Combing the world for inspiring bras

What do you do?

My job is to design, create and develop lingerie for the JT One brand. I start by researching trends online through affiliations with brands such as Marks Spencer and at the Design Indaba, which is an incredibly inspiring place where creative minds can come together and share different ways of thinking.

I then build the range and develop the products, working closely with Woolworths’s buying and planning teams.

One of the interesting parts of my job is travelling to the fashion capitals – London, New York and Paris – and to the lingerie capitals in Italy and Spain to gain exposure to the international market.

There are technical as well as creative elements to your job as a bra designer. How do you balance the two?

Lingerie is a specialised business — fit and fabric are non-negotiable. We have to make sure that whatever we produce is fun, but that it also meets the Woolworths standard of fit, comfort and quality.

One can be creative with technical application with new innovations and developments — such as when we’re improving or creating new bra moulds and silhouettes or shapes.

Balance is achieved when you have put in the time to develop the technical specifications for the product’s mould and shape, and then you get to experience the joy of choosing fabrics and detail.

For JT One, this is what makes it stands out. The fit, complemented by the pop of detail, colour and trim, give it a wow factor.

As a designer, what inspires you?

Art, music, culture, iconic brands, festivals and social landscapes are huge influences to me. Ultimately, it’s the customers who inspire the brand. They tell us what they want and what they love. Being able to ensure that women feel confident and beautiful in their own skin is the ultimate inspiration. It’s the reason I got into fashion design and ventured into the lingerie industry.

How much freedom do you have in terms of your designs? Are you required to fit in with the coming trends or can you do your own thing?

Our designs are guided by outerwear and underwear trends, and generally what’s fashionable and what’s relevant. As a team, we have the freedom to incorporate these elements into our designs. The exciting part is playing with the fabric selection and detail.

JT One is a unique brand, so we need to ensure we create a signature style. This allows us the freedom to create products that are representative of our brand, product and customer.

How did you find yourself in this position?

I joined Woolworths seven years ago as a design assistant on a short-term contract. I started working in lingerie and then moved — first to women’s wear and then menswear before rejoining lingerie in the JT One team.

I believe it is quite important that, as you move from job to job — whether between companies or within the same one — you upskill, grow and add more value to your career.

What qualifications do you have, and how do they help you do your job?

I hold a fashion design diploma from the Haute Couture School of Fashion Design in Cape Town.

This qualification has allowed me to enter into a designer position with a good base and a broad understanding of the clothing industry.

When you study fashion design, you learn about fit and making a garment through pattern making, construction through sewing, what makes a successful business and about the industry through business studies.

I do believe there should be more emphasis on computer-aided design drawings — fashion illustration on computer. Many colleges are starting to do this only now, and it’s so important when entering a company such as Woolworths or its suppliers. It’s a vital tool for drawing up the technical specifications.

What do you love most about your job?

Creating products — being able to dive into the design and detail of the product. The really fun part is seeing one’s finished product in store and getting positive feedback from customers. I love working with a brand that has so many creative possibilities. Creating something fun that builds relationships with customers means being strategic and thinking about creating a business, not just about creating an item of clothing.

What mistakes do women tend to make when choosing bras for themselves and how can they avoid them?

The biggest mistake most women make is not knowing their correct bra size, which leads to ill-fitting bras. My advice: get measured for your correct size. Remember, everyone is a different shape and women’s bodies go through so many changes as they go through life.

Also remember that different bra shapes have different uses. Different brands also provide different shapes for different bodies.

• This article was first published in Sunday Times: Business Times

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8 Videos To Help You Have The Perfect Valentine’s Day (Or Not)

 

I think we owe it to ourselves to be honest with each other. Valentine’s Day STRESSES ME OUT, and I know I’m not alone on that score. Rather than deal with my emotions internally like some sort of old person, I turn to YouTube to calm me down, help me out, and make me laugh. Fortunately many of our favorite YouTubers know that this is a tough time of year, and rather than let fans experience an epic emotional breakdown that only years of very expensive therapy can cure, they’ve provided all sorts of helpful hints, sketches, and how-tos to make things a little easier. Check out these 8 great V-Day videos from your YouTube faves.

The hardest thing you’ll do on Valentine’s Day (If you’re lucky enough to have a Valentine) is buy him or her a gift. There are millions of potential options out there, from jewelry to lingerie to novelty hats, all of which carry a million mixed messages perfect for confusing your date and complicating your relationship. Rather than take the risk by choosing for yourself, why not put your faith in the hands of a higher power. I’m referring, of course, to Superwoman. If you can’t trust Lilly Singh who can you trust…or blame if things go wrong.

 

 

If you don’t trust Lilly’s gift giving advice (what is wrong with you???) you can always count on Rhett and Link for some suitably low-budget solutions. This week’s episode of Good Mythical Morning is all about unlocking the hidden Valentine’s essence in some everyday items.

 

 

Of course everyone knows that the way to the heart isn’t through gifts, it’s through the stomach. If you want someone to love you, then you have to cook for them…or hypnotize them I guess…but cooking is probably easier. It also helps to get them drunk. When I think drunk, I think Grace Helbig, so this alcohol-laden dessert tutorial is probably going to help! (Or not, I don’t know your life.)

 

 

Of course if you’re drunk and hungry but also forever alone you can always turn to another member of YouTube’s Holy Trinity, Hannah Hart. Hannah is cooking up a possibly delicious snack for the sad singles among us.

 

 

Once you’ve got your gift sorted out and you’ve prepared a delicious romantic dessert, you’ll actually need to go on a date. Now, I personally have not been on a date or known love of any kind because I’m a writer, so for this I’ll turn things over to Timothy DeLaGhetto, who should be able to walk you through the basics.

 

 

Of course none of this is very helpful if you’re not planning to observe Valentine’s Day at all. For you, I would recommend you start your day by getting down with this snappy Jack Douglass tune. After all, Valentine’s Day is a wonderful holiday devoted to love and affection, but it’s also a nonsensical corporate cash-in on some mangled folktales and half-understood Catholic legends.

 

 

Now that you’re jazzed about the hypocrisy of the holiday, you can follow that up on your Anti-V-Day playlist with something a little harder, like this jazzy anthem from Animation Domination.

 

 

Now that you’ve started down the road to being a Valentine’s Day hater, you may as well go all the way. Check out this report from The Young Turks on a group of Japanese men who have declared war on the holiday. It’s like a sadder, lonelier version of the back half of Fight Club.

 

 

And now, after just eight easy videos, you’re prepared to enjoy a wonderful romantic Valentine’s Day…or join a crazy anti-romance Japanese terrorist group. Isn’t the internet amazing?

 

Share this article and let us know what you’re planning for Valentine’s Day in the comments below.

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