For many women, a bra is just another piece of clothing. But for some, it’s more than that.
Gisborne resident Sarah Phegan is a senior stylist and bra fit specialist at lingerie and clothing brand company Intimo and she knows the importance one bra can hold.
Intimo works in partnership with the Uplift Project, which collects new and second-hand bras and donates them to women in disadvantaged communities across the world.
Ms Phegan said Intimo founder Sue White had a vision to provide women with properly fitted bras.
“She started Intimo because she could never find anything that fitted her properly and she kind of figured she wouldn’t be the only woman that wouldn’t be able to find a bra that fit,” she said.
“One of her focuses is also helping women who are less fortunate than ourselves.”
Intimo has sent bras to Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Bali, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Botswana and Uganda.
“Three years ago, the girls went to Fiji to do fittings for local women,” Ms Phegan said.
“Some of the women who came for the fittings travelled for days.
“One of the stories was there were two sisters and they had one bra between them and they used to take turns to go to mass because you couldn’t go to mass without a bra.
“When they got fitted, they were so excited because the first time in their life, they were able to go to mass together.”
To donate bras, contact Ms Phegan on sarah.phegan@intimo.com.au
