Blanca Estrada-Gonzalez will be the first to tell you that she “drops panties for a living,” and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Though Magic Silk’s star saleswoman once aspired to become a medical doctor, the universe had other plans — and those plans involved jock straps, lacy undies and see-through bedroom wear for all.
Estrada-Gonzalez splits her time between the two loves of her life: her family and her career. She finds the support of her husband and two children essential in recharging from the road warrior lifestyle that her work life requires and that she is passionate about.
My happiness comes from the fact that my bosses allow me to be my creative self.
Estrada-Gonzalez’s next big dream is to take after her female exec heroes and become an industry household name, lending courage to future generations of industry women along the way. Hopefully, this Women in Adult profile is an honorable step in the right direction.
XBIZ: What about working for an underwear company initially caught your interest?
Blanca Estrada-Gonzalez: I didn’t choose it, it chose me! My mom is a bridal designer who has also owned stores since I was 6 years old. I think sales runs through my veins, as does creativity. I have a degree in fashion design, business management and marketing. I originally wanted to be a doctor, but while I was attending Cal State LA as a biology major, I became pregnant with my firstborn. I had to find an alternate major where I could transfer all my credits, so business it was.
As for the underwear part: I was doing an internship at a swimwear manufacturer when a friend of my mom’s, who owns a lingerie company, asked me to help launch their swim line. Once I finished there, I was a stay-at-home mom for a while as my second born had just been diagnosed with autism and I was dedicating myself to getting him accustomed to school. But I was bored at home and found a Craigslist ad for a women’s apparel line, and that’s when my career in lingerie began, in 2010.
In January 2017, when my kids were a little older, I started at Magic Silk as the West Coast sales and training executive. I started “showing my panties” to stores west of the Mississippi, I was traveling 75-80% of the time, making sure our brand’s newest collections were always on the walls and racks.
XBIZ: Once you got acquainted with selling and marketing “unmentionables,” what did you think of the industry? Was it love at first job?
Estrada-Gonzalez: Getting to travel was my dream. I remember sitting at my desk in 2012, taking calls from Melissa Wright, Joe Steinberg and so many other traveling sales reps that I looked up to, and still do. I was counting down the days until my kids were old enough that I could travel like them. After my first trip out to Oklahoma City for a manager’s meeting for Christie’s Toy Box, I was hooked!
XBIZ: What was your career trajectory at Magic Silk like after that?
Estrada-Gonzalez: I’m a hustler, so I just took a running start and made it my mission to become the best, in my eyes, at what I do. In mid-2018, I became the national sales rep for the company, and in 2020, I was promoted to senior account executive. I half-jokingly refer to my position as “panty-pushing jockstrap slinger.” My travel went to almost 95% right before the pandemic! When we were forced to work from home, I started a Zoom meeting group called “Pastries & Panties” to show my panties on camera to buyers. In 2022, I was honored to be voted Pleasure Product Account Exec of the Year by my peers at the XBIZ Honors awards.
XBIZ: How have Male Power and Magic Silk changed over the years to keep up with trends? What’s most progressive about the company’s brands right now?
Estrada-Gonzalez: Male Power is the grandfather of male fashion underwear lines. It was the pioneer in the men’s lingerie or ‘“manties/mangerie” market. Our founder, Sam Baker, was so far ahead in anticipating what this market would become that his influence drives our approach to this day, as we strive to empower males of all sexual orientations to express their sexuality and sensuality with our undergarments.
As for Magic Silk and Exposed, we have entered our fun, flirty and playful era. We have always been known for timeless, classic and elegant styles and designs in boxed lingerie, but this year, we are thinking outside the box. Our newest collections can go from the bedroom to the club to the rave or festival, and even grace your everyday fashion look. We’ve partnered with Wicked Sensual Care for our very first collaboration, “Sweet Treats,” which are fruit-print panties with corresponding fruit-flavored lube packets conveniently packaged in zip baggies for an on-the-go treat.
XBIZ: What are your favorite parts of your job? What really keeps you happy to come to work every day?
Estrada-Gonzalez: My favorite part of my job is definitely my customers. I love getting to travel to see them at their stores and providing them with a one-on-one experience. My colleagues who have encouraged me to just be my panty-pushing self and my industry besties are Kristin Zuri from Channel 1 Releasing and Nicole Talley from Wicked Sensual Care, and I appreciate the amazing support I get from them and their brands. My happiness comes from the fact that my bosses allow me to be my creative self. They nourish my creativity, or in some cases, my crazy when it comes to development, sales and marketing, and sometimes just brand image.
XBIZ: How do your women’s lingerie brands empower female consumers?
Estrada-Gonzalez: Magic Silk/Exposed is one of the lingerie brands that I feel empowers every body, not just everybody, as 98% of our collections come in three sizes, including queen size. We feel that sexy is an attitude and that all bodies are lingerie bodies.
XBIZ: How do you plan to keep your career growing over the next few years? Do you have any goals that you hope to achieve in the near or far future?
Estrada-Gonzalez: I believe in staying in my lane and doing what I’m good at. I see my career growing as we continue to do collaborations with other brands in our industry. I want to be the creative, C-suite female energy in the lingerie sector of the adult retail industry. I don’t mean in the design part, as those days are over for me. My goals lie within the sales, product development and marketing sectors. I hope this helps to propel me to Rebecca Weinberg or Brianna Watkins status — I really want to be like them once I decide to grow up!
Each month, XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry’s most influential female executives.
