WOMEN TO WATCH

Women to Watch: Deean Yeoh & Agnes Zhan

Deean Yeoh & Agnes Zhan: Changing the Intimate Apparel Game, One Bra at a Time From bralette lovers to breast cancer survivors

When you try to sum up the experience of womanhood, what do you think of? Our bodies, our relationships, our determination. Best friends and business partners Deean Yeoh and Agnes Zhan both had one thing in mind: lingerie.

The founders of Amour Caché, a new intimate apparel line aiming to include everyone from bralette lovers to breast cancer survivors, were always privy to the power of underthings due to their shared love of fashion. But one experience, in particular, made this power the heart of their entrepreneurial dreams.

“We met while attending Boston University. Our friendship and mutual studies brought us together, especially once we found a shared passion for entrepreneurship, fashion, and specifically lingerie! But we decided to start an intimate apparel brand when Agnes found a lump in her breast,” Deean, 23, explains. “Soon after, I heard from two other girlfriends who had either just discovered their breast lumps or just gotten biopsied. All these women were below 25. It was kind of existential and made us question, “well, what if we did get breast cancer? How would we feel? What would we want? What would help us feel like “ourselves” in a time of distress and uncertainty?” We started speaking to survivors to hear their stories and get their perspectives. When we did more research into the intimate apparel space, we discovered that beautiful, luxurious post-mastectomy bras were in short supply, particularly in Asia (where Agnes and I grew up). As we continue to develop the brand, we realize the same can be said for many marginalized groups that haven’t been catered to by the traditional lingerie industry.”

And such was not only the birth of Amour Caché, but also the increasingly inclusive direction in which it hopes to grow. This collection of personal experiences and observations combined with Deean and Agnes’s entrepreneurial mindsets cultivated two strong-willed businesswomen who were determined not to fail.

Since their November 2020 launch, Amour Caché has continuously built a steady following and partnered with women in various spaces and industries. Not to mention their business achievements: “We exceeded our Month One sales goal within two weeks due to pre-sales,” Deean says, beaming. “We’re currently developing three more styles (a full coverage bra that can be used by breast cancer survivors), a sexy everyday balconette bra, and a longline bra. Those are set to launch early 2021!”

While their hobbies include painting, photography, and working out, their love of lingerie makes Amour Caché the heart of everything Deean and Agnes do. Both founders insist that running the company is undoubtedly their dream job.

“I get to design and challenge myself creatively while also exercising my forecasting and analytical skills. In the future, I’d love to get an MBA. But this is my dream job,” Deean says. “I like problem-solving, and where could more problems exist than in a start-up?” Agnes adds, cheekily.

As Deean and Agnes pursue their ambitions of becoming a household name in the intimate apparel space, they also tend fondly to the empowered community they want to cultivate through Amour Caché and it’s online storytelling space, L’AMOURZINE. “Through the stories we share on L’AMOURZINE, we hope to expand the brand’s community even further than our current scope of consumers,” Deean explains.

By placing passion at the heart of their business, Deean and Agnes have placed themselves on a promising path. Not only are these women entrepreneurs paving the way for themselves and other young women like them, but they also continue to demonstrate the power of a brand to create something meaningful. And of course, the power of lingerie to empower anyone who wears it.