Revolutionising the lingerie industry, meet the successful entrepreneur behind a business which is empowering women everywhere.
Céline Mainguy, a successful entrepreneur, a wife and fur mom shares her story – from studying drama to venturing into business.
Lingerie specialist, Céline grew up in Alberton and after completing high school, she went on to study drama where she obtained her diploma in drama at the old Pretoria Technikon, now known as Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). After her studies, she relocated overseas to the UK and lived there for 12 years.
Céline is also an agent for one of her suppliers for Southern Africa. She travels to countries such as Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho training ladies on how to fit bras on clients. ‘I train ladies on how to fit clients by assessing their body and breast shape and not using a tape measure,’ she said.
Stepping into business
When Céline returned to South Africa after 12 years of living aboard, she began conceptualising the idea of Bravacious. Inspired by her struggles and always being fitted in the wrong size bra, she founded Bravacious and on May 1, 2012, she opened her doors to her first clients.
Bravacious is a business that specialises and is passionate about assisting women with finding correctly fitted bras in gorgeous styles yet never compromising on quality.
Céline never felt comfortable in her own clothes and her own skin. She highlighted: ‘When I went overseas and got fitted in the right size bra, it changed my life. It boosted my confidence.’ For Céline, even as a teenager, it was always a thought in her mind; ‘surely there must be prettier bras out there, for the bigger busted lady’.
From drama to business
Céline does not regret studying drama. ‘I always say that studying is never a waste even if you don’t go into that field.’
It has been a journey for this ambitious entrepreneur. The reason she went to the UK was to pursue a career in drama and although she never used her qualifications or skill, she’s had amazing opportunities from learning new skills to meeting different people from all walks of life. ‘I slowly transitioned into corporate and I’ve had amazing mentors. I might not have used drama but I had opportunities to learn how to run a business and to later become an employer,’ said Céline.
Her last boss was an incredible inspiration to her. ‘She inspired me to not be a boss but a leader,’ emphasized Céline.
The lingerie specialist loves that her business can help women find their confidence again. ‘Women often come into fittings feeling down about their bodies or they dislike their breasts because they don’t feel good in their clothing. There is always laughter that happens in the fitting room when they get fitted in the right bra highlighting how good they feel and start to realise that there is nothing wrong with their body shapes.’
Céline delights in seeing women not having to settle for granny bras or ugly lingerie. Regardless of their shape or size they can rock really beautiful underwear and feel fabulous in their clothes while regaining their confidence. ‘I think the biggest fulfilment and probably the most important thing for me is helping ladies see whatever their body or breast shape, they are still beautiful and can feel good about themselves.’
As a woman in business, Céline is grateful for her support structure which includes her husband, family, her mom, close friends and her employee who joined five months ago. ‘I also have a very close relationship with God and that helps me. Being an entrepreneur is amazing and it has a lot of perks but there are times when you have to dig deep, but because I know that this was a purpose from God, when those tough moments come or quiet seasons, I am motivated by the fact that I am walking in my God-given purpose and that I am making a difference and making a positive impact on women,’ she highlighted.
Surmounting difficulties
Bravacious stocks over 110 sizes and when there are that many sizes on offer, the biggest challenge is stock. ‘When you have a white bra in stock, the ladies want a black bra and when you have a black bra, they want a navy bra – this is the same with swimwear,’ shared Céline.
The business caters to a range of lingerie needs such as everyday bras, swimwear, sport and nursing bras. The first challenge faced is not having enough variety in all the sizes and the second challenge is pricing. ‘Our products are imported and if you include all the charges, by the time the product lands, it’s already quite an expensive product. I often explain to my clients that I am aware that the bras aren’t cheap but I know that they are going to fit you properly and I also know that they are of high quality. We need to change the way we see our lingerie – its an investment into something we wear every single day.’
According to the lingerie specialist, buying lingerie that is of inferior quality and that’s not the right size is actually money being wasted. She added: ‘You don’t need 20 bras in your wardrobe, you just need a few good bras which are the correct fit to start with and over time, slowly add to that collection.’
The right fit for spring and its importance
Fashion comes and goes and unfortunately the ‘right fit’ is not a one-word answer. However, according to Alberton’s lingerie specialist; investing in a nude bra is a great tip for the ladies.
‘A nude bra will always work better under white depending on one’s skin tone,’ she added. Nude works best with lighter skin tones and a chestnut or black colour bra works well with darker skin tones.
‘A good T-shirt bra is another great tip and must-have this spring. The T-shirt bra works great under lighter colours if you’re looking for a smooth look but don’t fall into the trap of being boring – there are beautiful bras you can wear under everyday clothing,’ shared Céline.
The importance of choosing the right bra starts with ‘fit’. ‘Ladies often make the mistake of choosing bras that are too big in the back and too small in the cup and they should almost go the complete opposite. Go smaller in the back and bigger in the cup,’ she advised.
Additionally, Céline emphasizes the importance of fitting bras before purchasing.
‘Another useful tip is when you go bra shopping and the sales assistant walks in with a tape measure, I’d suggest turning around and walking out because that is not best practice for bra assessing – it can be a starting point but it is not useful in determining the perfect fit.”
Céline encourages women to embrace their bodies and breast shape. There is a bra out there for every lady and you don’t have to settle for ugly, nasty bras.
‘My ultimate goal? To hopefully save all the boobies of the world,’ she said laughing.
The importance of choosing the right bra starts with ‘fit’
Text: DESNAY PETERSON. Photo: LEON JONKER
