Building a Better Sports Bra
When she could not find the perfect sports bra, Mary Helen Shashy resolved to make her own.
Shashy, a former retailer and a videographer, has been on a long search for the perfect sports bra. She recently partnered with technical watersports apparel manufacturer Victory KoreDry of Huntington Beach, Calif. The result is Victory Balanced Bra, which debuts at the Jan. 6–8 run of Surf Expo in Orlando, Fla. Shashy said she hopes to provide an alternative to sports bras with her product’s construction.
Some sports bras push breasts up and out with an elastic band. Shashy’s sports bra pushes breasts down, which compresses weight and limits movement. The Balanced Bra does not use any elastic straps, which, Shashy says, can chafe and cut.
The Balanced Bra is constructed out of a material that uses neoprene, the fabric from which wet suits are manufactured. Victory’s proprietary KoreDry technical fabric does not absorb water like many other fabrics. Therefore, it keeps skin dry when in water—making it a good fit for water-related activities. The company intends to market the performance bra to women participating in the burgeoning sport of stand-up paddle boarding and surfing. The company also hopes to sell it for yoga and mixed martial arts.
The debut line will be issued in styles for a razor-back halter and a tank-top with the performance bra built in the top. It will come in colors of red, apple green, black, baby blue and hot pink. A starting wholesale price point for the bra is $48. For more information, e-mail brian@victorykoredry.com or call (714) 887-0621, Ext. 207.—Andrew Asch
