Spring Refresh with Elomi

Liesl Goodman, head of design, is the creative mastermind behind lingerie and swimwear brand Elomi, which launched in 2008 to serve women with curves. Elomi really led the charge in offering gorgeous lingerie with excellent fit, support and design for full figures—hugely underserved back then and marginally improved since.

Right now, Elomi is all about cultivating an intimates wardrobe so fabulous, it effortlessly inspires its devotees to stay in style every day (motivation we could especially use lately).

In Bare Necessities’ exclusive interview with Liesl, find out what’s new and exciting for you this very moment.

Q: What excites you about creating lingerie?
A: The best thing about designing lingerie is making women feel good about themselves every single day. I also love the thrill of finding a new must-have embroidery or lace—that really sparks the imagination.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”The best thing about designing lingerie is making women feel good about themselves every single day” [/perfectpullquote]

Q: How do you look at preparing a new collection?
A: The process starts with our design teams researching trends in prints, colors and styling. Designers select new materials and make samples for consideration in our monthly design meetings. We vigorously wear-test each bra we produce across a wide range of sizes and body shapes. We test all of our bras in situ, like sending a nursing bra to a new mum.

Every Elomi bra must pass stringent tests to ensure maximum comfort. The full process, from initial concept to store, takes eighteen months.

Q: How do you stay connected to what women want?
A: I’m always listening to what women want in different markets, staying connected with each of our local teams in various markets, and I travel as much as I can to meet the people who buy from us. We also meet with our sales teams so they can share feedback on the latest season and any “wish list” requests from buyers and customers. Some markets are more concerned about the shape that the bra gives them, others decide on color first, so it’s about giving them a range of choices and really being responsive to demand.

Q: Elomi offers a wardrobe of bra styles. What factors are most important?
A: Every Elomi bra is designed with comfort and gorgeousness in mind—we want every bra to have the ‘wow’ factor but also the ‘ahh’ factor. This means ensuring that each design not only fits beautifully, but also that it feels wonderful.

[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We want every bra to have the ‘wow’ factor but also the ‘ahh’ factor”[/perfectpullquote]

We need different bras for different aspects of life, so we can always feel our best. I say invest in great solutions bras: a supportive strapless; smoothing T-shirt bras (like the Charley Spacer T-Shirt Bra, Amelia T-Shirt Bra, Bijou Plunge T-Shirt Bra and the Smoothing Seamless Bra); sports bras (definitely Energise); bras that make you feel sexy and confident (like Charley in Tahiti, Sachi in Cherryade or Matilda in Chili); and comfort bras that make you feel at ease (again I’d say the Charley Spacer, plus Morgan and Cate for side-support).

Q: What’s to come from Elomi in the next year?
A: I can’t really say too much on the new styles we’re bringing out, but I will say we are recoloring some of our customers’ favorite bras. We’ll be introducing a new range that features the strappy detailing our customers love in our Sachi and Eugenie bras teamed with soft stretch lace, and we also have an innovative smoothing style launching later this year. It’s a molded bra that’s really light and comfortable.

Q: What has been your greatest achievement at Elomi?
A: The highlight has been our Elomi 10-year anniversary celebration, when we really stopped to reflect back on the incredible growth and success of this brand, and all the full-figured women we have reached and supported.