When you go to the shop to buy a bra, there are a lot of things to think about. You have to worry about the color, the size, the shape, the fit, the cost and whether or not it’s going to “go” with your wardrobe. What you’re generally not worrying or thinking about, is how exactly your bra was made, or how it was designed.
And trust me, the journey your bra goes on, from initial design to being strapped across your tits, is a fascinating one.
I had the pleasure of speaking with the lovely lingerie manufacturing ladies at Debenhams earlier this month, and they explained to me not only how they come up for the concept of new bra designs, but how exactly your bra is made.
Titillating Design
While the process on how bras are actually made is quite involved, I think the part I like best about your bra’s journey is how it is designed. The ladies at Debenhams explained how they have to starting planning collections a year in advance, and that the process is actually quite fun.
The creative mood boards with inspiration for the different collections and styles, and the different images that have inspired their original patterns for those lovely Floozie by Frost French bras are truly fascinating.
From the transparency issue (nipples vs no nipples) to “long line bras” and the inspiration of French knickers and petticoats, the process in which a bra is designed and created is not only artistic, but a quite thought out and an intense process.
But what is an even more intense process, is how your bra is physically put together.
Tedious Production
Once the designs, trends, individual styles are worked on, the packs and specifications are sent out to the suppliers. Before anything can be done, a sample of the bra has to be produced, and the materials for sampling are arranged and sample is made up in sample machine room at factories.
Even the sample stage can take up to 6-8 weeks, depending on how complicated the design of the bra is, and once the first sample is created, there may need to be more “tweaks” and changes, with can add another 4-6 weeks on the timetable.
From there, every single component in the bra, from straps, elastics, fabrics, trims and hooks needs to be checked to see if they’re up to color standard, and Debenhams explains that this itself, from initial swatches to final bulk materials, can take up to 10-12 weeks.
Now while I won’t put you to sleep with every intricate part of this long process, what I did find really interesting was the fitting process of the bras. From the sample fittings of two to three different sizes, to then being fit by in-house models, to then being tested out by a “wearer panel of experts” of five to six women (with varied ages and sizes ranging from a 32A to 36J) who try out the bras for for all day wear, comfort, support, and even how the bra washes.
Obviously, Debenhams are serious about their bras being tested out.
From here, there are many, many inspections that take place. The materials are laid out and cut and embroidered and moulded. Then, the bra is constructed, and once again inspected. If approved, then your bra is put on hangers with the added packaging, and shipped off to the stores.
After learning about how much work and effort goes into each bra, I started to feel a little guilty for not really appreciating what exactly my bra does, and how it was made. Sure it can be uncomfortable sometimes (holding up two F cups can’t exactly be an easy job) but it’s nice to know that if your bra comes from a place that takes lingerie as seriously as Debenhams does, your bra has been designed and produced with very much care.
All images © BitchBuzz