Meet The Member - Jen from No.1 Bra
no.1 bra
We had the pleasure of interviewing our member Jen of No. 1 Bra to find out more about her and how her life-changing bras can help you.
Hi jen. we love what you do and are very happy to have you as a member of We Are St. Albans.
We’d love to know a bit about yourself and life before No.1 Bra.
Hi guys, I’m Jen and I am the founder of No.1 Bra. I live in Wheathampstead and I am a mother to two beautiful children and wife to my co-founder husband Dale. I love cooking and anything to do with horses – my ideal weekend involves lots of time down at the stables!
I have been in the lingerie industry for over 30 years, designing for some of the world’s biggest brands – from high end to high street. I absolutely love this industry; it is where my passion lies and enables me to express my creativity and expertise.
What inspired you to create no.1 Bra?
Whilst working in the industry, I became challenged with the design of a typical bra because it doesn’t work in harmony with the natural shape of a woman’s body. The underwired bra structure hasn’t changed at all over the last 50 years. Women’s bodies have changed, we are more shapely. Our lifestyles have changed, too. Yet the structure of the bra remained the same.
I wanted to create a first-class, comfortable bra with perfect craftsmanship and superior materials that also delivered on style. A smoothing bra that would be invisible under clothing and never digs-in. So that’s what I did!
The No.1 Bra makes you feel confident and comfortable all day long. Your bra is one of the first things you put on in the morning and it shapes the rest of your look. We designed the No. 1 Bra as the perfect foundation for your clothing, so if you feel fabulous in your underwear - that’s a great start to the day!
We also expanded the range to matching underwear and shapewear so women can feel fabulous from head to toe.
What is the most common problem women have with their bra?
There are two that we hear about daily. The first is that women just can’t seem to find the right fit. Either they haven’t been to a fitting in years (or ever) or as their bodies have changed over the years, they haven’t changed their bra size. More than 70% of women are wearing the wrong size!
The second, which is due in part to the first problem, is comfort. We see women all the time who have indentations or marks on their skin from their bra. This is because it is too tight or the underwire is digging in all day long. So many women are actually in pain from their underwear! If you are wearing the right bra, it should not leave any marks and you should forget you are wearing it, not rush home to take it off.
What should women look for when buying a new bra?
Correct sizing, comfort and support. They should feel confident and fabulous when wearing it.
Underwire or not underwire - what are your thoughts?
Underwire of course, especially if you have a larger chest. Our underwires contour the ‘natural’ shape of the breast which is why they never dig in.
Tell us more about the No1 Bra telephone fitting service.
Ok, so we obviously offer face-to-face fittings, but we have customers all over the UK and who can’t all travel to the shop in Wheathampstead. So, we also do a telephone fitting consultation.
It takes around 10 minutes and one of our expert fitters will run through a few questions about your current bra and size. We will determine what the right size is for you and send you one of our amazing bras to try out. We also offer free exchanges and will keep in contact with you until you are 100% happy with your new bra.
Your bras have a special ‘no dig’ wire – can you tell us a bit more about this?
The traditional underwire is historically a horseshoe shape and high at the side, which is why it can dig into the breast tissue. Also, the side panels can become over-stretched and therefore do not offer the right level of comfort or support.
The No.1 Bra uses our own patented design where underwire that is shaped away from the breast, but still provides maximum support. We also have side and back smoothing panels to add to that level of support and the result is a pain-free, supportive bra that transforms your shape.
What is currently your best-selling bra?
This is a hard one, because we would probably say that the Kelly T-shirt bra is our best-seller but that is because it tends to be the first one people buy. 98% of our first-time customers come back again to re-purchase bras in our other styles and colours.
You also specialise in sports bras. How do these differ from a high street retailer?
Our No Bounce sports bra was a natural progression from the No.1 Bra range. As a bra expert, I tend to notice when a bra is not doing what it is supposed to do.
The No Bounce sports bra was created after spending the last 10 years watching young ladies bounce around on horseback when I regularly took my daughter horse-riding. It’s from observing the discomfort of these young ladies that No Bounce was born. It does exactly what it says in the name – when you move, your boobs don’t!
The concept has grown from horse-riding to all sports, both high and low impact. The No Bounce Sports bra is now being worn by professional athletes, school girls for PE and sporting activities and by everyday women who love just to walk, play golf and go for a run. The No Bounce patented design makes movement more comfortable.
What’s next for No1 Bra?
We are always developing and creating. But most importantly we listen to our customers, and all our future plans have their needs at heart. Watch this space for more styles, colours and designs!
Finally, When you are not busy at work, what do you enjoy doing in the local area and where are your favourite hotspots?
I am so passionate about my job that I must admit, I spend most of my time doing it! There is no better feeling that fitting a woman into a comfortable bra and seeing her leave our shop wearing it (we have a full bin in the shop that ladies throw their old bras in as they are leaving) with a new confidence and spring in her step. Any free time I do have is spent either down at the stables or with my lovely family.