Staff At A Melbourne Lingerie Store Are Protesting Against Sexist Work Conditions

The company's handbook directs female employees to "pout" at male customers.

A group of young workers have staged a protest today targeting the Australian lingerie chain Honey Birdette, which has been accused by current and former staff of encouraging sexual harassment.

The protest was held outside Honey Birdette’s Melbourne Central store and follows a petition started by a former employee that claimed staff were “sexually harassed and intimidated by customers â€" and when these women spoke up, management told them to suck it up.” The petition, which also accuses the company of enforcing a sexist dress code, has been signed by 5,000 people.

Staff have also expressed concern at the the company’s staff handbook which directs women to “pout” at male customers.

Photo credit: Young Workers Centre

Today’s protest included testimonials from Honey Birdette staff, documenting their negative experiences in the workplace. “We were told we were there as ‘sex kittens’,” one testimonial read. “They make you go up to women and couples and sell them sex toys and say vulgar things to them even if [the customers] say no,” read another.

One former staff member said that the company forced staff to wear high heels and stockings, which they had to purchase from the store.

Photo credit: Young Workers Centre

Material distributed at the protest said that workers at Honey Birdette were “bullied and intimidated by management for not having perfectly applied lipstick or wanting to wear flat shoes instead of high heels â€" even for safety reasons.” They also “face sexual harassment and intimidation from customers, and are pressured by management to work countless hours of unpaid overtime to make sales.”

Employees also raised concerns around the company’s official staff handbook called “The Little Black Book”. The handbook, seen by Junkee, describes how staff are expected to dress and interact with customers.

The handbook describes retail staff as “showgirls”. Dress guidelines include requirements that staff wear red lipstick and high heels to “complete the showgirl experience”. Nails must either be red, black or nude and staff are reminded that “ladies talk with our hands”.

An excerpt from the company’s “Little Black Book”

According to the handbook, being a “Honey” (staff member) is more than a job, it’s a “lifestyle”. Staff are also encouraged to use phrases like “Kinky cats”, “Sadistic sweethearts”, “Spank me if I’m wrong” and “Come hither”.

A specific section on male customers directs staff to greet them with a “killer pout”.

The issue of sexual harassment in retail workplaces isn’t unique to one specific company. An investigate feature published by Fairfax last week highlighted how common it is across the industry.

The article pointed out that there have been no public campaigns targeting this kind of behaviour despite the fact the law was changed five years ago to explicitly prohibit customers sexually harassing employees.

Today’s protest was supported by the Young Workers Centre. Keelia Fitzpatrick, the centre’s coordinator, said “Honey Birdette claims to be about ’empowering women’ â€" but the only people Honey Birdette are empowering are customers who want to sexually harass women.

“We’ve had many women contact us to speak out about these awful workplace practices, but what’s really alarming is how many of these women are speaking to us anonymously. There’s a real culture of fear among the workers at Honey Birdette. It’s time for Honey Birdette to practice what they preach and empower staff to stand up for safety.”

Junkee has contacted Honey Birdette for comment.

"

| Staff | Melbourne | Lingerie | Store | Protesting | Against | Sexist | Work | Conditions | companys | handbook | directs | female | employees | pout | male | customers | p> A | group | young | workers | have | staged | protest | today | targeting | Australian | lingerie | chain | Honey | Birdette | which | been | accused | current | former | staff | encouraging | sexual | harassment | p> The | held | outside | Birdette’s | Central | store | follows | petition | started | employee< | that | claimed | were | “sexually | harassed | intimidated | when | these | women | spoke | management | told | them | suck | also | accuses | company | enforcing | sexist | dress | code | signed | people | p> Staff | expressed | concern | company’s | “pout” | p> Photo | credit: | Young | Workers | Centre< | p> < | div> Today’s | included | testimonials | from | documenting | their | negative | experiences | workplace | “We | there | ‘sex | kittens’ | testimonial | read | “They | make | couples | sell | toys | vulgar | things | even | [the | customers] | another | p> One | member | said | forced | wear | high | heels | stockings | they | purchase | p> Photo | div> Material | distributed | “bullied | having | perfectly | applied | lipstick | wanting | flat | shoes | instead | safety | reasons | They | “face | intimidation | pressured | work | countless | hours | unpaid | overtime | sales | ”< | p> Employees | raised | concerns | around | official | called | “The | Little | Black | Book” | seen | Junkee | describes | expected | interact | with | retail | “showgirls” | Dress | guidelines | include | requirements | “complete | showgirl | experience” | Nails | must | either | black | nude | reminded | “ladies | talk | hands” | p> An | excerpt | “Little | Book”< | div> According | being | “Honey” | (staff | member) | more | than | it’s | “lifestyle” | encouraged | phrases | like | “Kinky | cats” | “Sadistic | sweethearts” | “Spank | I’m | wrong” | “Come | hither” | specific | section | greet | “killer | pout” | issue | workplaces | isn’t | unique | investigate | feature | published | Fairfax< | last | week | highlighted | common | is across | industry | article | pointed | public | campaigns | this | kind | behaviour | despite | fact | changed | five | years | explicitly | prohibit | sexually | harassing | p> Today’s | supported | Centre | Keelia | Fitzpatrick | centre’s | coordinator | “Honey | claims | about | ’empowering | women’ | only | empowering | want | harass | p> “We’ve | many | contact | speak | awful | practices | what’s | really | alarming | speaking | anonymously | There’s | real | culture | fear | among | It’s | time | practice | what | preach | empower | stand | p> Junkee | contacted | comment | div> |

Read More

Kylie Jenner's Lingerie Selfies Don't Seem to Be Slowing Down Anytime Soon

If you were having lingerie selfie withdrawals from Kylie Jenner, you're in luck!

The 19-year-old, who is no stranger to sharing racy photos and videos on social media, took to Snapchat earlier today to post a short video clip of herself in the mirror wearing nothing but what looked to be a sheer black bra and matching underwear with thigh-high stockings.

The newly blond star didn't provide any context in that specific Snapchat (aside from a quick zoom, which we're sure everyone is grateful for), but judging from the background and other posts that followed and preceded this one, it seemed as though Kylie was at a destination for a shoot or fitting of some sort.

The last time we saw a similar snapshot was just a few days ago, when Kylie posed wearing nothing but a nude-colored bra and pantie lingerie ensemble by Fleur of England. Again, no caption was given, but also, a caption isn't necessary with photos like these.

The risqué photos have turned into a family hobby, with Kim Kardashian recently upping Kylie's lingerie pics. The 35-year-old mother of two recently stripped down for her own set of naked selfies shared on Snapchat. 

Kim, who has promoted flaunting her nude figure time and time again, posted two provocative photos and one video of herself getting bronzed in her Miami hotel room last week. Kim left little to the imagination, although she did cover her nipples with her hands and used a makeup bag to hide her private parts. "Nothing like a midnight spray tan, you guys," Kim teased. "Tanorexic."

"

| Kylie | Jenners | Lingerie | Selfies | Dont | Seem | Slowing | Down | Anytime | Soon | If | were | having | lingerie | selfie | withdrawals | from | Jenner< | strong> | youre | luck!< | p> The | year | stranger | sharing | racy | photos | videos | social | media | took | Snapchat | earlier | today | post | short | video | clip | herself | mirror | wearing | nothing | what | looked | sheer | black | matching | underwear | with | thigh | high | stockings | newly | blond | star | didnt | provide | context | that | specific | (aside | quick | zoom | which | sure | everyone | grateful | for) | judging | background | other | posts | followed | preceded | this | seemed | though | destination | shoot | fitting | some | sort | p> < | div> The | last | time | similar | snapshot | just | days | when | posed | nude | colored | pantie | ensemble | Fleur | England | Again | caption | given | also | isnt | necessary | like | these | risqué | have | turned | into | family | hobby | Kardashian< | recently | upping | Kylies | pics | mother | stripped | down | naked | selfies< | shared | p> Kim | promoted | flaunting | figure | again | posted | provocative | photos and | getting | bronzed | Miami | hotel | room | week | left | little | imagination | although | cover | nipples | hands | used | makeup | hide | private | parts |  Nothing | midnight | spray | guys | teased | Tanorexic | div> |

Read More

Kylie Jenner's Lingerie Selfies Don't Seem to Be Slowing Down Anytime Soon

If you were having lingerie selfie withdrawals from Kylie Jenner, you're in luck!

The 19-year-old, who is no stranger to sharing racy photos and videos on social media, took to Snapchat earlier today to post a short video clip of herself in the mirror wearing nothing but what looked to be a sheer black bra and matching underwear with thigh-high stockings.

The newly blond star didn't provide any context in that specific Snapchat (aside from a quick zoom, which we're sure everyone is grateful for), but judging from the background and other posts that followed and preceded this one, it seemed as though Kylie was at a destination for a shoot or fitting of some sort.

The last time we saw a similar snapshot was just a few days ago, when Kylie posed wearing nothing but a nude-colored bra and pantie lingerie ensemble by Fleur of England. Again, no caption was given, but also, a caption isn't necessary with photos like these.

The risqué photos have turned into a family hobby, with Kim Kardashian recently upping Kylie's lingerie pics. The 35-year-old mother of two recently stripped down for her own set of naked selfies shared on Snapchat. 

Kim, who has promoted flaunting her nude figure time and time again, posted two provocative photos and one video of herself getting bronzed in her Miami hotel room last week. Kim left little to the imagination, although she did cover her nipples with her hands and used a makeup bag to hide her private parts. "Nothing like a midnight spray tan, you guys," Kim teased. "Tanorexic."

"

| Kylie | Jenners | Lingerie | Selfies | Dont | Seem | Slowing | Down | Anytime | Soon | If | were | having | lingerie | selfie | withdrawals | from | Jenner< | strong> | youre | luck!< | p> The | year | stranger | sharing | racy | photos | videos | social | media | took | Snapchat | earlier | today | post | short | video | clip | herself | mirror | wearing | nothing | what | looked | sheer | black | matching | underwear | with | thigh | high | stockings | newly | blond | star | didnt | provide | context | that | specific | (aside | quick | zoom | which | sure | everyone | grateful | for) | judging | background | other | posts | followed | preceded | this | seemed | though | destination | shoot | fitting | some | sort | p> < | div> The | last | time | similar | snapshot | just | days | when | posed | nude | colored | pantie | ensemble | Fleur | England | Again | caption | given | also | isnt | necessary | like | these | risqué | have | turned | into | family | hobby | Kardashian< | recently | upping | Kylies | pics | mother | stripped | down | naked | selfies< | shared | p> Kim | promoted | flaunting | figure | again | posted | provocative | photos and | getting | bronzed | Miami | hotel | room | week | left | little | imagination | although | cover | nipples | hands | used | makeup | hide | private | parts |  Nothing | midnight | spray | guys | teased | Tanorexic | div> |

Read More

Trusst Lingerie offers more supportive bras | Last Word | Pittsburgh

click to enlarge >

• CP photo by Sarah Wilson
• Laura West (left) and Sophia Berman, the co-founders of Trusst

Sophia Berman can tell you what it’s like to pitch a bra that better supports large breasts to a roomful of male investors.

“I definitely think we had a different experience than if we’d been pitching a male-designed product for men,” Berman says with a chuckle. “Some [investors] invited their wives to the meetings, so they would know what we were talking about.”

After a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign last year that raised $78,000 (more than triple its goal), Trusst Lingerie is now selling its bras both online and at its newly opened storefront in Garfield. The woman-owned company set out to solve a female-specific problem and has been successful so far, despite the overwhelmingly male investment environment it dealt with. 

Trusst was founded in 2014 as an AlphaLab Gear incubator company by Berman and Laura West, two industrial-design graduates of Carnegie Mellon University. They were frustrated by the lack of good, supportive offerings for larger-chested women; most brassieres are based on a torturous design from the 1900s (which was itself an improvement on the even more torturous corset). Over-the-shoulder straps and a fastener in the back don’t provide enough support for larger breasts, so Berman and West set out to build a better bra. 

“After speaking with hundreds of women, and experiencing many of their concerns ourselves, we realized that underwires simply aren’t up to the task of supporting women with fuller busts,” Berman says. They wanted women to feel empowered and to give them better options when bra shopping. 

“For too long, women with fuller busts have been left with options that fall short. As a company, we believe in women supporting other women,” she says.

All three styles of Trusst bras are now available, in sizes from 32F to 42G. They retail for between $82 and $98.

It’s completely appropriate that the design for the Trusst bras, conceived in Pittsburgh, is based on the concept of a bridge truss. Rather than hoisting the girls up from above, Trusst’s patented design redistributes the weight of the breasts by supporting most of it from below. A truss is a triangle-shaped structure that sits under the bridge span and supports the vertical beams. It allows the weight to be distributed across a large area rather than at a single point.

The design also eliminates the need for underwire, because the support is embedded in the cups. (No more underwire poking your flesh, can I get an amen?) And not only does it give better support, the Trusst design reduces strain on the neck, shoulders and back. 

It took the team two years to fully refine its bras â€" which the founders named after their moms â€" using 3-D printing, and eventually bringing on a designer. 

They continue to refine and refine, adding small touches here and there, and making sure they are using the best possible materials for the sake of comfort and durability. “We definitely wanted to make sure they were machine-washable,” Berman says. 

They also wanted to avoid the bras looking dowdy, like seemingly every other variety available to larger-busted women, she adds. 

Most women (and anyone who wears a bra on a regular basis) completely understand the need for better bra design. But the Trusst team realized early on that part of the problem of selling the bras was to convince the rest of the population that the design solves a genuine problem. That’s how you get investors on board, after all. So they created videos of men wearing bras containing actual melons (ha), to give an idea of what it feels like to carry around that weight all day. 

Berman says Trusst benefited not only from Pittsburgh’s bridge technology, but from the region’s generous entrepreneurial community as well. “Everyone helped with connections, with helping us shoot videos, when we needed to do live events,” she says. “It’s been really wonderful to have so much support.” 

"

| Trusst | Lingerie | offers | more | supportive | bras | Last | Word | Pittsburgh | click | enlarge | photo | Sarah | Wilson | Laura | West | (left) | Sophia | Berman, | co-founders | Trusst | Berman | tell | what | it’s | like | pitch | that | better | supports | large | breasts | roomful | male | investors. | “I | definitely | think | different | experience | than | we’d | been | pitching | male-designed | product | men,” | says | with | chuckle. | “Some | [investors] | invited | their | wives | meetings, | they | would | know | were | talking | about.” | After | wildly | successful | Kickstarter | campaign | last | year | raised | $78,000 | (more | triple | goal), | selling | both | online | newly | opened | storefront | Garfield. | woman-owned | company | solve | female-specific | problem | far, | despite | overwhelmingly | investment | environment | dealt | with.  | founded | 2014 | AlphaLab | Gear | incubator | West, | industrial-design | graduates | Carnegie | Mellon | University. | They | frustrated | lack | good, | offerings | larger-chested | women; | most | brassieres | based | torturous | design | from | 1900s | (which | itself | improvement | even | corset). | Over-the-shoulder | straps | fastener | back | don’t | provide | enough | support | larger | breasts, | build | bra.  | “After | speaking | hundreds | women, | experiencing | many | concerns | ourselves, | realized | underwires | simply | aren’t | task | supporting | women | fuller | busts,” | says. | wanted | feel | empowered | give | them | options | when | shopping.  | “For | long, | busts | have | left | fall | short. | company, | believe | other | women,” | says. | three | styles | available, | sizes | 42G. | retail | between | $98. | It’s | completely | appropriate | bras, | conceived | Pittsburgh, | concept | bridge | truss. | Rather | hoisting | girls | above, | Trusst’s | patented | redistributes | weight | below. | truss | triangle-shaped | structure | sits | under | span | vertical | beams. | allows | distributed | across | area | rather | single | point. | also | eliminates | need | underwire, | because | embedded | cups. | underwire | poking | your | flesh, | amen?) | only | does | support, | reduces | strain | neck, | shoulders | back.  | took | team | years | fully | refine | which | founders | named | after | moms | using | printing, | eventually | bringing | designer.  | continue | refine, | adding | small | touches | here | there, | making | sure | best | possible | materials | sake | comfort | durability. | “We | make | machine-washable,” | says.  | avoid | looking | dowdy, | seemingly | every | variety | available | larger-busted | adds.  | Most | (and | anyone | wears | regular | basis) | understand | design. | early | part | convince | rest | population | solves | genuine | problem. | That’s | investors | board, | all. | created | videos | wearing | containing | actual | melons | (ha), | idea | feels | carry | around | day.  | benefited | Pittsburgh’s | technology, | region’s | generous | entrepreneurial | community | well. | “Everyone | helped | connections, | helping | shoot | videos, | needed | live | events,” | “It’s | really | wonderful | much | support.”  |

Read More

Trusst Lingerie offers more supportive bras | Last Word | Pittsburgh

click to enlarge >

• CP photo by Sarah Wilson
• Laura West (left) and Sophia Berman, the co-founders of Trusst

Sophia Berman can tell you what it’s like to pitch a bra that better supports large breasts to a roomful of male investors.

“I definitely think we had a different experience than if we’d been pitching a male-designed product for men,” Berman says with a chuckle. “Some [investors] invited their wives to the meetings, so they would know what we were talking about.”

After a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign last year that raised $78,000 (more than triple its goal), Trusst Lingerie is now selling its bras both online and at its newly opened storefront in Garfield. The woman-owned company set out to solve a female-specific problem and has been successful so far, despite the overwhelmingly male investment environment it dealt with. 

Trusst was founded in 2014 as an AlphaLab Gear incubator company by Berman and Laura West, two industrial-design graduates of Carnegie Mellon University. They were frustrated by the lack of good, supportive offerings for larger-chested women; most brassieres are based on a torturous design from the 1900s (which was itself an improvement on the even more torturous corset). Over-the-shoulder straps and a fastener in the back don’t provide enough support for larger breasts, so Berman and West set out to build a better bra. 

“After speaking with hundreds of women, and experiencing many of their concerns ourselves, we realized that underwires simply aren’t up to the task of supporting women with fuller busts,” Berman says. They wanted women to feel empowered and to give them better options when bra shopping. 

“For too long, women with fuller busts have been left with options that fall short. As a company, we believe in women supporting other women,” she says.

All three styles of Trusst bras are now available, in sizes from 32F to 42G. They retail for between $82 and $98.

It’s completely appropriate that the design for the Trusst bras, conceived in Pittsburgh, is based on the concept of a bridge truss. Rather than hoisting the girls up from above, Trusst’s patented design redistributes the weight of the breasts by supporting most of it from below. A truss is a triangle-shaped structure that sits under the bridge span and supports the vertical beams. It allows the weight to be distributed across a large area rather than at a single point.

The design also eliminates the need for underwire, because the support is embedded in the cups. (No more underwire poking your flesh, can I get an amen?) And not only does it give better support, the Trusst design reduces strain on the neck, shoulders and back. 

It took the team two years to fully refine its bras â€" which the founders named after their moms â€" using 3-D printing, and eventually bringing on a designer. 

They continue to refine and refine, adding small touches here and there, and making sure they are using the best possible materials for the sake of comfort and durability. “We definitely wanted to make sure they were machine-washable,” Berman says. 

They also wanted to avoid the bras looking dowdy, like seemingly every other variety available to larger-busted women, she adds. 

Most women (and anyone who wears a bra on a regular basis) completely understand the need for better bra design. But the Trusst team realized early on that part of the problem of selling the bras was to convince the rest of the population that the design solves a genuine problem. That’s how you get investors on board, after all. So they created videos of men wearing bras containing actual melons (ha), to give an idea of what it feels like to carry around that weight all day. 

Berman says Trusst benefited not only from Pittsburgh’s bridge technology, but from the region’s generous entrepreneurial community as well. “Everyone helped with connections, with helping us shoot videos, when we needed to do live events,” she says. “It’s been really wonderful to have so much support.” 

"

| Trusst | Lingerie | offers | more | supportive | bras | Last | Word | Pittsburgh | click | enlarge | photo | Sarah | Wilson | Laura | West | (left) | Sophia | Berman, | co-founders | Trusst | Berman | tell | what | it’s | like | pitch | that | better | supports | large | breasts | roomful | male | investors. | “I | definitely | think | different | experience | than | we’d | been | pitching | male-designed | product | men,” | says | with | chuckle. | “Some | [investors] | invited | their | wives | meetings, | they | would | know | were | talking | about.” | After | wildly | successful | Kickstarter | campaign | last | year | raised | $78,000 | (more | triple | goal), | selling | both | online | newly | opened | storefront | Garfield. | woman-owned | company | solve | female-specific | problem | far, | despite | overwhelmingly | investment | environment | dealt | with.  | founded | 2014 | AlphaLab | Gear | incubator | West, | industrial-design | graduates | Carnegie | Mellon | University. | They | frustrated | lack | good, | offerings | larger-chested | women; | most | brassieres | based | torturous | design | from | 1900s | (which | itself | improvement | even | corset). | Over-the-shoulder | straps | fastener | back | don’t | provide | enough | support | larger | breasts, | build | bra.  | “After | speaking | hundreds | women, | experiencing | many | concerns | ourselves, | realized | underwires | simply | aren’t | task | supporting | women | fuller | busts,” | says. | wanted | feel | empowered | give | them | options | when | shopping.  | “For | long, | busts | have | left | fall | short. | company, | believe | other | women,” | says. | three | styles | available, | sizes | 42G. | retail | between | $98. | It’s | completely | appropriate | bras, | conceived | Pittsburgh, | concept | bridge | truss. | Rather | hoisting | girls | above, | Trusst’s | patented | redistributes | weight | below. | truss | triangle-shaped | structure | sits | under | span | vertical | beams. | allows | distributed | across | area | rather | single | point. | also | eliminates | need | underwire, | because | embedded | cups. | underwire | poking | your | flesh, | amen?) | only | does | support, | reduces | strain | neck, | shoulders | back.  | took | team | years | fully | refine | which | founders | named | after | moms | using | printing, | eventually | bringing | designer.  | continue | refine, | adding | small | touches | here | there, | making | sure | best | possible | materials | sake | comfort | durability. | “We | make | machine-washable,” | says.  | avoid | looking | dowdy, | seemingly | every | variety | available | larger-busted | adds.  | Most | (and | anyone | wears | regular | basis) | understand | design. | early | part | convince | rest | population | solves | genuine | problem. | That’s | investors | board, | all. | created | videos | wearing | containing | actual | melons | (ha), | idea | feels | carry | around | day.  | benefited | Pittsburgh’s | technology, | region’s | generous | entrepreneurial | community | well. | “Everyone | helped | connections, | helping | shoot | videos, | needed | live | events,” | “It’s | really | wonderful | much | support.”  |

Read More

Trusst Lingerie offers more supportive bras | Last Word | Pittsburgh

click to enlarge >

• CP photo by Sarah Wilson
• Laura West (left) and Sophia Berman, the co-founders of Trusst

Sophia Berman can tell you what it’s like to pitch a bra that better supports large breasts to a roomful of male investors.

“I definitely think we had a different experience than if we’d been pitching a male-designed product for men,” Berman says with a chuckle. “Some [investors] invited their wives to the meetings, so they would know what we were talking about.”

After a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign last year that raised $78,000 (more than triple its goal), Trusst Lingerie is now selling its bras both online and at its newly opened storefront in Garfield. The woman-owned company set out to solve a female-specific problem and has been successful so far, despite the overwhelmingly male investment environment it dealt with. 

Trusst was founded in 2014 as an AlphaLab Gear incubator company by Berman and Laura West, two industrial-design graduates of Carnegie Mellon University. They were frustrated by the lack of good, supportive offerings for larger-chested women; most brassieres are based on a torturous design from the 1900s (which was itself an improvement on the even more torturous corset). Over-the-shoulder straps and a fastener in the back don’t provide enough support for larger breasts, so Berman and West set out to build a better bra. 

“After speaking with hundreds of women, and experiencing many of their concerns ourselves, we realized that underwires simply aren’t up to the task of supporting women with fuller busts,” Berman says. They wanted women to feel empowered and to give them better options when bra shopping. 

“For too long, women with fuller busts have been left with options that fall short. As a company, we believe in women supporting other women,” she says.

All three styles of Trusst bras are now available, in sizes from 32F to 42G. They retail for between $82 and $98.

It’s completely appropriate that the design for the Trusst bras, conceived in Pittsburgh, is based on the concept of a bridge truss. Rather than hoisting the girls up from above, Trusst’s patented design redistributes the weight of the breasts by supporting most of it from below. A truss is a triangle-shaped structure that sits under the bridge span and supports the vertical beams. It allows the weight to be distributed across a large area rather than at a single point.

The design also eliminates the need for underwire, because the support is embedded in the cups. (No more underwire poking your flesh, can I get an amen?) And not only does it give better support, the Trusst design reduces strain on the neck, shoulders and back. 

It took the team two years to fully refine its bras â€" which the founders named after their moms â€" using 3-D printing, and eventually bringing on a designer. 

They continue to refine and refine, adding small touches here and there, and making sure they are using the best possible materials for the sake of comfort and durability. “We definitely wanted to make sure they were machine-washable,” Berman says. 

They also wanted to avoid the bras looking dowdy, like seemingly every other variety available to larger-busted women, she adds. 

Most women (and anyone who wears a bra on a regular basis) completely understand the need for better bra design. But the Trusst team realized early on that part of the problem of selling the bras was to convince the rest of the population that the design solves a genuine problem. That’s how you get investors on board, after all. So they created videos of men wearing bras containing actual melons (ha), to give an idea of what it feels like to carry around that weight all day. 

Berman says Trusst benefited not only from Pittsburgh’s bridge technology, but from the region’s generous entrepreneurial community as well. “Everyone helped with connections, with helping us shoot videos, when we needed to do live events,” she says. “It’s been really wonderful to have so much support.” 

"

| Trusst | Lingerie | offers | more | supportive | bras | Last | Word | Pittsburgh | click | enlarge | photo | Sarah | Wilson | Laura | West | (left) | Sophia | Berman, | co-founders | Trusst | Berman | tell | what | it’s | like | pitch | that | better | supports | large | breasts | roomful | male | investors. | “I | definitely | think | different | experience | than | we’d | been | pitching | male-designed | product | men,” | says | with | chuckle. | “Some | [investors] | invited | their | wives | meetings, | they | would | know | were | talking | about.” | After | wildly | successful | Kickstarter | campaign | last | year | raised | $78,000 | (more | triple | goal), | selling | both | online | newly | opened | storefront | Garfield. | woman-owned | company | solve | female-specific | problem | far, | despite | overwhelmingly | investment | environment | dealt | with.  | founded | 2014 | AlphaLab | Gear | incubator | West, | industrial-design | graduates | Carnegie | Mellon | University. | They | frustrated | lack | good, | offerings | larger-chested | women; | most | brassieres | based | torturous | design | from | 1900s | (which | itself | improvement | even | corset). | Over-the-shoulder | straps | fastener | back | don’t | provide | enough | support | larger | breasts, | build | bra.  | “After | speaking | hundreds | women, | experiencing | many | concerns | ourselves, | realized | underwires | simply | aren’t | task | supporting | women | fuller | busts,” | says. | wanted | feel | empowered | give | them | options | when | shopping.  | “For | long, | busts | have | left | fall | short. | company, | believe | other | women,” | says. | three | styles | available, | sizes | 42G. | retail | between | $98. | It’s | completely | appropriate | bras, | conceived | Pittsburgh, | concept | bridge | truss. | Rather | hoisting | girls | above, | Trusst’s | patented | redistributes | weight | below. | truss | triangle-shaped | structure | sits | under | span | vertical | beams. | allows | distributed | across | area | rather | single | point. | also | eliminates | need | underwire, | because | embedded | cups. | underwire | poking | your | flesh, | amen?) | only | does | support, | reduces | strain | neck, | shoulders | back.  | took | team | years | fully | refine | which | founders | named | after | moms | using | printing, | eventually | bringing | designer.  | continue | refine, | adding | small | touches | here | there, | making | sure | best | possible | materials | sake | comfort | durability. | “We | make | machine-washable,” | says.  | avoid | looking | dowdy, | seemingly | every | variety | available | larger-busted | adds.  | Most | (and | anyone | wears | regular | basis) | understand | design. | early | part | convince | rest | population | solves | genuine | problem. | That’s | investors | board, | all. | created | videos | wearing | containing | actual | melons | (ha), | idea | feels | carry | around | day.  | benefited | Pittsburgh’s | technology, | region’s | generous | entrepreneurial | community | well. | “Everyone | helped | connections, | helping | shoot | videos, | needed | live | events,” | “It’s | really | wonderful | much | support.”  |

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