“Star in a Bra” Hopes to Inspire Women to Love Their Curves

In 2009 Curvy Kate, a fuller-bust British lingerie brand, launched in the U.K. and the company executives were having a tough time finding a professional model that could represent the “flirty, fabulous, full-busted” brand image.  They decided to launch “Star in a Bra” and open its model search to amateur models who were naturally curvaceous women with a cup size of D or higher because the company wanted their lingerie models to be an inspiration to their customers.

Curvy Kate was launched in 2009 but took three years to create.  In 2006, after running a retail shop for years that sold designer bras, the Curvy Kate team decided it was time to design and produce their own bras that aimed to deliver a quality product that fit perfectly and offered great value for money.  The company worked with a freelance designer and learned the importance of firm wing fabric, strong wires, soft elastic and thick wire casting and improvements were made over the next couple of years by listening closely to their customers.

“The average American breast size is now a 36DD, and the average dress size is a 14 or larger, but many fashion brands still choose a model that is, on average, 23 percent lighter than the typical woman,” says Steve Hudson, Curvy Kate managing director. “We use our real customers as models because beauty comes in all sizes, and women need to see how fabulous a shapely figure can look in well-made lingerie created just for them.”

The competition has already taken place five times in the U.K., launched in Australia and is now finding itself for the first time in America where the winner will receive a one year international modeling contract with the lingerie company and become the U.S. face and body of the brand.  In the land of opportunity where billboards, magazine ads and television commercials are saturated with images of hard to attain sizes that are, in reality, a minority of the population, this brand strives to show that women of all sizes are beautiful.

The top 10 finalists were announced on June 13 and flown to New York for a professional photo shoot where nationally renowned bra fit and style expert, Jene Luciani, was waiting with fashion styling tips and tricks.

“I’ve dedicated my life to educating women on the importance of finding the right bra, and fuller-busted women face an even greater challenge because there aren’t enough brands like Curvy Kate who are offering bras for them,” said Luciani. “As a fuller-busted woman myself, I’m constantly looking for new ways to help women of all shapes and sizes look and feel great, and I can’t wait to share my insider advice.”

Back in April, women 18 and older with a cup size of D or higher were asked to create a profile on Curvy Kate’s USA Facebook page and upload five photographs of themselves wearing lingerie or swimwear as well as type out a short summary of why they want to be the Star in a Bra. By the end of May, the top 10 finalists were announced and on June 13 the voting was open to the public on Facebook where, after their professional photo shoot in New York with Jene Luciani, all the professional images were posted for the public to vote on.

The top 10 finalists come from all over America and all share a few things in common…two things to be exact.  None of the women in the final 10 have a cup size smaller than a double F and all share the desire to show the world what they’ve got to inspire curvy women all over the country to love their bodies and learn self-acceptance.  Judging by the thousands of Facebook comments leading up to the vote, they are all winners that have done just as they set out to do.  Women from all over are getting inspired to get fitted properly and seem to love the awareness this campaign is bringing.

Today is the last day to vote for the woman who promises to be the new ambassador for self-acceptance. Previous winners have found international stardom including 2011 U.K. winner, Lizzie Haines, who went on to win Plus Size Model of the Year at the Plus Size Awards.  The very first winner from 2009, Lauren Colfer, is still signed to the brand, saying, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!  It’s great seeing curvier girls in the fashion industry to relate to.”

Voting for the 2012 Star in a Bra USA girl ENDS TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT EDST.