Would our friendship survive this? That was the question we asked ourselves as we sat down, one grey day at the start of a global pandemic in March 2020. Only one way to find out.
C
laire and I had been best friends since the days of electric blue eyeliner and shoulder pads. We had survived awkward first dates, births and marriages, kids and dogs, disasters and triumphs and had been nurses together way back when. Now we were about to go into business. We were at the beginning of something potentially wonderful and most importantly, had a shared passion, we loved lingerie! Luxury lingerie, beautifully created, with gorgeous fabrics and a perfect fit. We had done our research ( I’m an over researcher and will happily spend hours!) There was a definite lack of choice available for women with a fuller figure and bigger bust. What was available was often plain with little choice of style and colour or lacking in quality. Why should curvy women have to put up with such a poor retail experience? We were determined to change that. Our aim was to develop an online store showcasing an exciting range of lingerie from a D to a K Cup. The collections would include traditional full cups but also strapless, non-wired bralettes and plunging necklines. We
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wanted our customers to feel inspired, confident and beautiful and from this the idea of Curvs emerged. Claire already had experience of running a lingerie business and I would quickly get up to speed. The transition from the idealisation of Curvs to the reality, took a lot longer than anyone predicted mainly due to the fact we were in a global pandemic! Shut downs and isolations were common and it was difficult to liaise with the designers and brands that we wanted to partner with. Work slowed down on the business and nursing increased. I was often working 50 hours a week and felt I couldn’t let my colleagues and patients down and was then spending hours working on Curvs. By the end of September, I was physically and mentally exhausted and had reached a turning point. The pandemic had slowed down and it was time to re-prioritise. To take stock as am sure many of us did. What matters in life, the people we love and doing what makes you happy! By the beginning of 2021, we had refocused and began to work on Curvs in earnest. We began to bring together a collection of lingerie we loved, sourced from top designers with a proven track record in making and designing lingerie for curvy women. They had to tick all our boxes. Choice, style, fit and comfort, definitely comfort! We didn’t want a poor fit, wires
digging in and uncomfortable straps and were determined that our customers would feel inspired, confident in the knowledge that they looked fabulous and would stay comfortable and all day long. No compromise on that. So 6 months on we have launched and been through a steep learning curve and are still learning every day. It’s been tough, but the results are worth it. It means so much to receive really lovely reviews and know that you have made a difference to somebody. Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. We are a small independent and our customer is queen. We are proud of our business and the fluidity being an independent offers. It means we can think outside the box and go the extra mile to provide a truly individualised service. So to the future, exciting times lie ahead. We are expanding our range to include sports wear , lovely comfy Pjs and swimwear. Plus, we have plans to bring post surgery lingerie next year, something close to our hearts. The best advice I can give would be to believe in yourself, do your research and go for it! And yes, we are still best friends….. so far!
N 07570 422036 E hello@cu0rvs.co.uk F curvsuk I curvslingerie D www.curvs.co.uk
LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 195
