The Little Bra Company
Written by Yvette Coleman

Southern California native Emily Lau has combined her love of lingerie and need for cleavage to create THE LITTLE BRA COMPANY. A brand that celebrates the fact that good things do come in small packages. “I was a late-bloomer, but ever since I could wear a bra I became obsessed with finding a bra that gave me extra oomph. I bought bras even if they didn’t fit me, just because I thought they were pretty or had a lot of padding (to fill in what I lacked). Of course, I spent years looking ridiculous wearing ill-fitting bras. That is, until a couple of years ago when I started working with some experts to design the perfect-fitting bra for my petite body type.” As many other women have discovered, if you are not in the 34b or up crowd you can get lost in translation. The fit and form of bras for petite women have been a ajor concern without many solutions.  Emily created The Little Bra Company to give women like her intimate apparel that not only fit their bodies better, but also made them feel feminine and sexy.

Her inspiration for the Spring 2009 collection includes these new sizes as well as new colors in their bestselling bra, the “Lucia”. “I love to add color into the collection, because one of my frustrations I had when I shopped for bras, was that the bras in my size looked like training bras and were only offered in basic colors.” The Spring 2009 collection has an oyster/aqua combination inspired by an antique lace, and peony/tangerine that reminds her of colors on a label of my favorite rosé champagne.  She will also introduce a strapless bra for a smaller-framed customer for the Fall 2009. It will be offered in black and pearl (for all the petite brides out there).

Please finish this sentence: “The celebrity that best embodies our brand is (and why) Kerry Washington. I met Kerry when I first had the idea for The Little Bra Company, and she encouraged me to get it launched saying that she would be my first customer. She has inspired me ever since, and although, she may be smaller in her physical frame, she has great talent in her career and strength in what she believes.

Who is your ideal customer...and why?
The Little Bra Company’s target customer is a woman who may be “little” up top, but still wants a bra that gives her lift and makes her feel feminine (without the surgery). Since Oprah’s recent bra interventions, I think women of all sizes are looking for a better-fitting bra. There’s more out there for plus-size and full-figured women now, but very little for petite women. Therefore, I want to give smaller-proportioned women a bra that not only fits them better, but is also more fashionable and attractive. It’s time that petite women got intimate apparel that not only boosts their cleavage, but also their self confidence. When I get to personally fit my customers, it’s always so exciting to see their reactions. I get hugs and high-fives from women who thought they could never have cleavage. They tell me that they have never had a bra that fit the way The Little Bra Company bra fits and they love them because it makes them feel pretty!

Tell us one thing that no one knows about the brand.
I name each bra style after a friend, who has inspired me and/or supported me through the creation and growth of The Little Bra Company. You’ll notice each style has a female name, but there is one man in my life who I have given the honor of naming a bra after. “Lucia” is named after my boyfriend Luc, who is the No. 1 fan of The Little Bra Company.

Why do I want to buy your brand before others?
The Little Bra Company currently specializes in sizes 32 to 36 A and B cups, and due to popular request, has expanded into 28 and 30 band sizes in some styles. However, The Little Bra Company’s bras are already designed and cut on a petite scale. Just like a petite pant fits a petite woman’s body better, The Little Bra Company’s bras fit the same way. Although there are other push-up bras on the market, The Little Bra Company bras are designed to fit a smaller body type giving her a better fitting and more natural-looking curve.

How are European lingerie brands different from American lingerie different from Canadian lingerie?
I find European lingerie focuses more on fashionable and feminine laces. There is less structure in European bras, and it doesn’t matter if a little lace shows through a shirt. On the other hand, American lingerie is designed for a more active lifestyle and is why basic t-shirt bras are so popular in the U.S. There is more focus on “invisible” shaping as well. Women want to enhance or shape their bodies with their foundations, but they don’t necessarily want people to know that there is something actually helping them do it. At The Little Bra Company, we try to give our customer the best of both worlds—feminine and functional.

Do you agree that the economic times call for minimalist designs?  Does the economy directly affect the lingerie industry?
No, I don’t think these economic times necessarily call for minimalist designs. I think times like this should really inspire designers to create something that is still beautiful, but at the right price. It is during these times especially that I think lingerie should make a women feel beautiful and good about themselves. After all, I think customers right now are more willing to spend money on a good quality, good–looking bra that they can wear almost everyday, than let’s say, a fancy cashmere sweater. Plus, a good bra will only make their existing wardrobe look even better. Although intimate apparel may not be recession-proof, I believe it is recession-resistant. Bras and panties are a necessity in good or bad economic times.

What are some of the more popular styles of lingerie that you sell? “Lucia” is our bestselling bra. It’s a lace, deep-plunge bra that has contoured padding to give a smaller-framed women a natural-looking curve. I think it’s most popular because it is feminine and sexy, but still functional and can still be worn every day.

What's the coziest recommendation you have for winter sleepwear right now?
I love to wear sleep outfits from Erin Braxton and sheandme. Both lines make great pieces in modal, which is light and so comfortable. To keep me warm, I throw on a Barefoot Dreams robe that I’ve had for years. It’s kind of like my security blanket during the winter.

What advice would you give women whose bodies may not be the “model-type”, but who love YOUR COLLECTION and want to wear it?
You don’t have to be a model-type to wear The Little Bra CompanyTM. Although The Little Bra CompanyTM is made for women with smaller band and cup sizes, our customers come in all shapes and heights.

Words of wisdom:
“Do what makes you happy because then it won’t feel like work.”

The Little Bra CompanyTM is currently sold in more than 70 fine retail boutiques throughout the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. The Little Bra CompanyTM can also be found at online retailers such as herroom.com, brasmyth.com, barenecessities.com and at thelittlebracompany.com.

The bra prices range from $50-$60 retail. The boyshort and thong prices range from $26-$28 retail
www.thelittlebracompany.com