"Let life work for you."
Gwen Whiting is a progressive visionary with an old soul, seamlessly blending practicality with purpose. She has a unique gift for finding innovative ways to make everyday moments and domestic chores not only enjoyable, but luxurious experiences.
Gwen is perhaps best-known for founding her category-creating premium, eco-friendly laundry and home cleaning brand, The Laundress. Over the course of 17 years, she led the growth of her bootstrapped company to become a household name, through its global expansion, and eventual
acquisition by Unilever in 2019.
Since her exit, Gwen had no plans to step back into the laundry room. However, as she watched from the sidelines the brand she built become unrecognizable and her legacy tarnished, she felt forced to create a new brand for both herself and her devoted cleaning enthusiasts.
Since her exit, Gwen had no plans to step back into the laundry room. However, as she watched from the sidelines the brand she built become unrecognizable and her legacy tarnished, she felt forced to create a new brand for both herself and her devoted cleaning enthusiasts.
In June 2024, with a renewed mission and sense of purpose, Gwen launched The Fill, a private members cleaning community and collection of sustainable solutions offering maximized luxury and minimal impact. Placing wellness at the heart center of cleaning by infusing the power of aromatherapy and its added sensory and experiential benefits, Gwen designed these products to "work even harder for you."
Behind her entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen lies a creative at heart. Gwen’s aesthetic was honed from her tenure designing at Ralph Lauren, starting in Women’s Design and later for Home -- which she refers to as her graduate degree.
This education provided her the tools to design and build her first company, its numerous offices, retail flagship, and global shops; her Bridgehampton home; a few renovated apartments, including her recent "clean start" on NYC's Upper East Side; as well as her latest endeavor.
She is equally passionate about mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs --from students, to startups, and established founders -- through educational and entrepreneurial programs, guiding them along their business journeys and advocating for alternatives to traditional external funding in building and scaling sustainable and profitable mission-driven ventures.
Gwen holds a Bachelor of Science in Textile Science Apparel Design from Cornell University, where she is actively involved in its Entrepreneurship Council, a Board member in Human Ecology, Campaign Leader, and philanthropist. She is also a member of YPO Global Leadership Community, Women Moving Millions, and the National Arts Club.