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In class we completed a mock assessment centre to enable us to prepare for future job interviews. I was fairly pleased with the score I was given and have taken to feedback on. Since completing the assessment, I have been working on developing my aptitude test skills.

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Reflection from Competitive Shop Project

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Reflection from Competitive Shop Project

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Having the opportunity to use Edited for this project has greatly increased my understanding of the resource. I was able to look into each brands offering in depth and make analysis based on this. I found an extremely useful tool alongside looking at the brands individually. Research on H&M's stance on sustainability was really interesting. I have learnt that they are a key player in terms of this, and several of their competitors can learn from them as a brand. I was surprised to see they have the 2nd greatest instagram following after Zara. This just goes to show that they are utilising every outlet available to them, making them a truly OMNI brand. I would like to look at H&M in more depth in advance of my FMP to gather inspiration on sustainable processes that I could develop for my brand, Whistles. I thoroughly enjoyed this project because of how obviously it relates to actual industry tasks however, completing the project as a large group meant we didn't all get the opportunity to look at every aspect of a competitive shop. Next time I would like to have the opportunity to compare individual products in more depth.

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Below are two examples of where I have produced a SWOT and PEST analysis. These particular examples are for fashion brand, Whistles.

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As part of the assessment centre I was tasked with completing a mock interview through CV360. I found the tool extremely useful in preparing me for future assessments.

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I wanted my print to reflect my trend of Feminine Ease so used florals to demonstrate this. I began with a print taken from WGSN's original artwork offering and then altered it on photoshop to include my colour palette. I then played with the opacity and layered the print, inspired by Kenzo's SS21 print of blurred florals.

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I decided to display my range plan on excel to make it easier to determine my price architecture and allocation. If I had had time I would have developed this further to include cost prices and projected profit to better prepare me for my final project.

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In response to a scenario set in which a supplier's order was running late, I produced an email to try to rectify the issue with a longstanding supplier. I aimed to keep both myself and the supplier happy without compromising my business.

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To give myself a realistic idea of sourcing a supplier I research several different clothing factories within Portugal that I could use for the project. During my research I came across Friendly Factories which I felt fit my brand. Their website was helpful in terms of giving me a realistic idea of how long the lead time would be generally and if there would be additional time for organic materials. From researching this supplier it enabled me to create a list of pros and cons for my infographic.

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To sort naturally your requests, we ask you to please read our process below :

MOQ: 200 pcs/style/color (sizes can be mixed)

Time for Samples : 2-4 weeks

Production Lead Time : 4-6 weeks after full approval (components / design)

Production Lead Time for recycled, organic, or specific fabrics : 8-10 weeks after full approval (components / design)

Time to create a new color (lab dip) : 10 days

We provide a full end-to-end process from fabric sourcing, sampling, production, quality control, packaging and shipping.

We only work with established brands (registered company with VAT number).

Payment terms : 50% before production, 50% before shipment.

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Friendly Factories - Textile Manufacture

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To sort naturally your requests, we ask you to please read our process below : MOQ: 200 pcs/style/color (sizes can be mixed) Time for Samples : 2-4 weeks Production Lead Time : 4-6 weeks after full approval (components / design) Production Lead Time for recycled, organic, or specific fabrics : 8-10 weeks after full approval (components / design) Time to create a new color (lab dip) : 10 days We provide a full end-to-end process from fabric sourcing, sampling, production, quality control, packaging and shipping.

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To understand Whistles' sourcing strategy I visited one of their stores and used their website to gain insight into their sustainable sourcing practices. In store I looked at a range of garments and their COOs. At this point I had already taken my La Femme Sweatshirt from my range, to focus on for the infographic. From this store visit I learnt that the majority of their jersey, including their sweatshirts, are made in Portugal so for my sourcing journey I have used Portugal as the country of origin. When looking at their website I gathered that Whistles have increased their use of organic cotton within their product ranges. Although they don't currently use organic cotton within their sweatshirts they are made from 100% cotton so have developed this product to be included within their sustainable offering.

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I used global data to look at an overview of Portugal's macroeconomic climate to inform my PESTLE analysis. I found it extremely helpful having a range of data to analyse all in one place.

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For my PESTLE analysis, I looked into Portugal's economy. In August, industrial production returned to growth after a tough July. There GDP is expected to grow 5.5% in 2021.

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FocusEconomics | Economic Forecasts from the World's Leading Economists

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October 27, 2020

The economy should have recovered somewhat in Q3, although the fallout from the pandemic continued to weigh on activity. Available data shows that industrial production returned to growth in August after declining in July. Moreover, in July-August retail sales shrank at a softer pace than in Q2. However, tourism revenues were still down severely in the same two-month period. Turning to Q4, a surge in cases and implementation of some new restrictions in mid-October bodes ill for activity. In other news, on 12 October the government submitted the draft 2021 budget to parliament. The plan sees a reduction in expenditure to 47.8% of GDP (2020: 49.9%), due to a reduced need for fiscal support as the economy rebounds. The budget aims to strike a balance between supporting the recovery-the government will boost investment and subsidies for lower-income workers-and containing the fiscal deficit.

Portugal Economic Growth

The economy is seen rebounding next year, as the effects of the pandemic dissipate, providing room for the return of demand through recovering tourism and household consumption. Investment should also recover on decreasing uncertainty. Delays in implementing a vaccine and a possible prolonged health crisis pose downside risks to the outlook. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists see GDP growing 5.5% in 2021, which is down 0.1 percentage points from previous forecasts. For 2022, the panel sees it climbing 3.4%.

Sample Report

5 years of Portugal economic forecasts for more than 30 economic indicators.

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Portugal Economy - GDP, Inflation, CPI and Interest Rate

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October 27, 2020 The economy should have recovered somewhat in Q3, although the fallout from the pandemic continued to weigh on activity. Available data shows that industrial production returned to growth in August after declining in July. Moreover, in July-August retail sales shrank at a softer pace than in Q2.

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I used BBC to research the current measures Portugal are taking to stop the spread of covid-19. The main rule which could affect sourcing with Portugal is the fact they have banned movement between the countries municipalities. This could affect transportation times.

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Nationwide curfew ended on 20 June, 10 days earlier than planned. Face masks are no longer required outdoors.

Restaurants, cafes and bars can serve customers indoors, with 50% capacity and up to six people per table.

Standing concerts will resume on 30 June and nightclubs on 9 July (with 75% capacity). People attending will need a health pass which shows either full vaccination, a negative test within the previous 72 hours, or else a previous coronavirus infection.

Restaurants, bars, beer gardens, museums, hotels and concert halls have reopened.

Local authorities can impose stricter rules in high infection rate areas.

From 30 June, working from home will no longer be compulsory.

On 21 June, Italy's curfew was scrapped and the whole country, except for the northwest region of Valle d'Aosta, became "white zone" - the country's lowest-risk category.

Nightclubs and discos are also closed.

All indoor businesses, with the exception of nightclubs, are open.

This shows - either on a phone or on paper - that you have been vaccinated, previously infected or that you have had a negative test within 72 hours.

Nightclubs and discos will also be allowed to reopen, with a limit of 150 people.

Face coverings must be worn in enclosed spaces and 1.5m social distancing observed.

Shops, bars, restaurants and museums are open, although face coverings remain compulsory in most public places.

Nightclubs can now reopen in parts of Spain with low infection rates.

In Barcelona, they are restricted to 50% of capacity and can stay open until 03:30 - dancers have to wear masks.

Spain began welcoming vaccinated tourists from 7 June. Most European travellers still have to present a negative Covid test on arrival.

From 1 July, working from home will no longer be mandatory, if the situation continues to improve.

Cultural performances, shows and sports competitions can also go ahead, with limited numbers, and more people will be allowed at weddings and other ceremonies and parties.

Bars and nightclubs remain closed, and it's illegal to drink alcohol outdoors in public places, except for pavement cafés and restaurants.

Alcohol cannot be sold after 21:00 unless it is with a meal.

Restaurants, cafes and cultural venues have to close at 01:00 and have capacity limits.

The Netherlands

Alcohol can be sold after 22:00, and nightclubs can open, with an entry pass system.

Events held in public venues such as cinemas, conference centres and concert halls will be allowed, subject to social distancing.

Masks will no longer be compulsory except on public transport, airports and in secondary schools.

Republic of Ireland

Outdoor services in restaurants and bars returned in June. Theme parks, funfairs, cinemas and theatres, gyms and swimming pools, have reopened as well.

Since June, pubs have been able to stay open until 22:30 and more people are now allowed at sports events, outdoor concerts, cinemas and markets.

On 1 July, limits on private gatherings will be raised, and the recommendation to interact with a small circle of people removed.

Further easing is planned on 15 July and in September.

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Covid: How is Europe lifting lockdown restrictions?

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Nationwide curfew ended on 20 June, 10 days earlier than planned. Face masks are no longer required outdoors. Restaurants, cafes and bars can serve customers indoors, with 50% capacity and up to six people per table. Standing concerts will resume on 30 June and nightclubs on 9 July (with 75% capacity).

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Through the FRA careers platform I completed the Pulse Assessment to gain more insight into my strengths and weaknesses in terms of employability.

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After seeing the Merchandising Admin Assistant role advertised on Fashion Workie, I then use the FRA Careers cover letter builder to create a cover letter for jewellery brand, Missoma.

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Molly Christie Cover Letter & CV- Missoma

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Using a variety of websites I looked at current Merch/ Buying Admin Assistant Roles or similar. I found LinkedIn to be the easiest and most useful as the jobs I was searching aligned with what I was looking for.

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Molly Christie - Supervisor - WHISTLES | LinkedIn

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View Molly Christie's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Molly has 4 jobs listed on their profile. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Molly's connections and jobs at similar companies.

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After a meeting with careers advisor Teresa and putting my CV through CV360, I took the feedback onboard and edited it to get a score of 96%. I added my LinkedIn profile, reduced the amount of white space and correct grammar errors. I then went onto scoring 100% after dismissing technological errors.

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Having the opportunity to use Edited for this project has greatly increased my understanding of the resource. I was able to look into each brands offering in depth and make analysis based on this. I found an extremely useful tool alongside looking at the brands individually. Research on H&M's stance on sustainability was really interesting. I have learnt that they are a key player in terms of this, and several of their competitors can learn from them as a brand. I was surprised to see they have the 2nd greatest instagram following after Zara. This just goes to show that they are utilising every outlet available to them, making them a truly OMNI brand. I would like to look at H&M in more depth in advance of my FMP to gather inspiration on sustainable processes that I could develop for my brand, Whistles. I thoroughly enjoyed this project because of how obviously it relates to actual industry tasks however, completing the project as a large group meant we didn't all get the opportunity to look at every aspect of a competitive shop. Next time I would like to have the opportunity to compare individual products in more depth.

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After seeing the Bermuda Short had a huge YoY growth I looked into shorts in general to see if I could adapt the classic shape for SS21. Elasticated waists and pull on styles were evident. The elasticated waist has increased +126% YoY for trousers and shorts.

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I used this report to ensure florals, (and all over florals) were still a key print for SS21 before I designed my statement print.

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For my sourcing strategy project I was asked to detail the retail price, landed cost price and profit margin for a specific garment, the Femme Logo Sweatshirt. Whistles' current sweatshirts are priced at £79 so I priced my sweatshirt in line with this. All of their sweatshirts are currently produced in Portugal where the freight uplift is 2%. A luxury brand such as Whistles usually aim for a 70-79% profit margin. Below are my calculations based on these averages. I came to the landed cost price of £16.14.

Garment: Femme Logo Sweatshirt
Retail Price: £79
Target Margin: 75%
Freight Uplift (Portugal): 2%

100-75=25
(79/1.2)/(1.02x0.25)= 16.14

Landed Cost Price: £16.14

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I used this to inform my dress silhouettes and lengths to ensure they were customer centric and would perform well.

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For this exercise I needed to work out the target landed cost price for each garment based on supplied figures- RRP and target margin.

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In advance of my Sourcing project I practiced working out a margin percentage with and without VAT included. I also practiced working out the landed cost price from FOB price including exchange rate and uplift factor based on a range of averages.

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I also looked at WGSN's report, Womenswear Buyers' Debrief SS20 to gain insight into category and product performance across the industry.
Key Points Learnt:
- Shacket had the biggest growth YoY
-Colours to avoid are red, yellow and orange
-Smock top silhouette was best performing top style
- Elasticated/ drawstring detail on dresses increased +2.9ppt YoY
- Bermuda Short one to watch, +115% YoY growth
- Versatility is KEY
- Pull back on occasionwear

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To better inform my range plan, I researched Whistles bestsellers from SS20. From looking at their website the below lines all had relatively low stock or were out of stock in several sizes. I plan to take inspiration from these previous products for my range plan.

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I researched H&M to create a brand overview. I looked at their product offering, price range and sustainable/ ethical approaches. I then used Edited once again to look into their product mix. I also looked into their current offering for AW20, to produce an over design layout for our slides. This helped me to understand H&M's offering and general position.

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Caring for both people and the planet is important at H&M. Learn all about our sustainability work and how we're changing the future of fashion.

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As a group we divided up the tasks for each area of the comp shop. I focused on producing research based on Edited data. I looked at each brand comparatively, looking at the shacket, roll neck, jogger and mom jean. I then looked at the percentage mix each garment held within their departments/ sub-departments, colour mix and average price. Alongside this, I reviewed each brands actual products. This research enabled me to understand each brand's current offering and identify any opportunities they had.

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Partnered with Sadé, we came up with the best possible solutions for two supplier issues- 1. Critical 2 week delay to Christmas stock and 2. 50% of swimwear product did not make it onto the sea vessel.

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Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the UK music video

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Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the UK music video

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We chose the below music video to demonstrate the punk sub-culture in society and the music industry. Although the Sex Pistols only released one album, they were hugely influential, and probably the most famous punk band in history.

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I used WGSN and the Premiere Vision website to research pivotal fabrications for SS21. Lace and sheer fabrics sit throughout pieces within Feminine Ease.

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I used WGSN to research key prints for SS21 to better inform my trend report. From this report I gathered that watercolour/ cottage-core florals would be key for my trend, Feminine Ease.

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I then watched a selection of SS21 fashion shows, (Balmain, Kenzo, Isabel Marant, Christian Dior, D&G, Jacquemus and Max Mara) to get a feel for key fabrics, silhouettes, colours and prints.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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I began my trend report research by looking into key SS21 trends on WGSN and after looking at a selection, decided on Feminine Ease. Going forward I believe this will be a key trend as consumers start to move away from comfort dressing and seek something fresh. I also feel this will be a key trend for my brand Whistles as generally, they offer a wide selection of versatile garments.

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For my section of the project I was to look at the key looks of being punk alongside looking at key influencers. Alongside this article I used two books; Punk: The Whole Story and Vivienne Westwood (biography).

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On the eve of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Punk: Chaos to Couture" exhibit, we zero in on the iconic pieces that defined the movement's influential look

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Produced a customer profile questionnaire to ask each of Whistles' target customers to better inform my customer profile

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Produced a customer profile questionnaire to ask each of Whistles' target customers to better inform my customer profile

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Getty

According to a new report, millennial consumers (18-34 year olds) are notably impacted by internet influencers and the people they follow on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Their daily use of Facebook is 77%, compared to 68% usage by 35-to-54 year olds and 52% of the 55-plus age group. However, their daily influence on purchasing behavior of Instagram is substantially higher. The daily usage by the 18-34 year old is 72%, 41% by the 35-54 year old and only 9% by the 55-plus age group. YouTube use compared to Instagram is more by older age groups. Less popular sites such as Twitter, Snapchat, Reddit, Pinterest and TikTok (in decreasing order of use) are also listed with similar patterns of use.

The report on the 2020 consumer culture, just released by 5WPR, reaffirms that brick-and-mortar stores still have a role in the purchase channel. Dara A Busch, president of 5WPR, indicated to me how impressive showrooming is to sell merchandise to the millennials today. She pointed to Nordstrom's Local stores in New York and Los Angeles as being effective communicator and she lauds Nordstrom's display of fashion merchandise. According to the report, customers talk about how much usage they have gotten out of an item and how they did not know how they got along before purchasing that item. It validates that even something bought on a whim can become a favorite.

Fifty-seven percent of millennials discover fashion trends on social media, and they are expected to spend $1.4 trillion in 2020. They are the dominant generation using social media and the most likely to make online purchases. This group is shaping the future of how we do businesses. They are influenced by online advertising as well as the people they follow on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

It is important to note that 82% of millennials will buy a product for the first time to see if they like it enough. They make impulse purchases and are significantly more likely to regret the purchases that they have made (70% of Millennials vs. 59% of Gen X vs. 45% of Baby Boomers).

The report talks about purchases, yet we know that millennials want to own less and maybe they are afraid to be aggressive spenders. They would rather spend on travel and adventure rather than owning art or valuable antiques. Maybe it is their upbringing that prevents them spending big. The report reaffirms that millennials are politically oriented and 83% of millennials affirm that it is important to them that companies they buy from align with their belief and values.

Retailers must understand their customers. They must know what they think, feel and believe to entice them to purchase a product. I asked Dara Busch, who in 2019 was the winner of a Silver Stevie Award for Women in Business, what the 5W were in her company's name. She said that it stood for who, what, when, where and why. I sat back and realized we would ask the same questions about millennials in order to understand them better as customers, shoppers and movers of our economy. The survey the company produces is a giant step in understanding millennials, the modern consumer.

... Read More

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Social Media Plays A Big Role In How Millennials Shop, But So Do Stores

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According to a new report, millennial consumers (18-34 year olds) are notably impacted by internet influencers and the people they follow on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Their daily use of Facebook is 77%, compared to 68% usage by 35-to-54 year olds and 52% of the 55-plus age group.

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Mind Map of potential future of the bra

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Hoorah for the Bra: A Perky Peek at the History of the Brasserie 

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Hoorah for the Bra: A Perky Peek at the History of the Brasserie 

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Borrowed above from the library to look at the bra throughout the decades.

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Looked at collection of underwear brands and compared offerings of skin tone/ size range and fabrications.

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On Friday, Victoria's secret was out: The international retailer doesn't support trans or plus-size people. Ed Razek, Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer and executive vice president of public relations, admitted to Vogue that the brand intentionally doesn't feature trans or plus-size models on the runway at its signature event, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

"Shouldn't you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don't think we should," Razek said. "Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy." It may be the fantasy of far-right conservatives that trans people don't exist, especially after the Trump memo. However, in a country where nearly 3% of teens are trans or gender-nonconforming and the average woman is size 16/18, the fantasy is just that - unreal, unnecessary, and exclusionary.

Following a long silence on the clearly anti-trans and anti-plus-size statements, Razek clumsily walked back the comments: "To be clear, we absolutely would cast a transgender model for the show. We've had transgender models come to castings... and like many others, they didn't make it.... But it was never about gender. I admire and respect their journey to embrace who they really are."

In response to the company's continued refusal to cast trans or plus-size models, here are eight lingerie and undergarment brands you can support that actually embrace our communities.

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8 Transgender-Friendly Lingerie Brands to Support Instead of Victoria's Secret

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On Friday, Victoria's secret was out: The international retailer doesn't support trans or plus-size people. Ed Razek, Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer and executive vice president of public relations, admitted to Vogue that the brand intentionally doesn't feature trans or plus-size models on the runway at its signature event, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

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Used Gov.UK to look into Whistles annual accounts. The most recent version was for the period ending March 2019.

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WHISTLES LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)

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WHISTLES LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

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f you're asked to imagine a person who has a heart attack, who do you see? Most of us think of an old man. It's what we tend to see in movies. And while 3.9 million men live with cardiovascular disease in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation, 3.5 million women also have a heart condition. However, we know much less about how to spot cardiovascular health issues in women. This means women wait longer to seek medical help, andare only half as likely as men to receive recommended heart-attack treatments.

It was only in 1993 that women and people of colour were officially included in US clinical trials, yet much of our current medical knowledge has been shaped by earlier research. But over the past two decades, scientists have laid bare our need to know more about a wider range of bodies. As data is slowly catching up with reality, could technology help to plug the gap?

"There is a lot of latent bias," says Alicia Chong Rodriguez, founder and CEO of early-stage startup, Bloomer Tech, who trained as an engineer before focusing on health tech. "We're unaware about the differences of women's symptoms, and there are adverse treatment outcomes. I really wanted to solve this using technology."

She met her co-founders, Aceil Halaby and Monica Abarca, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bloomer Tech is named after the 19th-century women's rights activist Amelia Bloomer who campaigned against corsets. Bloomer Tech embeds medical sensors in "smart bras" to collect data on cardiovascular health.

"Medical devices can be cumbersome and annoying," says Chong Rodriguez, so the Bloomer bra comes with lace and playful straps. "We transformed a typical medical device into everyday medical-grade garments that women will actually want to wear."

This March, they raised $3m (£2.5m) in seed funding and plan to scale the manufacturing of their prototype for further tests. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bloomer Tech has a handful of full-time employees and the team is growing.

As their inspiration, the founders credit the wider movement of cardiologists in the US and across the world, who have provided decades of evidence-based research - showing that physiological differences between the sexes demand more women-centric solutions.

It's a novel approach. After all, most technology is still designed by men, for men. For instance, smartphones that don't fit into women's smaller hands. Such design and development oversights can adversely affect women's health and safety. Famously, seatbelts weren't designed for women.

Christina Friis Blach Petersen is co-founder of health tech startup LYS Technologies. Its products focus on light and its impact on health: "I think people are very focused on what they eat and exercise, but light is so essential to life on the planet it's been neglected in the health calculation," she says.

Her interest was sparked by research that suggested nurses who work night shifts at hospital - and are therefore more exposed to blue light - have higher rates of breast cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Moving from Denmark to the UK, she enrolled in a master's programme on innovation design engineering at Imperial College, where she met her co-founder Hugo Starrsjo. The duo set up a Kickstarter campaign, raising £55,978, and launched their startup in London in 2016. Their product is a button, the size of a £2 coin. It's a wearable light-tracking device that helps people monitor the kind of light they're exposed to throughout the day.

When it comes to our light intake, intensity, colour, timing and duration matter. "You have to avoid blue light at night before bed because blue light suppresses melatonin, your natural sleep hormone," says Friis Blach Petersen. Most offices are too dark, "they're telling you to go to sleep in terms of what light you're getting". The result is circadian rhythm disruption. This, in turn, has been linked to illnesses in the long-term, while affecting our sleep and energy levels in the short run.

How did they go about designing wearable tech that would suit both men and women? "I feel the problem with men designing for women, is they think: 'We'll just make it pink and fluffy,'" she says. "I really thought about how we could make it minimalistic and Scandinavian and fit it into a modern lifestyle."

Echoing the data disparity found in cardiovascular health, she says: "A lot of the research done in academia with circadian rhythms is done with 25-year-old men, sitting in a lab with a spectrometer on their heads." But we know that women typically need more light than men.

"This huge gap in medical data for women offers a lot of opportunities for tech startups," she says.

Marija Butkovic, a lawyer from Croatia who moved to London in 2016, is the founder and CEO of Women of Wearables. It started out as a small get-together to connect women who worked in wearable tech, but has now turned into a global community with more than 20,000 members in 30 countries.

"When it comes to women's health, there are business opportunities in any area you choose", she says, as long as you find good data. What's more, women make 80% of healthcare decisions in the US in the home, according to the US Department of Labor. "There's 50% of us on this planet, we cannot be niche."

At the same time, female-only startups still only received less than 3% of venture capital in the US, according to PitchBook. Similarly, 83% of venture capital deals in the UK went to all-male teams in 2017.

While female founders deserve more funding, it's also clear that the issue of gender bias in medicine requires a larger societal shift. "We really need to approach this challenge in a holistic way," says Butkovic. Researchers, investors, corporates, and pharma companies need to get on board. Because, as she notes: "These problems and challenges cannot be solved only by innovative startups."

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Smart bras and a light tracker: the wearable tech helping plug the medical gender bias gap

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f you're asked to imagine a person who has a heart attack, who do you see? Most of us think of an old man. It's what we tend to see in movies. And while 3.9 million men live with cardiovascular disease in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation, 3.5 million women also have a heart condition.

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Future Innovations 2022By the WGSN Forecast team / 11.20.19

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Future Innovations 2022By the WGSN Forecast team / 11.20.19

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Take a look back at over one hundred years of the evolution of the bra. From early Roman cloths and corsets to the sheer bras of the 1960s and the 1950s bullet bra Madonna re-popularized in the 1980s.

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Take a look back at over one hundred years of the evolution of the bra. From early Roman cloths and corsets to the sheer bras of the 1960s and the 1950s bullet bra Madonna re-popularized in the 1980s.

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Made from exclusive material, which feels velvety against your skin. Triumph bras cater to all your needs. Find your dream bra now in the Triumph Online Shop!

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Ethically made bras, underwear, tees, socks and activewear made with GOTS certified organic cotton, TENCEL™ and recycled materials.

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Triangle Bralette designed for your everyday wear. The triangle shape makes it a perfect match for low-cut looks, or any looks you prefer. Traditional fit with adjustable, convertible straps and no underwire! Supportive design, double-layered fabric made with our signature hemp fabric blend so you know you're fully protected, naturally.

53% Hemp / 44% Organic Cotton / 3% spandex

Soft flexible & adjustable elastic band

Naturally Comfortable

Model is also wearing: Hipsters

Delivery time: 2 - 5 business days

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Triangle Bralette designed for your everyday wear. The triangle shape makes it a perfect match for low-cut looks, or any looks you prefer. Traditional fit with adjustable, convertible straps and no underwire! Supportive design, double-layered fabric made with our signature hemp fabric blend so you know you're fully protected, naturally.

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Home / Size Guide

BRA MEASUREMENT GUIDE - INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL CONVERSION

We ALWAYS recommend you buy the size that you wear and fits you comfortably now, as fit guides don't work for all. However, please be aware that with no spandex, if you're on the cusp of sizes, it might be safer to go one up as there is less stretch. We take exchanges and returns if its not right, and feel free to reach out and ask for any help.

If you really have no reference and need the size guide then measure your under-bust for the band size, and around the largest point of the bust for the cup size. Wearing a thin, soft cup bra whilst doing this should give you the most accurate measurement, and please note all the below are in centimetres (cm). Please remember, we can't take international returns so let's try and get this right!

Please note, if you feel between sizes, that if you decide to go up or down a size on the band, to keep the same cup size, you need to also go up or down one cup size, ie a 12/34C is the same cup size as a 10/32D and a 14/36B. Confused?? Now go and check your best fitting bra and see if you can work it out that way!

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BRA MEASUREMENT GUIDE - INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL CONVERSION We ALWAYS recommend you buy the size that you wear and fits you comfortably now, as fit guides don't work for all. However, please be aware that with no spandex, if you're on the cusp of sizes, it might be safer to go one up as there is less stretch.

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We all have a smart phone, but have you ever heard of a smart bra? Well, courtesy of Triumph, they're about to be a thing.

The Woman & Home fashion team were given the chance back in January to trial Triumph 's new innovative 'Fit Smart ' bra, and honestly we were gobsmacked with how comfortable it was, while still providing a great natural shape and support. Not to mention how cool it looks. The good news is that after a long wait, the bra is now available to buy online at John Lewis.

Sian Thomas, Global Head of Creative Design at Triumph says: "This season sees the launch of the revolutionary Fit Smart bra, available in four sizes, with an intelligent support system that moulds to women's unique shapes. With customers searching out more personalised solutions, we wanted to create a new innovation that adapts to personal shapes but still delivers best-in-class support and looks beautiful."

What makes the Triumph fit smart bra so exciting?

Triumph have been designing bras for over 100 years, and developed this bra after the overwhelming feedback they had from many customers that the focus should be on comfort.

With that in mind, Triumph engineered an intelligent 4D-engineered stretch lace. It moves and adapts to a woman's body. Research shows that we all have one breast larger than the other and that we can change up to a cup size during the course of the month - the idea behind this 4D stretch lace is that it constantly adapts to the wearer's body throughout the day and month.

Another big plus for many will be the fact it's a non-wired bra. Traditionally a non-wired bra meant 'less support' or a 'sausage effect shape' but that's not the case with the Fit Smart bra. As well as the 4D stretch lace the bra has 4D stretch foam cup's, which create a natural, round and flattering bust shape that claim to support all boob sizes, big and small.

The elastic supportive straps adapt and move with the body too, and the bra has a 4-hook fastener provides further adaptability. We were pleasantly surprised with how thin the straps were on the larger size bras, whilst still giving great support.

All this clever technology means the bra comes in just four simple sizes, which Triump say are guaranteed to fit every woman who measures between a 32a - 40e. The innovative fit claims to take the fuss out of sizing, with the bra adapting to your shape and size fluctuation.

Want to try one? The new Smart bra is now available online. It comes in 5 different colours and retails at £40. It is available online direct from Triumph, or from suppliers that include John Lewis, House of Fraser and Debenhams.
SHOP NOW: Triumph bra, £40, John Lewis
We really recommend that you try it. We have, and we haven't taken it off since (we're not going to divulge how long it's been exactly, but safe to say we should probably wash it!). We've even slept in it and can guarantee it feels invisible.

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Triumph's new 'Smart' bra is so comfy and supportive you'll never take it off

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We all have a smart phone, but have you ever heard of a smart bra? Well, courtesy of Triumph, they're about to be a thing. The Woman & Home fashion team were given the chance back in January to trial Triumph 's new innovative 'Fit Smart ' bra, and honestly we were gobsmacked with how comfortable it was, while still providing a great natural shape and support.

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MINDD bras2
Courtesy of MINDD

If you look at business statistics, most fashion startups are programmed to fail. The Fashion Technology Accelerator estimates that only one out of ten fashion startups make it to the next level. The reasons for failure are many, with no market need (42%) way ahead of running out of cash (29%) as the cause.

But if an entrepreneur truly understands the market, offers a product that meets a real need, and brings it forward with an innovative edge that will make a meaningful difference to the customer, the chances for success are magnified.

That's what makes the digitally-native lingerie startup MINDD a shoe-in to succeed, as long as the money holds out.

MINDD has just launched a line of wire-free bras using an innovative fit technology system that is both super-comfortable and super-supportive. What's more, the MINDD bra line is designed for D+ cup sized women, an underserved but rapidly growing share of the women's market.

Here's the rundown.

Industry insider who knows first-hand the market needs

MINDD is the brainchild of Helena Kaylin, who started her journey in lingerie working for the industry's biggest: Victoria's Secret. She was hired in 2005 by then CEO Grace Nichols and EVP Jim Pappas to lead projects related to innovation with the goal to assure the company was delivering best-in-class customer and product experience.

From there she moved on to bring innovation to the lingerie lines of brands including Calvin Klein, Under Armour , Uniqlo, Lululemon, and Carbon38.

Helena Kaylin, founder of MINDD
Courtesy of MINDD

All the while, Kaylin was dealing with a vexing problem: "I could never comfortably wear any of the bras I was a part of creating or developing while at all of those brands because my cup size at a DD or DDD was considered to be plus size. I was a 34 band size," she says.

She was designing bras to fit the company's needs, which didn't recognize that big-busted women come in all sizes, not just plus sizes, and that designing a D+ cup bra requires more than just sizing up an A, B, or C cup.

Women with larger cup sizes from 28-to-44 inch band widths were not getting the support, both literally and figuratively, they needed.

"I had this growing frustration talking with women throughout my career. Corporate discussions about this were shut down pretty quickly. There was no solution for this woman," she says. "So in January 2019, I started MINDD." With that, she set out to thoroughly research this customers' needs through a series of focus groups.

What Kaylin discovered were women who wanted bras that were beautiful, comfortable (meaning no wires), and supportive. They wanted bras that celebrated their natural shape and eliminated back and neck pain common for big-busted women.

Her research also uncovered that about 60% of U.S. women fit into D+ cup sized bras.

Innovation in design and fabrication

The problem with traditional bras is that they are a two-dimensional design that are supposed to fit a three-dimensional body. And traditional bras are made to shape the body to an aesthetic ideal, not conform to her natural shape.

"I see a movement to celebrating our natural form," Kaylin says.

Complicating matters further is that a woman's breast size and shape change throughout her monthly cycle. So her size fluctuates, which is the main reason Kaylin believes 80% of women wear the wrong bra size.

So, she designed a bra with a netting structure that grows and contracts as a woman's body does, provides needed support, and that fits her like a second skin.

The patent-pending MINDD design is based on seven zones of support that are integrated together, with a bottom band, comfort straps and back with no hook and eye, side panels for support, and a center zone that separates and eliminates the uni-boob effect.

"Traditional bras have anywhere from 44-to-52 components," Kaylin explains. "MINDD has only seven that removes the wire, the padding, plastics, foam, and the hook-and-eye. Putting it on is almost like slipping on a pair of stockings, where you put your foot in and it opens up and then comes back in."

So, the MINDD bra is slipped over the head, not hooked around the body.

Simplicity of sizing

With comfort guaranteed, as the many reviews on the website testify to, getting the sizing right is simplicity itself.

MINDD eliminates the traditional confusing array of cup and band sizes. It offers styles in five size ranges from size 1 for band widths of 28-to-32 inches up to size 5 for band widths 42-to-44 inches. Because the cups expand, if you get the band width right, the rest falls into place.

"It all comes down to how a woman wants to feel in her bra," Kaylin shares. "She might want a tighter, snugger fit, so she can size down. Or she might want a looser feel, so she can go a size up."

In conclusion, Kaylin describes the pillars of the MINDD brand to be beauty, comfort, innovation, and performance. The first product line, The For Life Lace Collection, was introduced in February and a second intimates line is planned for later this year.

With the average American woman now ranging between size 16 to 18, the plus-size market is ripe for the extended sizing of the MINDD product line.

And with 60% of all women needing a D+ cup size, not to mention that 80% are currently wearing the wrong-size bra, MINDD has an excellent opportunity to support a largely ignored group of women who want both comfort and beauty with an adaptable structure that adjusts to her changing shape.

"Women have long sacrificed beauty for comfort. Think of a beautiful pair of Louboutin shoes. They create a beautiful aesthetic, but they aren't necessarily comfortable," Kaylin concludes.

"Wouldn't it be great if you could bring those two worlds together in a bra. That's what we set out to do, with a bra that is beautiful, comfortable, and performs with innovative design and technology."

... Read More

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Lingerie Insider Launches MINDD Bras Designed For Women The Industry Has Ignored

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If you look at business statistics, most fashion startups are programmed to fail. The Fashion Technology Accelerator estimates that only one out of ten fashion startups make it to the next level. The reasons for failure are many, with no market need (42%) way ahead of running out of cash (29%) as the cause.

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All her life, Bree McKeen deeply resented her bra.

Nearly every style she owned-hundreds of dollars' worth in her drawers-featured medieval underwires that dug into her ribcage and constricting straps that irritated her shoulders.

"As I started talking to other women, I realized I was not the only one," says McKeen, 37, the founder and CEO of Evelyn & Bobbie. "We are all experiencing this. Somehow we were getting the message that it was just us-that everybody else was rushing into the lingerie store and coming out fulfilled. Nobody's doing that."

In 2007, McKeen visited a chiropractor and physiologist because she believed her posture was to blame for her constant bra discomfort. Upon examination, the doctor informed her that her posture was fine, but that she needed "to go down to the mall tonight and get a bra that feels great when you stand up straight."

McKeen, then in her late 20s, laughed in disbelief.

"I've been shopping for that my whole life-it doesn't exist," she recalls telling her doctor. "I mean, I'm not going to walk into the boardroom in a sports bra."

Such frustration inspired the former venture capitalist to launch her own company in 2013, one filled with female engineers who aim to rethink exactly how the modern bra is structured.

The result is a wireless, seamless, and strapless bra design that offers sturdy support by redistributing weight from the wearer's shoulder to their core muscles and torso. In this way, the Evelyn & Bobbie bra is fundamentally different from the standard underwire bra, which can be traced back to the "lift and separate" style first worn by actress Jane Russell (and designed by Howard Hughes) in the 1943 film The Outlaws.

"Women are kind of blown away when they learn that the underwire was invented 80 years ago," muses McKeen of the garment, which has seen relatively little innovation since its inception. "Not only do you hate your underwear, but your mom hated it. So did your grandma."

Evelyn & Bobbie (named after McKeen's aunt and grandmother) has done more than re-architect the modern bra. It has also reimagined the entire sizing system. There are no cup sizes to order. Back in 2014, the team startup used 3D technology to scan hundreds of women's bodies to create an algorithm that allows the company to identify optimal fits with only a few measurements. That way, when clients submit their unique measurements (waist, breast, and shoulder) to the Evelyn & Bobbie website, they are sized by the algorithm and outfitted with a nearly customized fit.

There's no trace of the buyer's body size number on the actual bra. For McKeen, this was vital for combating women's issues with judging their weight according to, what she calls, a mostly arbitrary sizing system.

"Our bodies are more complicated than just bands and cups," reads the company's website.

McKeen says she's met with dozens of women who continue to wear the wrong cup because they don't want to admit to a larger size. They can't bear to bring themselves to buy that bigger number.

"We had a woman come in that had scarring from her underwire," recounts McKeen. "She literally had scars . . . it was rubbing [her side] there for years."

Attempting to solve society's image issues is undoubtedly a tall order, but Evelyn & Bobbie hopes to at least eliminate the pressure put on what should be as simple as buying other everyday essentials.

"The bra is a pretty loaded garment-there's so much social meaning in that garment," says McKeen. "Let's get rid of the value judgment because you find that we put so much stock in these numbers."

The Evelyn & Bobbie bra comes in navy and five nude shades to accommodate a wide range of skin tones. In May, the startup launched a 31-day Kickstarter in hopes of raising $88,000. Instead, it raised over $400,000 with over 3,500 backers. Backer comments expressed a variety of reasons for their excitement about the product. Some donors loved that the bras promised to be strapless but still sturdy; others liked the range of skin colors; and some just loved supporting a female-led business trying to solve a female-centric problem.

"I never could have imagined that it would take three and a half years," McKeen says of her journey from research to shipping out her first order. "The support that we've gotten from women is unbelievable."

Taking The Entrepreneur Plunge

"I am a total mountain girl," gushes McKeen, who grew up in Selma, Oregon. As a child, she often worked alongside her woodworker father, who built a cabin and the various pieces of furniture that went in it.

"I really grew up with a lot of creative freedom and kind of a do-it-yourself [mentality]," she says. That adventurous spirit, holds McKeen, is what invariably led her to strike out on her own in Silicon Valley.

As a Stanford University undergrad, McKeen studied social anthropology, with a heavy emphasis on qualitative methodology (which ended up being a helpful precursor to her eventual consumer research). Following graduation, she worked in an operational capacity evaluating startups at a San Francisco-based private equity firm from 2008 until 2011. She also attended Stanford Business School as a Sloan Fellow.

It was during this time that McKeen, having visited various doctors for back issues, decided to investigate whether there were alternative solutions to the brassiere.

"I thought, 'Okay, well surely in Europe or Asia or somewhere, someone is innovating on this product," says McKeen. "Somebody's got to be taking a look at this architecture.'"

Alas, she found that the product varied little across the globe. Bras had remained fairly stagnant for the latter part of the last 10 years-a surprising fact, considering that body sizes have changed dramatically over the last few decades. In the last 20 years, the average American breast size increased from a size 34B to a 34 DD, according to a survey by lingerie retailer Intimacy.

"Our breasts have gotten bigger than we have gotten fatter," explains McKeen. "There are definitely some big unanswered questions around why that's happening, but we know what it is."

McKeen was compelled to investigate the topic and potentially pursue her own bra startup, but she feared that with no apparel industry background, fundraising would prove futile. Her own experience evaluating companies taught her that investors invest based on pattern recognition.

"I wasn't that CEO, and here I was going to bet on myself to go do that," she says.

But a close friend and mentor gave her one piece of advice that ultimately instilled her with the courage to pursue Evelyn & Bobbie. When McKeen pondered whether a quest to improve the bra was worth potentially giving up her current career, her mentor told her, "Even if you make an incremental improvement, that's super meaningful."

McKeen pushed forward while keeping her idol, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, in the back of her mind. When Blakely launched Spanx, she had zero experience launching an apparel product-but she understood there was a sizeable gap in the market, points out McKeen.

"[Blakely] thought, 'So there are all these men making nylon. They've been making them the same way forever, and if I made them a little differently, they would do the job a lot better. Let's do that,'" says McKeen.

And so McKeen began to assemble a team of female engineers and designers who could reimagine what an upper body support system might look like-everything from the materials to the structure, and even the colors.

As McKeen instructed her team: "The first thing we had to do is forget everything we think we know about how to design a bra."

Building A Support Team

McKeen enrolled in a University of California, Berkeley, summer extension course on anatomy and physiology to better understand the female body. She then moved to Portland, Oregon-home of Nike, Under Armour, and Columbia Sportswear-with the hope of inserting herself in a community dedicated to apparel innovation. By day, McKeen worked as a UX consultant doing research for companies such as HP and Intel. By night, she stitched and hemmed bra materials together in her living room.

Recruiting designer and fabric specialists proved difficult at first. McKeen was repeatedly met with professionals who could not-or refused-to imagine the bra without its metal skeleton.

"People were so deeply trained in one way of making bras, it was like they couldn't wrap their head around the fact of letting go of [underwire]," she recalls. "I was paying these people all this money to tell me that this isn't possible."

Over the next year, McKeen was able to draft Stephanie Muhlenfeld, formerly Nike's manager of technical development. Under Muhlenfeld, Evelyn & Bobbie was able to access premiere fabric manufacturers and factories that count several top 10 apparel companies as their clients. This was essential to the team, which ranked a "seamless feel" as one of their chief priorities. They wanted a fabric that was strong and hugged the body, but also felt soft to the skin, with no itchy stitches or tags to irritate women's bodies.

Too often, argues McKeen, companies try to make garments as cheaply and profitably as possible, which proves supremely problematic for undergarments that push right up against the skin. These bras might possess the right design, but the actual execution fails the entire process.

"There's often a big disconnect between the technical design that happens in an organization, and the changes that happen between the time that the tech person said great [and actual production]," says McKeen, emphasizing that "what actually transpired at the factory and then the less expensive materials that are chosen as the substitutes" can result in a product that doesn't live up to the initial design.

Back in 2014, when McKeen's team began scanning hundreds of women's bodies to create its fit algorithm, they also used the data they collected to create a stitch-free fabric with four-way stretch and a custom front closure that can withstand up to 50 pounds without straps. The fabric (which stems from materials used in athletic shoes) eliminates the need for underwire; instead, it snugly hugs the torso to keep breasts upright. There are no itchy stitches, rather two seams in the back (versus the more sensitive area under the arm). There is some light memory foam padding on the inside of the garment so that it features a smooth, non-bulky appearance suitable for wear beneath light t-shirts. Evelyn & Bobbie named their bra "The Everyday Bustier."

"The bra is structured, so you can place it on a table and it will sit up, but you can also squish it and roll it and it bounces right back to its form," claims McKeen.

A year after moving to Portland, McKeen finalized her business plan. "I knew because of my exposure to investing that I needed to really be prepared as a first-time consumer product CEO," she remembers. By mid-2015, McKeen had secured her Series Seed with investors who saw potential in her holistic approach to redesigning the bra experience.

The issue remained, however: How do you get women excited about an undergarment they've never tried on?

McKeen points to something she refers to as "disappointment fatigue." Women have been promised a better bra for so long that they just don't believe it anymore.

To that end, Evelyn & Bobbie established an "aggressive returns policy," says McKeen. It guaranteed unsatisfied buyers a new fit for free, as well as free returns. That, along with video capturing fuller-bodied models dancing and bouncing in the company's strapless bras, was enough to convince many potential buyers when the company launched its crowdfunding campaign.

On Kickstarter, the bra was available for a special advance price of $88. Nowdays, on the company's website, preorders sell for $188 and are expected to ship out in early December. There are already over 5,000 orders in place.

Moving forward, the company intends to roll out out more undergarments, including underwear, and a series of "fit salons"-essentially Tesla-like showrooms where consumers will be able to test out the product and get sized by Evelyn & Bobbie staff.

McKeen understands that she's up against a few hurdles-the average cost of a bra being one of them (prices range from $10 at Walmart to $48 at Victoria's Secret). Not to mention the challenge of changing consumers' minds about what a bra can look and feel like. Her marketing strategy is to appeal to customers' desire for quality over quantity.

"Our target consumer is trending away from fast fashion and disposable goods," explains McKeen via a follow-up email. "She wants few, high-quality, well-made objects that truly improve her everyday experience . . . Our research shows consistently that women have 10 or more bras in their drawer that they do not wear. That's a lot of wasted money."

Basically, why not buy a few comfortable, personalized bras instead of a dozen ill-fitting ones? Much like Blakeley, McKeen believes there's significant untapped potential in this market-and that consumers will benefit from her female-fronted team's scientific and technological findings.

"Our mission is to be the most innovative intimate apparel company in the world, and it's never been more possible to do that," McKeen says. "This is a super capital-intensive business-it's go big or go home . . . But we are really here to do it right."

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How These Female Engineers Reinvented The Bra

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All her life, Bree McKeen deeply resented her bra. Nearly every style she owned-hundreds of dollars' worth in her drawers-featured medieval underwires that dug into her ribcage and constricting straps that irritated her shoulders. "As I started talking to other women, I realized I was not the only one," says McKeen, 37, the founder and CEO of Evelyn & Bobbie .