by Moira Nelson as seen on BralaMode
Bare Necessities Launches BarePlus for Curvy Girls Just Like Us!
Today, everyone in the Intimate Apparel industry is familiar with BareNecessities.com. But I grew up with them. The company was around long before they were a dot com. Initially, Bare Necessities was a well established family-run, brick-and-mortar retailer with a few boutiques in central New Jersey. I remember them as the intimate apparel store you visited if you needed specialty intimate apparel that couldn’t be found at my local Sears or at the Monmouth Mall. My Mom took me to one of their shops for a strapless/backless bustier to wear to my junior prom. Of course, that was ages ago…. (But I think I still have that fiber-fill “contraption” tucked away in a box along with the prom dress.) Since launching as BareNecessities.com in 1998, they have emerged as the number one multi-brand online lingerie retailer. And for good reason… they have always been ‘ahead of the curve.’
As a champion of curvy girls, I am pleased to announce that Bare Necessities launched a new online boutique designed specifically for curvy women called BarePlus by Bare Necessities. And, I am honored to say that I was invited to attend their press conference at the Warwick Hotel in midtown Manhattan this afternoon where I received the news firsthand alongside fellow intimate apparel industry professionals, influential bloggers, publicists, media and press. The theme of the event was “inclusion” for E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E.
The announcement regarding BarePlus came along with news of a Curvy Fashion Show to be hitting Fashion Week in September 2012. Jeff Grinstein, CEO of Jeff Grinstein Entertainment which is responsible for the Curvy Fashion Show, stated that the new fashion show will be a high-end couture show that is dedicated to serving the full-figure woman and that it will change Fashion Week forever.
BarePlus by Bare Necessities will feature more than 500 bras that fit sizes 38A – 56J, including everyday bras, sports bras, and sexy bra and panty sets. The website, www.bareplus.com, will offer more than 1,000 styles of plus size lingerie, hosiery and swimwear, from 81 brands including Elomi, SPANX, Bali, Wacoal, Hanky Panky and Calvin Klein.
“The launch of BarePlus reinforces our commitment to serving the woman with curves,” said Jay Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer for Bare Necessities. “The launch marks the beginning of our effort to build the best shopping experience for curvy women. Over the next several months, you’ll see more features, photography representative of our customer, and exciting new products from the world’s best brands that you won’t find anywhere else.”
BarePlus marks the first major effort executed by Dunn since joining Bare Necessities in 2011 as its first Chief Marketing Officer. Dunn came from Lane Bryant, where he had been the mastermind behind the landmark “Red Bra” ad campaign. The advertisement, which ran on American Idol, featured a plus size model flaunting a sexy red bra and panty set and became a national sensation after it was initially banned by both ABC and Fox for showing too much cleavage. The controversy ignited a national debate regarding how curvy women are portrayed in the media.
At the Intimate Affair, Jay Dunn said that many curvy women are unaware of the vast number of brands available to them. BarePlus brings all of the brands together in one place. BarePlus.com and BareNecessities.com will coexist in a tabbed shopping environment, all with a shared shopping cart and checkout process. Shoppers clicking on the BarePlus tab will see items available exclusively in plus sizes, with navigation and imagery tailored to the plus size product assortment.
Having worked in the intimate apparel industry for over a decade, I can say with confidence that BarePlus will be a true success. And, as a curvy consumer, I know that there is certainly a demand for an intimate apparel site dedicated to serving the plus size woman.
Bare Necessities….Always ‘Ahead of the Curve.’
About Bare Necessities:
Bare Necessities is the second largest online lingerie retailer (only Victoria’s Secret is larger). Launched in December 1998, Bare Necessities has sold more than 5 million bras, and also offers lingerie, shapewear, swimwear, sleepwear, hosiery and men’s underwear from more than 180 brands, including Calvin Klein, Wacoal, SPANX, Hanky Panky, Chantelle, Elomi and La Perla.
