Do you still get a little rush when you hear about startups catering to the full bust? I do, and that’s how I felt when I discovered Good Night Gilda and Claudette last year . . . followed by a wave of cynicism.  After all, Good Night Gilda stopped at an F cup, and Claudette only went to G.  How committed could they be to full-busted women?  I checked in on them occasionally after that but didn’t take them very seriously.  I even began to get the two brands confused.

My confusion (and cynicism) dissipated after meeting each company’s founder at Curve.  I now find it fascinating to look at the two startups side by side. I hope you do, too.

The Founders

Good Night Gilda:

20-something and size 6, Whitney Galitz works full-time as a personal shopper and stylist in Los Angeles.  She grew up in suburban America where Victoria’s Secret was her only source for lingerie. As a shopper and stylist, two years of carrying 50 pounds of clothes around all day led to chronic back pain. She saw a physical therapist before deciding to get a reduction in 2010, but she never forgot what it was like to want “pretty lingerie that was also supportive”, and that’s how Good Night Gilda began.

Whitney Galitz designs for F cups
Whitney with her first collection.

Claudette:

Robin Levitt worked in the garment industry for years, but when she had her third child over two years ago, she was ready to go into business for herself. Now a 34F, she wanted something more modern and edgy than anything she could find in stores. She and her husband took the money they had saved to build a house and poured it into Claudette instead.  So when Robin told me that she “believed in the category of large bust”, I believed her.

The Approach

Good Night Gilda:

  • Self-taught bra maker, it took Whitney 2 years to develop her C-F cup bras; she only wants to offer what she can do well.
  • She uses fabric composed of silk with lycra; the bras are lined with 4-way stretch mesh for extra support.
  • Whitney is inspired by musicals and films. For more about their influence on her work, read this interview.
  • Made in Los Angeles.

Claudette:

  • Robin hired large cup expert Bok Goodall from England.
  • While most companies begin with small cups and work up, Claudette began at a G and worked down. It took 18 months to get to a G cup they liked.
  • The women of the company test the bras and provide emotional feedback about the fit and details.
  • Made in Indonesia.
Claudette Up to G cups by Robin and Bok
Robin on the left and Bok on the right--a great team.

Their Favorites

Good Night Gilda:

The Gilda Romper because it looks good on everybody.  I saw this with my own eyes when my friend from bra fitting class tried one on. The halter neck, T-strap in back, and slightly flared legs are super flattering. In the photo below, her model on the right is wearing one.

gilda romper good on everyone

Claudette:

The Cool Cotton Underwire bra because the sweetheart neckline makes it perfect for wearing under Calvin Klein camis. Both Robin and Bok are wearing this bra in the photo above.

Details I Love

Good Night Gilda:

  • Three rows of hooks in the back of each bra help eliminate back fat. Whitney wants the bands to be really flattering from the back.  She also understands how important the band is for support–and a wider band means more freedom to use thinner straps that are meant to be seen.
  • Her vision of lingerie as outerwear.  The ruffled Gilda Balconette Bra can be worn as a bedroom bra or take the place of a cami, as it does for the woman wearing a 38DD in this Good Night Gilda Facebook photo of a woman wearing it in 38DD.  In the photo above, she is wearing her own Bullseye Bra in scarlet beneath her sheer blouse.

Claudette:

  • The mauve color that they offer in every style in every season as their “signature basic”.
  • Their sense of humor–the closest thing they have to a nude is their “American Tan”, the actual name of a common panty hose shade in the UK.
  • Their price range of $38.50 – $58. As they told Holly in an interview for TheFullFiguredChest, they want their customers to be able to “splurge without the guilt”.
  • Their plans to increase their range to 28 backs and K cups by spring 2013.

Where to Buy

Good Night Gilda:

Claudette: