We have to admit, we’re kinda envious that Kenyan ladies get to enjoy first picks of the gorgeous lingerie from Double Dees. Double Dees is a Kenyan-based lingerie company that grew from the need to solve the problem of good underwear for busty gals.
Double Dees exclusively focuses on providing high quality, alluring and affordable intimate apparel and swimwear for ladies with large busts. We’re talking DD+ cup size. The four friends behind the company; Charity Migwi, Constance Tipis, Stella Langat, and Wanjiru Njoroge are slowly changing African women’s view of underwear.
Here, they debunk myths about underwear (did you know the initial reason behind thongs and G-strings?) and working with more than one co-founder. We’re now sold on why we shouldn’t be wearing mismatched underwear.
We have to ask, what does the statement on your website ‘Hiyo size yako hatubebi’ or ‘Hiyo size yako hakunanga’ mean?
This is Swahili for “We don’t carry that in your size”; a statement always made by bra vendors when you ask them for a bra that is DD+ cup size.
What four things do African women get wrong when it comes to underwear?
1. Out of sight, out of mind!
Our conservative African culture greatly influences African women’s view of underwear.
At a young age, African girls are made to deprioritize underwear as just a piece of clothing that must remain concealed.
Most carry this perspective into adulthood where the term “lingerie” becomes yet another abstract concept.
2. Does it work?
Many African ladies wear underwear out of necessity. Their primary concern is that the panty conceals while the bra supports.
This is unlike Western ladies who wear underwear as fashionable, statement pieces.
3. Classy vs. trashy war!
Many African ladies are torn between the “classy vs. trashy war” when shopping for underwear. This emanated from misconceptions about specific types of underwear.
For example, thongs and G-strings are regarded by most, as trashy underwear. While in essence, they were designed to help give women wearing light-fabric garments a seamless look.
4. The cost-benefit analysis!
Why invest in a piece of clothing that is concealed 85% of the time? This is a universal problem. Many ladies are unable to think beyond the financial aspect when shopping for underwear.
They fail to recognize the psychological benefits of wearing high-quality, alluring underwear.
Let’s talk about #BraTales. Why did you start this?
#BraTales is a platform we created for ladies with DD+ cup size to share their personal bra-shopping experiences.
These stories capture humorous to heart-wrenching bra-shopping experiences that every busty lady can relate to.
What are your favourite kinds of lingerie? What kind of lingerie should every woman have regardless of size?
Do we really have to decide? We think every woman needs to own all of them. However, if we really had to choose, we would confine ourselves to these five basic styles: chemise (slip), babydoll, corset/bustier, garters, and matching bra-panty.
Although, similar in appearance, chemises and babydolls differ in functionality. A chemise can be worn under regular clothing or as a nightwear whereas a babydoll serves a more sexy/flirtatious function.
A corset (bustier) cinches one’s waist while garters hold up one’s thigh-high stockings. None of these competes with the regular old matching bra and panty set.
We think Marylin Monroe’s popular phrase should have been, “Give a lady sexy lingerie, and she will rule the world.”
A real lady knows not to leave the house wearing mismatched underwear ☺.
There are four of you, how do you effectively manage your business? Any tips on working with more than one co-founder?
We learnt earlier on that having and remaining true to a common goal was pertinent to managing our business effectively. We capitalize on each individual’s strengths, as these compensate for our unique weaknesses.
Charity handles the company’s finances, Constance sales and marketing, Stella external affairs, while Ciru handles design and production.
We have three tips;
- Respect is pivotal to acknowledging each person’s opinions, especially when these opinions contradict one’s own.
- Democracy in voting on any decision affecting the overall standing of the company.
- Demarcation of roles; splitting responsibilities ensures that each founder remains accountable for a specific function of the organization.
Tell us about your Bra’nch. What was the process of starting that and how well was it received?
We held our first Bra’nch on the 6th of August, 2016, as a way of showing appreciation to our repeat and new clients.
We plan to make it a Double Dee’s tradition by hosting one every alternate month, as it was a hit with our clientele. Each Bra’nch will have a different twist, so be on the look out for us on October 1.
Can you give us a sneak peek into your first exclusive collection? What can Kenyan ladies expect?
“The Founder’s Collection” will feature pieces that reflect each founder’s personal style.
Charity’s style embodies her work hard, play hard attitude, whereas Constance’s style reflects her flirty-adventurous persona.
On the other hand, Stella’s style is playful yet elegant while Ciru’s style is more demure and functional.
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