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By Rome Jorge, Lifestyle Editor
It can be frustrating and expensive for an
athletic woman to get proper support. Excessive bobbing isn’t only
embarrassing and painful, it can also be injurious to ligaments.
During premenstrual syndrome, when a woman bloats with water
retention and breasts can become too tender and sore, this problem
becomes more acute.
Conventional bras only accommodate the standing
position of a woman and fail to anticipate her full range of motion.
They quickly turn to a soggy mess that fails to stretch to one’s
needs. Their dainty straps can fall or snap off at the worst of
times and get in the way. Without support, there can be no
confidence, no victory and no empowerment for female athleticism and
wellness.
There are imported brands of sports bras and
binders available. But these are often expensive and suited to
Western proportions and tastes. Now, Filipinas have HerShe sports
binders, made specifically for her by fellow Filipinas.
“We are eight in the company—General Manager
Teng Paqulino, Marketing Director Jox Aniceto, Corporate Secretary
Airam Laviano and stockholders Josie Aniceito, Leslie Espeleta,
Rizza del Rosario, Jhoycee Cruz and Miech Asiatico. We are all
active in sports. Jox, Josie and Jhoycee compete in badminton
tournaments. Teng in into golf. Airam plays Volleyball and the three
other are into darts and billiards. HerShe was first envisioned in
2003 when one of the initiators of HerShe realized how difficult it
was to look for products for the not-so-feminine one, especially
with garments and accessories that would suit her fashion sense and
style,” they reveal.
The bra
They reveal how their product came about: “In
2004, HerShe was finally conceptualized and instigated by eight
women who all believed that there is indeed a need and a market for
HerShe. We researched and studied the different sports bra in the
market, a woman’s body, in different sizes and its needs—breast,
back, shoulder etc. It took us two years to develop the HerShe
Xtreme Sports Binder [XSB] Mid-Rib Razorback style. We took it slow
but sure in creating the XSB to make sure it addresses the needs of
the active woman today.”
Currently, the XSB has comes in just two basic
colors—black and white—to make it easy to pair them with other
sports apparel and comes in seven different sizes ranging from
Petite to XXXL. A chart on each Hershe packaging makes it east to
find the corresponding conventional bra/cup size for these.
Today, all sports bra designs provide support
through one of two methods: encapsulation, where formfitting cups
are molded closely around a woman’s breasts; and compression,
where movement is restricted by flattening the breast to the body.
Most western brands favor encapsulation for support, but many women
prefer compression binders for the modesty they afford.
“We found that Filipinas felt that foreign
sports bras showed too much cleavage. This made them self-conscious
and hunch their shoulders,” they reveal. Bad posture brought on by
hunching destroys proper form in any sport and impedes breathing.
With its high neckline, HerShe sports bras give its wearers
confidence as well as support.
HerShe uses stretch fabrics that are thicker
than those found in most imported brands. This has won over female
enthusiasts of such contact sports as kickboxing and mixed martial
arts as well as weight training and extreme sports.
The business
Though made from imported materials, HerShe
manufactures and employs locally. Surprisingly, the entrepreneurs
reveal none had a prior background in apparel or manufacturing.
They retail their product in six outlets in
Metro Manila, one in British Columbia, Canada and soon in Cebu as
well as through www.hershe.com.ph that offers door-to-door delivery.
Many of these outlets are gyms and boxing rings as well as apparel
stores.
They promote their business through YoCard
postcard ads available in many restaurants, clubs, bars, coffee
shops, bookstores and boutiques. They also sponsor sports and
fitness events.
By simplifying their product line,
subcontracting wisely, keeping staff to a minimum and engaging in
guerilla marketing, they are currently able to provide Filipina
athletes their product at just P698.
For details, e-mail inquiries@hershe.com.ph
or visit www.hershe.com.ph. Outlets
include: Studio Pro, 5-A Tomas Morato Avenue corner Kamuning Road,
Quezon City; Bureau, 308 Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City; Elorde
Boxing Gym at SM Southmall Alabang and Ansons Auto Center, Makati
City; Fashionista Staples, 312 Dansalan Street Barangay Ilaya,
Mandaluyong City; Mojo Gym, 75 Panay Avenue, Quezon City.
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