California Apparel News

Strapless, backless, seamless and wireless, NuBrais a patented self-adhesive silicone bra launched two years ago and is carried in boutiques such as Fred Segal Santa Monica, as well as lingerie stores and bridal shops.

“It goes with strapless, backless and halter styles,” said sales representative Janice Burns.

“If you are Fred Segal and you sell a halter style, NuBra is going to help you make that sale.”

Pomona, Calif.–based parent company Bragel International has been manufacturing molded silicone gel products since 1989, when it introduced a product called the “breast enhancer.” In the mid- 1990s, the company branched into medical applications such as the “gel mask,” a silicone bladder used in goggles and oxygen masks, as well as prosthetic breast implants for post-mastectomy patients. In the late ’90s, the company returned to its fashion roots with the “Gel Bra,” a lightweight, silicone-filled padded bra. The company then turned its attention to self-adhesive lingerie products, beginning with the “Lia Eternity,” a prosthetic breast form that is adhered directly to the body.

In 2002, the company launched Nu-Bra, a strapless, selfsupporting bra that has a special adhesive that can be handwashed and worn more than 100 times, according to the company.

NuBra comes in six colors, nude, black, mocha, blue, green and pink, and is sized “A,” “B” and “C.” The wholesale price is $29, with a minimum retail price of $59.99.

The company’s newest product is a fabric version of the NuBra, called the NuBra Feather Lite. The Feather Lite is sized up to a “D-cup” and in a recent test-run in Japan, the NuBra Feather Lite outsold the NuBra, according to Burns. The Patricia Marquis showroom in the California Market Center carries the NuBra and NuBra Feather Lite, as well as Cosabella, Anna Moi travel bags and Purple Seven sweaters.

For more information, call (213) 622-5359.

Eliminating “VBL”

Thong underwear solved the problem of “visible panty lines” under slim-fitting, low-rise pants and skirts. Former actress-turned-designer Amanda Kennedy is hoping her new collection of bras will solve the problem of “visible bra lines.”

Kennedy’s Marina Del Rey, Calif.–based company, Sassybax, launched last fall with a collection of three bra styles made from a comfortable fabric blend of microfiber nylon and Lycra. The three seamless styles— the cropped “bralette,” the mid-length “sport” and the longer “torso trim”—all feature a woven “underwire” construction, cross-stretch cups and shirred front that help define the wearer’s bust.

The popularity of fine-weight T-shirts, baby cashmere sweaters and other light-weight fabrications prompted Kennedy to design Sassybax, which she said took about 10 months to develop. The designer said there were products on the market for women with small busts, but she could not find a bra that had the support for a fuller figure without pulling noticeably across the back.

According to the company, Sassybax eliminates “VBL” by evenly distributing weight across the back, rather than having narrow straps and underwires support the bust.

Sassybax styles are available in sizes petite, small, medium and large and come in six basic colors—nude, coco, chocolate, black, red and white—as well as seasonal fashion colors. Retail prices range from $48 for the bralette to $58 for the torso trim.

Since January, Sassybax has logged more than $200,000 in sales to more than 80 specialty stores and to Neiman Marcus stores nationwide.

Fashion design is the latest incarnation for Kennedy, who holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology. The former model and former “Miss Texas” starred in the 1980s television show “BJ and the Bear” and appeared on such hit TV shows as “Remington Steele,” “Dallas,” “Hart to Hart” and “Cheers,” as well as in films such as “My Favorite Year,” under her stage name Barbra Horan.

Kennedy has several new Sassybax products in the works including a racer-back style and an augmentation bra “for girls who want an extra cup size.”

The augmentation bra, which Kennedy expects to launch within a year, will give the wearer a natural look thanks to microfiber beads enclosed in soft bra cups.

“It’s weightless and washable and it feels like natural breast material,” she said.

Sassybax is available in the Kris Mesner Showroom in the California Market Center, suite A1033. For more information, call (213) 623-7890 or visit www.sassybax.com.