I think this is where we connected because I didn't want to have to compromise anymore with, you know, buying underwear or making underwear. It just became kind of a way to solve that problem. So quality, I think, you know, mine is definitely mixed with a bit of performance, as well as identity. So I don't think any compromise should be made when you're buying something as intimate as your underwear.

Rae: Hundred percent. Yeah. Why did you decide that you wanted to manufacture here?

MurieI: You know, it's a funny story. To be honest, um whenever I started this, I've had the idea like, you know, a long time ago, entering the pandemic where everyone had, you know, questioned their whole lives and their future. You know, I sat down and I talked to myself, okay, now it's time to start this company. So, I wanted to get familiar with how to construct garments. Yeah. Which I had no idea how to do before.

Rae: Self-taught? Hello, me too.

Murielle: You know what I mean? So self-taught but with a little bit of help. So shout out to my sewing professor, Sonia. So she does, she's a teacher and she has a school here in Montreal. Um, and she focuses a lot on sustainable fabrics. 

So Sonya is the one who actually put me on game. Okay. You know, and I've developed a conscience about that. And I told myself, listen, I want to offer quality products. I'm also a lot about quality control. 

Rae: I can tell.

Murielle: It's way easier for me to have them made here. I can sleep at night. I know that things are made ethically.

Rae: They're like right up the street. Like, we know exactly where things are being made. Same with us.

Murielle: Absolutely

Rae: We could never imagine outsourcing and not knowing what the factory's like or what the people that are making them are like and how they're treated. Here we have a full line of sight on the whole process to keep it ethical. Right?

Murielle: Yeah, that makes sense. So, you know, it is not easy to have a local chain of supply.

Rae: Yes.

Murielle: You know, it is hard to build, but once it's there, it's pretty solid. Yeah. So I'm very proud that, you know, the whole manufacturing process is actually made here in Montreal. 

Rae: Yeah. That's amazing. What can people expect with the products that they're going to see when they go to our website?

Murielle: Well, they're gonna discover the underwear that I made. They're called Foxerz, so female boxers. But the pattern is made for hips and curves. Yeah. so it can fit obviously women, active women, you know, it can be elite athletes, it could be, you know, just, you know, someone who loves to be active. And, you know, absolutely trans men. You know? Because the product fits both. 

Rae: Yeah, it's hard to find good underwear that's like a flat front but in a more masculine style. And one that fits really well, because like I've tried a lot of products that are similar that are like flat front kind of boxer brief styles. And like none of them were quite right.

Like none of them really got the fit right and like these are really made to contour to people's bodies. They really work with curves. And I really love like you've done a double gusset in the middle so they're super comfortable. And they work with menstrual products, which is awesome. I was thinking about that the other day. I love that for them. And they're really secure.

The waistband is super super soft too. That's 100% my most important thing when I buy underwear.

Murielle: Yes, the waistband has to be super soft.

Rae: Like we, I've spent years looking for the right elastics to make sure that it's going to be super comfy. And I saw yours in Toronto for the first time and I was like scoping them out and like, is this, is this gonna, is this gonna be up to my standard? The first time I met you and I was like, ah, yeah, it is. They're really good. I remember turning to my team and being like, oh fuck, they're really good.

Murielle: Hey, listen, this is why also, and I know that it's the same thing for your brand, and I know that you, you know, you've been working at this for a couple of years, which I tremendously respect because it is not an easy business. Especially trying to cater to a community that you're part of and you know, just to so many fluctuations throughout the years, but you know, I love the fact that we relate on that. The quality.

It's not something that is negotiable, and not for us and not for our clients. So I think it's just an alignment of who we are and also who our clientele is.

Rae: Yeah, absolutely. It's for the community by the community. Like that's obviously baked into what you've been doing from the start. With yourself, and I'm assuming the people who you like developed your product with. And it was the same for us. It's like we don't want to sell things that we don't fully stand behind, that we don't use ourselves, that we don't understand how it needs to work.

Murielle: That's true. So. That's true.

Rae: It just made a lot of sense

Murielle: And I have to say something. I didn't know much about, you know, the products and gender affirming garments. And you've taught me a lot.

Rae: Cool!

Murielle: So, Rae and I actually, you know, you guys are going to see this, once the partnership and the collab is out, is that, you know, we've had a  collaborative photo shoot. And you know, I got to see the products up close. I also got to see the attention to detail because it's compression fabric. and I had never thought of the danger behind, you know, like the construction. 

Rae: Like improper binding techniques and some of the materials that are too compressive and stuff like that.

Murielle: Absolutely

Rae: It's a really good example too of like,  how gender affirming products are great for everyone. Like we shot a cisgender woman, and we were using binders and we were using your undies, and it was great. And she was saying like, " Wow, I wish I had these for working out," and they're so comfy.

And I was like, "Yeah, like this not just for trans people and gender affirmation isn't just for trans people." Just like you created like an undie that is amazing for women but also happens to be amazing for trans people.

There's so much overlap in the way that our bodies need to be supported in different ways. You know, you can't put someone into a box and you can't put these clothes into a box. Like that's always been my shtick from the beginning, it's like: you can't separate clothing into a binary, it doesn't work that way.

Murielle: That's right.

Rae: Because our bodies don't work that way

Murielle: Our identities though, I mean, I am of the opinion and I know that you share this, like our identities also do not work that way. And in my personal perspective, I don't see things in, you know, that like binary vernacular. So, um, I'm glad that we found each other. And I'm glad that our products are also kind of, you know, getting coupled. 

Rae: They go so well hand in hand. Like we haven't had a lot of good bottoms for like, either like masculine queer women or masc of center or trans men, anyone who wants to wear this type of bottom in a long time. I had designed one similarly ages ago.  It wasn't as good. It was not as good.

Murielle: Okay

Rae: And it was more expensive.

Murielle: Oh shit!

Rae: And this is why I was like, this is better. You won't believe this. Trust me. Not that I sucked, but these are great.

Murielle: Listen, listen. Like what's the expression? Like you walk, so I could run.

Rae: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's got their own version of making the same few products, you know. But yeah, I saw it and I was like, this makes a lot of sense. Like, we want to have things for binder wearers to also have bottoms that match. They go really well together.

We obviously want to support another small business, but it just, it makes sense for the people who are shopping on our website anyways. And hopefully it makes sense for customers that are finding us through you that they may also want gender reformation stuff. And we make different cuts of bamboo undies too that are really different from yours. So if people want a thong or they want something that's more feminine, they can also find stuff that's hand in hand and it's the same fabric. It's pretty cool. 

Murielle: That's really really cool. And you know what?  I did a couple of markets since we entered the market back in 2023. So you know, like you're very much experienced. Like the company is very much like a baby to me still. A baby with big dreams and big ambitions.

But, you know, I've had a lot of clients come up to me saying, hey, you know, like my child, this is what they're going through. This is what they would need- have you ever thought of… and unfortunately like, well, you know, it's not my specialty, but I'm so glad to now be able to, you know, be able to refer them to our website, but also now that we know each other, I can talk to them. And I know that I can refer a company that I can fully stand behind. 

Rae: Awesome. 

Murielle: (Looks at a bee) Is that a bird?

Rae: There's a bee in the room. We're gonna be okay. Yeah. I'll keep an eye on him.

Murielle: We went through worse.

Rae: Okay, but what I was going to say is that we all don't need to reinvent the wheel. Like, I love your version of the product that you're doing more than the version of it that I designed, you know?

Like, and you don't need to create a binder because it's like those are- we have good options of that, you know, and we can. And I don't, I think that you and I both believe in having a non-competitive working relationship.

Our brands are synchronistic in a way and that's how I feel about a lot of other brands that do something similar. It's like I've never wanted to be in competition with them. We all do something that's a little bit different and I love referring my clients to other brands to be like, they actually do this better!

You know, there's brands that do like a long binder that I don't do and I'm like, hell yeah, like this is the brand that I always send people to because like why would I try to do a product and just do it worse than they're doing it, you know? So, I think it's a win-win for everybody.

Murielle: It's a win-win. And I love this mentality and I've seen it at work. This is the very first time that I do meet someone in, you know, who's working in the same industry as I do. And, you know, like you, you're very transparent. You know, like there's a nice term that gatekeepers are very much known in this industry. and I'm glad I found someone who's not, you know, either scared to share.

Obviously, there's definitely something you see in the brand. And obviously, you know, in myself as the founder of the brand. And it's something that's, you know, there's full reciprocity on that end. For me as well.

So, whatever you need.

Rae: 100 percent I mean, I've had this really awesome realization in the like since we started collaborating about how important it is to have peers. And I think that maybe it's the same for you. Like I haven't really had…

Murielle: Loners!

Rae: …Peers! People who are doing something similar with the same ethics, like and I didn't even think it was going to be in the same city. Like I thought that maybe there are other people out there who are doing something similar to me and I try to, you know, collaborate with them in ways that I can over the internet, but that's kind of what we're limited to. 

But someone who's like so in my niche and we share share so much of the the struggles that brought us here, the struggles not just with like designing something that's good for our community, but like breaking out in an industry that's really hard.

Like being queer people in an industry that's like not really that doesn't have a lot of space for us and also like trying to design ethically, you know, when our margins are like so much smaller than any other big brand. It's really challenging and I think a lot of people go through that process alone and it is really hard on you.

Murielle: I remember the first time we met at that cafe. Look at us. nostalgic already. It's only been six months, right? Yeah. What are we doing?

Rae: Looking back on that… good times.

Murielle: And I remember, I was like, okay, this, I left the meeting, feeling like, okay, this was like a real conversation with someone who has gone through some of the same obstacles, I would say, some of the same journey, who's still on it. Yeah. And who's not scared to, you know, share, like parcels and, you know, like different portions of it. So, honestly, it sounds very simple and it sounds very, you know, easy to come across, but it's not.

Rae: It's true. It's really not.  It's really changed my opinion about being in the industry and how I want to be in the industry. It's important.

Murielle: Look at us.

Rae: Find us at a market near you! no, but no, but what I wanted to say also was- besides the undies that you have, the Foxerz, you have a whole other line of clothing.

Murielle: Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, we're definitely coming out, this is what we stand for. We really want to create essentials that are of quality again, that, you know, doesn't require our clientele to compromise on anything. Like I said, so, you know, quality, identity, and definitely representation. and, you know, we stick with the quality. So we have hoodies, all natural fabric as well.

Rae: Yeah, they’re really nice! 

Murielle: Yeah, thank you so much. We have t-shirts, you know what I mean? You know, I illustrate, I design, you know, I'm also an artist, a photographer, so it's a way for me to express myself. Really. so like, you know, this hoodie that I have on, it's called “Own Your Shit”. So in the back, it really says like, you know, own your rights, own your pride, own your body, own your story.

Rae: Do a little spin, let's see the back.

Murielle: Yeah, yeah, yeah.  

Rae: These are very cool. I want one.

Murielle: So yeah, so to me it's just a way to kind of wear what you are on your back. You know what I mean? And what it represents. because at the end of the day we do something special.  We do something special for, you know, our respective niches.

But at the same time, you know, it's still clothing. So clothing to me has to be significant in some type of way. Again, we're not reinventing the wheel. We're definitely catering, you know, to a queer audience that often, often gets overlooked.  So if we serve them properly, which I believe we will, that's going to even, you know, even more together.  It'll be a good start.

Rae: Yes. I think it will be.

And on that note,  on Thursday morning, you will see this drop being live on our website. If you don't know us, it's origamicustoms.com. We will have two of the Foxers to start with, and a couple more colors coming in the future.  you'll be able to buy those on our site. 

Murielle: Yeah, absolutely. So the two that will be available are going to be the two models. So our bestseller, the Helena. 

Rae: I also love the names, by the way.

Murielle: Thank you. Do you know where they're from?

Rae: They're from the L Word characters, right? 

Murielle: Absolutely-

Rae: Of course I, of course I know! I was like, who doesn't know the main L Word characters? It's like, what, Carmen, Helena, Bette, and…

Murielle: And the new one, Ivy. Ivy stands for Kehlani

Rae: Oh, okay. Okay.

Murielle: So, you know, I have to get into like the new generation.

Rae: New generation representation. That's old generation erasure, actually. I'm kind of mad.

Murielle: Can't they just coexist?

Rae: No, no.

Murielle: Listen.

Rae: I'm all about the old ones.

Murielle: Yeah, I'm gonna watch it when I go home. 

Rae: That made me laugh!

Murielle: But yeah, so the Helena is the white elastic band as well as the brand new one who just dropped, that's the Ivy. Yeah. so it's like a beautiful gray fabric with a white elastic band. So that's going to be available.

And again, I'm Murielle/ Truly Bien-Aime, I'm the founder and creative director of Maison Komandō. And the website, our website is www.bekommando.com, like Be- commando, like Be.

Rae: But with a K

Murielle: That's right. Komandō with a K. And Thursday, this will be live.

Rae: Yeah, it’s going to be live. You can find us both on Instagram as well. If you do social media. 

Murielle: On all of the platforms, babe.

Rae: Please find us on social media. Oh god, it's the worst part of our jobs is doing social media. Yeah, we've got some really cool photos that I'm really, really excited about. We did a really fun photo shoot recently. In collaboration, so you'll be seeing some really cool shots and some behind-the-scenes stuff coming out this week.

Murielle: Now, I know that for years you guys have seen Rae modeling, so you know, they will be shown in a completely different light.

Rae: It's true. I haven't modeled in a while.

Murielle: Yeah. That one's good. We're really excited.

Rae: I like getting behind the camera every once in a while. So stay tuned. Really, really excited about this, and please check it out. Let people know that they can find these amazing underwear on both platforms and tell your friends. Share this video.

Murielle: Shipping worldwide, baby.

Rae: Also shipping worldwide.

Murielle: Boom

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