ThirdLove, the four-year-old bra company founded by ex-Googler Heidi Zak, is known for its very deliberate approach to product design. Rather than launching cute new bras every season like, say, Victoria’s Secret, the company does extensive user testing to determine what consumers need. That’s how the company became the first in the market to create half-cup sizes.
So when Zak decided to launch an entirely new category of products–loungewear–it was a very deliberate decision, one that involved a meticulous year-long design process. The brand just launched a suite of new products, including a seamless lounge bra, specifically for the purpose of wearing at home and sleeping in. “When we talked to our customers, we discovered that a proportion of women would prefer to have some support while they are sleeping, and many women want a bra specifically for relaxing at home,” Zak says. “But that’s a complicated product to make: It needs to feel like it isn’t there.”
The company created the bra with breathable bamboo fabric that allows the body to stay cool. Unlike other bralettes in the market, this bra comes with a back closure, to ensure proper support, but is also stretchy and free of underwire. ThirdLove also released other products to wear at home, including leggings and a jogger set. “These were products that our customers specifically asked us for,” Zak says. “But it also makes sense for us, since customers don’t purchase bras that frequently, it gives them another reason to visit our site.”
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