Varsha Anjali speaks to lingerie designers and researchers in New Zealand to find the answers.<\/p>\n
For those of us who wear them, bras are something we strap on almost every day. So why do so many of us still struggle to find a comfortable one? <\/p>\n
\n According to Viv Baartman,
\n chief executive of UunaFit \u2013 a New Zealand company that uses AI tech and 3D knitting to create custom-fit bras \u2013 it\u2019s because bra designs mostly cater to \u201cthe average body\u201d.\n <\/p>\n
\u201cBut no woman is average,\u201d Baartman tells Viva. \u201cOur bodies vary in countless ways: shape, proportion, movement, and even how we change over time. Yet the industry has kept women squeezed into a sizing system invented nearly a century ago. The result? Around 85% of women are in the wrong size, and nearly 7 in 10 experience daily discomfort.\u201d <\/p>\n
Helen Cloke, owner of the Taranaki-based lingerie supply shop Nellie Joans, agrees. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur bodies are too diverse for a one-size-fits-all approach. That\u2019s why sewing your own bra \u2013 or having one custom-made \u2013 is such a powerful alternative. You can tailor every element to your body and preferences\u201d. <\/p>\n
And if you have a sewing machine and the right materials, there are an abundance of free bra patterns for DIY purposes. <\/p>\n
A 15th-century bra found in Lengberg Castle (larger image) in comparison to a bra from the 1950s (smaller image). Photo \/ Beatrix Nutz, University of Innsbruck<\/p>\n
The most common bra sizing system involves measuring the underbust (around the ribcage) for band size and the overbust (the fullest part of the bust) for the cup size. But, according to Baartman, many women also don\u2019t fully understand their correct size or how to find a well-fitting bra, \u201coften relying on self-measurements or fitting assistants that can be inaccurate\u201d. <\/p>\n
To make sure a measurement is accurate, you want tape measures to be firm, but not impede breathing, and when wearing a bra, there should be no spillage or overall feeling of discomfort. <\/p>\n
Adding to the confusion, Baartman says some brands promote unrealistic body shapes in their marketing, which can impact customers\u2019 confidence, posture, and even long-term health \u2013 particularly for breast cancer patients who undergo mastectomy. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor women after [breast] surgery, the impact can be even more stark: many are left with limited, clinical options that don\u2019t honour their needs or restore dignity. Add to that the fact that returns and discards from ill-fitting bras feed fashion\u2019s waste crisis, and you can see it\u2019s not just women being failed; it\u2019s the planet too.\u201d <\/p>\n
Chloe Julian, fashion lingerie designer and founder of Auckland-based Videris, finds some women still equate \u201csupport\u201d with \u201cdiscomfort\u201d. <\/p>\n
Chloe Julian, creator of Videris lingerie. Photo \/ Zico O’Neill-Rutene<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was fitting women during the development of [our] bras, I found that the idea of a bra that felt supportive yet like wearing nothing was confusing for a lot of women,\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was almost like, unless the bra felt tight or uncomfortable, they didn\u2019t feel supported. Traditionally, support meant holding, restricting, pushing breasts up, and keeping them still, often through wires and rigid structures. But for me, support is about embracing your natural form and moving with the shifts your body makes throughout the day.\u201d <\/p>\n
Cloke, who worked in landscape design for 16 years before establishing Nellie Joans, believes the sizing system is \u201cmore complex and less standardised\u201d than people realise. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnderwire shape plays a massive role in fit, and unfortunately, most ready-to-wear brands can\u2019t offer the variety needed to accommodate everyone. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one of the biggest advantages of sewing your own bra: you can find your perfect underwire and build from there,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
Advancements in design technology have made a significant impact on the industry. Fashion design software Clo3D can create virtual models of patterns, allowing designers to make adjustments and test the fit before cutting the fabric. Cloke calls it a \u201cgame changer\u201d. <\/p>\n
Fabric for Videris lingerie. Photo \/ Zico O’Neill-Rutene<\/p>\n
The creators of UunaFit, which won the 2025 Wellington Gold Award for Innovation, argue the tech they use captures the \u201ctrue geometry of the body\u201d that replaces \u201coutdated, unreliable and confusing\u201d sizing charts. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur approach uses secure 3D body scanning via smartphone to capture the unique shape of each person\u2019s torso,\u201d explains UunaFit co-founder and Victoria University associate professor Edgar Rodriguez Ramirez.<\/p>\n
From this data, the company\u2019s custom-built and private AI algorithms extract precise measurements and generate a made-to-measure digital manufacturing pattern. These patterns are then sent directly to state-of-the-art 3D knitting machines, which produce seamless, zero-waste bras tailored individually. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis process not only ensures unmatched comfort and fit, but also eliminates excess stock, avoids sizing confusion and dramatically reduces textile waste.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThe next step is wearer trials,\u201d adds Baartman. \u201cLater this year, we\u2019ll be inviting women who have undergone breast cancer surgery to test our first post-surgical bras. Their feedback won\u2019t just fine-tune the fit; it will shape the design and experience in ways that honour both physical and emotional needs.\u201d <\/p>\n
So, we know what doesn\u2019t work, but what are the key elements that make a great bra in 2025? While the designers Viva spoke to had different answers, some themes were similar: movement, individualisation, and genuine comfort. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s all about comfort and genuinely respecting a woman\u2019s body and shape without trying to change, conform, or compress it,\u201d says Julian, who led the design team for Rihanna\u2019s lingerie line, Savage X Fenty. \u201cA piece that moves with you, not against you.\u201d <\/p>\n
Lu Blade-Bittle, co-founder of NZ luxury lingerie brand Ohen, argues women now want both \u201ccomfort and pieces that feel feminine and are thoughtfully made\u201d. <\/p>\n
She says it comes down to the \u201cperfect balance of fabric, wire and design\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe developed a custom underwire that\u2019s a little softer and more flexible, so it moves with you while still offering support,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
Even though wireless bras are becoming more popular, Cloke says she\u2019s still a fan of the underwired bra \u2013 despite its \u201cbad rap\u201d. <\/p>\n
Ohen lingerie.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you find the underwire shape and size that fits your body, it becomes a second skin,\u201d she says. \u201cI wear mine all day without even thinking about it. The key is a personalised fit, and it starts with the right wire.\u201d <\/p>\n
For Baartman, a really good bra gives more than physical support \u2013 she says it restores confidence. \u201cComfort is the foundation: the bra should move with your body, not against it. It should fit like a glove \u2013 actually like a bra should.\u201d <\/p>\n
There\u2019s also an emotional element to it, she adds. \u201cFor some women, a bra can mean dignity after surgery; for others, it\u2019s the foundation for performance in sport; and for all, it\u2019s simply an everyday comfort necessity and confidence booster.\u201d <\/p>\n
The past decade has seen exciting changes in bra design, influenced by advancements in sustainable fabrics, technology, gender attitudes and changes in lifestyle habits. Designers argue more can always be done. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s always room to innovate in lingerie,\u201d says Blade-Bittle. \u201cFrom strapless bras that stay perfectly in place, to designs tailored for different sizes and breast shapes, it\u2019s about creating pieces that combine flawless support with effortless beauty.\u201d <\/p>\n
And while sex appeal is not a priority for these emerging brands, it is being redefined. <\/p>\n
\u201cFunction used to be the quiet compromise in lingerie design. You\u2019d buy something for how it looked, even if it dug in or didn\u2019t breathe. Now, comfort, breathability and support are expected, and form needs to work in harmony with those qualities,\u201d Julian says of Videris\u2019 designs. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, when something is well-designed and fits beautifully, that\u2019s inherently sexy.\u201d <\/p>\n
Cloke similarly believes that \u201csexiness\u201d is being reclaimed by the wearer: \u201cIt\u2019s no longer about external validation, but about feeling empowered and confident in your own skin.\u201d <\/p>\n
Timeline of the bra<\/p>\n
The first modern bra was created using two silk handkerchiefs and ribbon by American woman Mary Phelps Jacob in the early 19th century, according to many historians. However, women using fabric to support their busts is nothing new. In 2008, archeologists unearthed a 600-year-old, remarkably modern-looking bra while excavating the Lengberg Castle in Austria. The construct of femininity and perceptions of domesticity have evolved since Jacob\u2019s first brassiere more than 100 years ago. Societal changes have been shaped by several events and movements, including two World Wars, women entering the workforce en masse, the women\u2019s liberation movement and a global pandemic. Victoria University researchers Xuxu Amoozegar-Montero and Edgar Rodriguez Ramirez highlight how 20th-century branding affected trends in beauty norms. A recent movement towards body positivity celebrates diverse body types and challenges traditional notions of the \u201cperfect\u201d shape and size.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Varsha Anjali speaks to lingerie designers and researchers in New Zealand to find the answers. For those of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50548,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[95,43755,38864,43753,14229,11111,156,1866,28419,221,185,43756,3025,117,111,139,69,2214,18746,17213,370,223,43754,6925,4276,2248,25152,80],"class_list":["post-50547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-and","tag-anjali","tag-answers","tag-bra","tag-changing","tag-designers","tag-entertainment","tag-find","tag-fit","tag-how","tag-is","tag-lingerie","tag-most","tag-new","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-researchers","tag-size","tag-speaks","tag-tech","tag-the","tag-varsha","tag-wear","tag-why","tag-women","tag-wrong","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50547\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}