The last time we spoke to Li Ying of Our Bralette Club (OBC) was close to two years ago, where she shared how she hoped to promote body positivity through her bralettes.
The same sentiment is still very much focused on by the OBC team today, except that the business has now expanded to include their very first retail store.
Located on the third floor of Orchard Gateway, the brand occupies a spacious unit that’s designed to be open and inviting. This is a huge contrast to the usual dimly lit, sex appeal type of vibes that many lingerie stores are going for.
The team of 5 has also now grown to include two more members, especially now that their retail store is set up.
“I’m always thankful for all the help we receive and grateful that our small team of 7 are like a huge family.”
Brick And Mortar
The main goal of the retail store is to provide a space for OBC’s customers to try on the different types of bralettes they offer in order to seek out the elusive bralette that is perfect for all their needs.
Li Ying understands that some women are still not comfortable with the idea of buying lingerie online as they are worries about quality and fit, so a retail store is really important to them.
Apart from that, she also wants to provide a safe space for women to shop for lingerie. “No matter your size, shape or colour, we aim to provide a welcoming space for all women to find a comfortable set of lingerie for themselves,” she adds.
“So many customers have come into the store letting us know that they always feel judged when shopping elsewhere due to their size, but we always aim to feel customers feel right at home in store.”
To help with this, Li Ying is strict about who she hires to work at the retail store because she wants customers to be able to discuss their needs with their bralette experts.
Li Ying advises that if you have any questions or doubts about wearing a bralette, you can always head down to the store as well.
Besides their bralettes, their retail outlet is also stocked with their accessories, loungewear, sleepwear and swimwear. In fact, Li Ying reveals that there are store exclusive discounts and promotions as well.
For those who love getting their shopping done all at one stop – you’ll be delighted to know that there are a number of OBC’s retail brand partners in store. These include eco-friendly and socially responsible menstrual cup brand — Freedom Cups, as well as Croon, an eco friendly make up removing facial puff.
“I’ve personally been a fan of most of the brands we feature in store! For example, I’ve been using the Freedom Cup for more than 3 years now and I truly believe in their products,” Li Ying gushes.
For the other brands, like baby blanket brand Maison Elmesa, Li Ying personally knows the founder and believes in her vision. “She’s also a full time mum herself, and I have utmost respect for entrepreneurial mummies.”
The team wants to provide a cohesive and experiential shopping environment for their customers, so having brands that fit into the overall shopping experience is important to them.
Growing Together With The Brand
Since November 2017, the team has been working hard on trying to empower more women with their brand ethos of being size inclusive and Li Ying proudly shares that they’ve achieved a lot more since their last feature.
“We’ve added 2 new sizes to our sizing repertoire so our bralettes on the rack fit an even wider range of women now. We’ve also customized almost 300 bralettes to date since we first started taking in custom sized requests, so that’s something we’re proud of as well.”
On top of that, they’ve also moved on to always using 2 models or more during their photoshoots in order to better represent the different shapes and sizes women come in. Li Ying enthuses that this has been met with great response from her customers.
OBC is also moving into providing for mothers, as many of her customers who have grown together with the brand are entering a new phase of their lives.
“We love mummies! I’ve always had a lot of respect for mums who love unconditionally and seem to gain superpowers after their kid is born. Their ability to multitask and survive on little sleep always makes me feel like they are superwomen.”
The team has been receiving many requests from mothers to make better looking yet still comfortable nursing bras, which is why they will be launching their own line of nursing/maternity bralettes.
“I think mummies deserve to be reminded that they are beautiful and also to be reminded that besides being a mum they are also themselves. Having nice and comfortable lingerie to wear helps chase away the bad days and make them feel better.”
OBC’s future plans for the nursing line involves education – a lot of mothers think that support is crucial after they give birth – on how to choose the best nursing bralette both for their own comfort and also for their milk supply.
For mothers who don’t nurse, the team is focused on helping them to find a bralette that will help them both physically and emotionally.
Looking Forward
OBC’s ultimate goal is to be able to help all women realise that wearing a bra doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable affair. Moving forward, the team intends to focus a lot more on educating their customers rather than just selling a product.
“I think to me, if a customer, through our marketing and educating, knows and realises that their comfort is the most important thing when shopping for lingerie, we have succeeded. Whether or not they purchase from us, I think that’s secondary.”
“We’ll continue to be a size inclusive brand and do more to help women see their own beauty. We aim to defeat the stereotype of the ideal body type and be a body positive lingerie brand.”
Our Bralette Club Orchard Gateway #03-05