Here’s the dilemma: Kris Line makes amazing loungewear for the D cup and up crowd, but they’re focusing on introducing their basic bras to the U.S. market first.  It’s very practical of them, but I don’t want to be practical. I want to wear this little dress with the lace panel . . .


and the matching fashion bra that goes beneath it!


I also want to work from home in this top.  Guaranteed no boob bifurcation.


If I have to eat my dinner before I can have dessert, at least the Kris Line basics look pretty delicious. Below are photos of the Brilliant, Perle and Fortuna styles that I found at Biggerbras.com.


You can also find Kris Line bras at La Bella Intimates in Florida, which is owned by Santa LaBellman, the Kris Line importer for the United States. In fact, if you have any questions about Kris Line, Santa is the person to contact.  I spoke to her by phone after Curve and learned more than you probably want to know, but that won’t stop me from sharing it.

First, the basics about the basics:

  1. The bands run tight with very little stretch, which is why Santa says that they rarely sell 30 bands.
  2. Once you know which of the 3 basic styles fits you best, you’ll know which size to order in the fashion styles because they use the same structures. The Perle is contour and lace; the Brilliant and Fortuna are all lace.
  3. Some may consider the profile to be “pointy”.
  4. The retail price is around $88/$90.
  5. Everything is made in Kris Line’s three factories outside of Warsaw.

For my fellow bra geeks who want to know more, I’ve put the rest of the details in Q&A format after the jump.

Question: Why do so few retailers sell Kris Line in the United States compared to in Europe?

Answer:

  1. It comes down to the risk factor I described last week.  Santa explained that store buyers need to know that they can sell 100% of a product, which is why they will focus on what is familiar over something less known. Even if a store tries a new brand, its salespeople will often direct their customers to the brands that the salesperson is most comfortable with.
  2. The wholesale price that Kris Line charges is $10 more than the wholesale price that more well-known brands charge, and the retailer needs to be able to justify the higher price to her customers. (The higher price is due to labor costs in Poland. A benefit of domestic manufacturing is  Kris Line’s close control over quality, but Santa has found that few Americans are aware of the existence of high quality Eastern European brands.)
  3. Another factor is the difference between the European and American customer base. Europeans prefer “fancy”; Americans prefer “down to earth”.

Question: How can I get my hands on a fashion style or a loungewear piece that I see on the Kris Line website?

Answer: Contact Santa and she will find out if it is available in your size. She places special orders once a month.  Not all sizes are always available in all styles, especially fashion. This is because a manufacturer will only purchase fabric after it has received orders for the new line from retailers six months before the new season.  Once the fabric has been cut for those orders, no more garments are produced.

Question: Which sizes are most popular?

Answer: Kris Line’s main sellers are 32-40 E-JJ. Their F/G cups sell 100% and their H cups sells quickly.

Question: How much is the loungewear?

Answer: It runs from $95-150 retail, which is comparable to Freya’s loungewear line. Santa said the pieces are perfect for spending Sunday at home without needing to change to answer the doorbell. Their best sellers are the loungewear pieces that look like dresses (women can wear heels with them and go out).

Question: How does Kris Line’s fit compare to other brands?

Answer: Kris Line uses the British sizing system. Of course, if a customer walks into Santa’s shop in a triangle-shape bra from Victoria’s Secret, Santa immediately knows to put her up three cups in a Kris Line.

Need more info?  Curveissa wrote a super helpful review last November, and I’m looking forward to reading a review from FullFiguredChest soon!

[Note:  There are great prices for Kris Line bras on BraStop, but Santa wanted to be sure that my readers understand that these are clearance/overstock items that are cheaper on a British website because of the lower shipping costs and duties between EU countries.]