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by _ldei 2755 days ago
$350.

Per.

10 comments

Think of a bra as a medical brace. It's worth the investment to get a quality one.

---

A bad one will:

- cause you constant pain,

- cut blood circulation,

- keep you from being able to run,

- exacerbate back injuries,

- cause skin injuries,

- get colonized by bacterias and possibly fungus,

- create smells,

- cause allergic reactions,

- etc.

---

A bra isn't only a device meant to look good.

You often pay $60-$90 for a one that seems well made only for it to fall apart after 3 months of wearing.

Paying $350 for one that would fit perfectly and last a long time is not far fetched at all.

But bad ones aren't the competition; existing good ones (even if not as good) are. How much are those?
Well, I'm not in the premium bra market at all so I couldn't tell. I'm still buying one every few month and enduring the metal wires stabbing me in the chest.

That being said, a quick googling gives all kind of pries.

https://secretsfromyoursister.com/ <- $80-$200

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1976927179/anesi-bra-th... <- 80$ but kickstarter

https://foreveryourslingerie.ca/product/?cName=BRAS&pName=Pr... <- 144$

https://foreveryourslingerie.ca/product/?cName=BRAS&pName=Em... <- 209$

In my eyes, the pricing is similar to comparing a regular hair dryer ($17) to the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer ($399).

Or perhaps a cheap pair of boots ($49) that lasts one winter to an expensive pair ($250+) that lasts a few years.

IF my wife and her "huge tracts of land" put one of these on, and her breasts said, "We're home.", I'd gladly pay it. It sure beats paying yet-another-$85 for a bra that isn't going to be any better than the last one, and then listen to her bitch multiple times a week about how she can't find a bra that fits. Hell, I drop $150 on running shoes that last me three months, $350 for a bra she can get a year out of ain't no thing.

But, man, at that price there's a tall bar to meet. We'll pay for quality, but if it's not up to snuff, it goes back the next day.

Just in case you don't know, do check out https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/measuring for now!
With what my wife spends on other clothing, $350 for a bra that fits and is of high quality seems ok. I think this is a good market.
The downvoted into oblivion comment is actually correct: this price point is dead. She is competing not just with the custom shops but with La Perla's custom boutiques where purchases come with a glass of Veuve Clicquot and if that runs out when a person shops than another one or another one.

The only price point that may have space is where VS Apex was for a better fit.

Maybe an ok price in NYC, I dunno. But where I live, there is a somewhat “fancy” bra store, run by a woman who is also very passionate about this subject. $200 there will get you two really good bras, with an expert who will help you find ones that fit perfectly.

Paying lots of money for good garments is certainly a thing. But still there is a limit. So, I wish this business luck.

It's a lot.

But... for something that often costs $80; is generally available only in sizes that comfortably fit a small proportion of the population; and where improper fit means pain all day... worth it if you can afford it.

I for one have been watching this closely, and will probably buy if/when the price hits $150-ish.

Stated goal is 4 customers per month! Are there 4 perpetually bra-frustrated people with unlimited disposable income in NYC? Hell yes!

Apparel is a different world from consumer electronics in terms of pricing.

Is $1400/month raw income enough to sustain a business in NYC?
4 customers doesn't mean 4 bra sales. Women usually own more than one bra.
Ok, but how many bras are they expecting each woman to buy? It's going to have to be a lot for them to spend a whole week working with each customer.
It's a bootstrapping period!
With or without VC funding?
I imagine they’re buying more than one bra.
Yeah, I can't see myself ever paying THAT much for a bra, even if it's absolutely perfect.

Hopefully they can bring costs down eventually through some means. A bra that's 90% perfect at about a third of that cost would be something I would consider.

My thoughts exactly, This should be geeky cool, but a little out of touch with reality (could just be my reality). Even the line about being Tesla and making it an "affordable" $135, I have a wife and three daughters, even at that price it would be unobtainable.

It will be interesting if Women chime in here to express if all that custom fitting (and the technology involved) would be worth the money of that custom fitted bra.

One good bra is easily worth 5 mediocre ones though, if you have an unusual shape. If they don't break down after a few months (handwash only of course), it could be worth it financially.
Chimed in in a sibling comment...
My wife spends $80 to get the proper fit, comfort and longevity she is looking for. I understand $80 is already something of a premium, so 4x that still seems high, but I am sure there is a small market of women who don’t know about, or aren’t happy with, the $80 options. The included service is obviously a benefit, for one.
If you're an "unusual" size (i.e. out side the 32-38 A-DD sold in Victoria's Secret), $80 is about par for the course. And that's not even taking into account comfort.
This is very high, but if it can greatly cut down on the bra churn I have noticed around here, there probably is a market regardless.
An incredibly astute point, thank you for balancing my sticker shock.

More I think about it, more I'm surprised at just how much mass production lowers costs. Even after being aware of the Toaster Project.

Yes. But I spend no less than £400 on a pair of shoes. The shoes will last me decades with proper maintenance and repairs. This doesn't seem strange to me as long as the bras last a very long time.

If they don't last a long time, or if the bra size changes too often, then it is ridiculous, though.