Lingerie Review: Rochella “Tattoo Butterfly” in 32GG

I recently wrote about a new DD+ brand Rochella which is a British middle-market brand with a good cause and a unique, more mature yet quirky aesthetics. I remember back in the day Miss Underpinnings used to talk about the lack of full-bust brands catering for the 30-something customer and I personally feel Rochella is the answer to that plea. The designs are suitable for any age but I think they do have more grown-up styles than eg Cleo and Curvy Kate, yet the styles are not “old” but a bit whimsical to maintain a fresh look. When interviewing the founder of the brand, Karen, she asked if I wanted to review one of her sets and of course I said yes! Today I am bringing you one of the first (if not the very first?) Rochella blog reviews out there, with their beautiful “Tattoo Butterfly” set.

The Design: I was instantly drawn to the Tattoo Butterfly set as it was something rather unique to me: I had never had a bra with butterflies on it and even though the idea sounded a bit juvenile to me, there is nothing too young and cute about this bra. The design is, in one word, STUNNING. I have actually always loved butterflies, I hate bugs in general, but I find butterflies to be the miracles of nature and each time I see one, it makes me so happy. Even though butterflies are usually depicted as super colourful with the shades of orange and yellow, I really enjoyed the teal and black combination of the set which makes it so much more sophisticated. Also the completely sheer upper panel of the bra is amazing, something not many brands have been brave enough to do.

The shape of the bra is something between the new Curvy Kate balconettes and perhaps a slight bit of Freya G+ balconettes. There is a tiny bit of point to the apex but there is still much more room at the top of the cup than eg with Freya. For a new brand, the shape is very good right from the start with enough uplift to avoid the downwards-7 effect, which can sometimes occur with three-part cup construction + the balconette style. The style is a true balconette but not a completely full-coverage one – this bra is very suitable for everyday wear and goes under most tops and dresses beautifully. I wear it regularly with my Pinup Girl Clothing peasant tops and the butterflies on the cup edge peek beautifully from the low neckline of the top.

The Fit: This is always the most interesting part of reviewing a new brand for you. When looking at the Rochella size chart, you can see that there are no 30 bands in sight, meaning I resulted in opting for my second most worn size, 32GG. I thought it might be a close shot as I am now leaning more towards 32 bands these days – however, British brands are infamous for being looser in the band than their Polish sisters. This was the case with Rochella as well; the 32 band was a size too big for me, but luckily it had four (!) sets of hooks and eyes to tighten it a bit. I am usually wearing it in the tightest or second tightest set of hooks, which is unfortunate as it shortens the lifespan of the bra a bit for me. The fit of the band is definitely on par with the likes of Curvy Kate and Freya, so if you are between band sizes, do size down.

The cups are a bit deeper than your usual British full-bust bra which is a huge upside for me personally – I find most British bras too shallow for my full bust and the Tattoo Butterfly fits me beautifully without any wrinkling at the bottom of the cups. Compared to its Polish counterparts the bra is not super forward-projecting but not as wide and splayed as eg Curvy Kate either. Also the wires are quite average in my opinion, the perfect medium between Polish and most British bras. The straps of the bra are quite long so take that into consideration if you are on the petite side! However, they are also fully-adjustable so there’s a lot of leeway to make them fit you the way you want.

Comfort: Overall the Rochella Tattoo Butterfly set is very comfortable – the materials feel high-quality (though I would be careful with the see-through mesh, it’s super thin and delicate!) and soft to touch. The outer layer is made of stretch satin and the lining out of polyester; I personally prefer cotton lining with my bras but I do feel this is another great option as I don’t feel it’s the kind of scratchy cheap polyester. The lining is a pretty lavender shade to show the support to gynaecology cancer survivors and sufferers – this makes sense as some of the profits go to a gynaecology cancer charity, which is awesome when we are talking about such a new brand.

The only thing that takes a bit away from the comfort factor of this set is that the straps are placed a bit too far apart for me and the cup edge comes up high enough in the armpit to chafe me while being more active. This has not prevented me from wearing this bra A LOT though, so I would say all in all the Rochella sets are not just pretty to look at, they are also quite comfy and very well-fitting. Also the panties get an A+ from me: I went for the size UK 10-12 and they fit me beautifully, I would even say they are one of my most flattering bottoms I own. The back of the briefs is made of super stretchy mesh so these are very butt-friendly and sexy at the same time.

The price point of Rochella is a bit higher than with most UK full-bust brands but that is kind of what the founder of the brand went for – better quality and a big size range (32-42 D-J) are key features with Rochella and I personally feel that £59 for a bra and £30 for the bottoms is a fair price for the pieces. Heck, the hardware on the front part of the straps is 18 ct gold! If you would like to give Rochella lingerie a try, I would suggest taking a look at their web shop, which you find here. They are also adding 30 bands this upcoming autumn so stay tuned for that if you are outside their size range at the moment! I am personally looking forward to trying something from the AW16 collection in 30H, which will be a sligthly better fit for me size-wise. xx

Designer Interview: Meet Rochella Lingerie!

I recently heard about a new D+ lingerie brand when I visited Paris a few months back. I was staying over at Astrid from Les Gros Bonnets and she told me there was a new British brand exhibiting at Salon de la Lingerie – of course, she had left the stand right before I found it on Monday and sadly, we were unable to chat about the collection. Luckily, I got a hold of Karen, the founder of Rochella Lingerie, via email and we started talking about setting up an interview for my readers. Today, I am presenting you this new middle-market full-bust brand which also supports a good cause by donating a percentage of their profits to gynaecology cancer charities.

Some pieces from Rochella SS16 collection

2COP: This is your first collection with Rochella. How did you become a lingerie designer and decided to take the plunge to start your own brand?

K: I originally did a fashion and textile course as my passion was always to be a designer and I loved the way that textures completely changed things. I literally ‘fell’ into lingerie as my friend who cut the head of designs hair at a global company, slipped and almost fell into the road whilst we were out on a weekend. She was telling the story, to the Head of Design at the next haircut, and the designer asked me to come along for an interview. I was taken on as junior lingerie designer, designing ranges for Marks and Spencers. This is where I really learned everything the about the product.

Over the years I moved jobs and climbed the ladder from junior designer into Head of Design and technical for global brands.

I had huge success with an online retailer creating all their own brand D+ lingerie,  and that success sparked off the idea for me to do my own. Im no skinny minx these days. Im a plus size with a large bust. I just wanted to create something supportive and pretty, without thinking my underwear looks really ugly .. so Rochella began.

 2COP: Where do you draw inspiration for your designs and who do you design for? What is the Rochella woman like?

K: I draw inspiration form many places, a lot is flora, I just adore roses and vintage florals, Im also a bit obsessed with animalesque prints. They have just become a staple basic now.  I love colour too, I just think it brings joy into your life and makes you feel good on the inside , even on the dull rainy days.

The Rochella woman is fun, a little quirky, bohemian almost , with a love for beautiful cloths and trims. She enjoys quality. Shes a magpie drawn to sparkle and shine. She can be anyone from 20 – 90 , there is no age anymore in society we are all living longer and just because we are getting older doesn’t mean  to say that all of a sudden lingerie should be restricted to Bridget Jones beige big pants!  

Rochella AW16

2COP: Your designs seem to be sporting a more luxurious feel to them. What does luxury mean to you when it comes to lingerie?

K: My brand is premium, Its not that costly so its only available for the top 10%, but its above high street pricing. I look at many brands and they all sell for similar price points, all in similar fabrics.. To me its all just cloned! Almost robotic. I wanted to give the most beautiful fabrics and embroideries, to give the ooh aah factor, to make you feel good. The silky satin I use is just like liquid chocolate, soft sensual to touch and the trims are all gold plated. I think we deserve something special as we all work very hard. Luxury is a feeling, its not about money.

2COP: How did you decide on the size range for Rochella? Was it obvious to go for the full bust market? Also, do you have any plans or dreams to expand the size range, e.g. into smaller band sizes? (For readers, Rochella now makes sizes 32-42 D-J)

K: Globally we are all getting bigger and our frame has totally changed over the years, we are more rounded. I’ve been a designer for 30 years and I also design for new start ups. I get asked all the time to design for this area as there is little on the market. I  consciously looked at clothing sizes and based my size range on this , but I will be bringing in 30 back sizes for AW16.

2COP: You donate a percentage of your sales to gynaecology cancer organizations and are a survivor yourself. How did your experience with cancer affect you as a designer? Did it eg affect your material choices or your decision to start your own brand in the first place?

K: Cancer to everyone is  a huge shock and life changer. I had a very bad experience  with my treatment. I had vulval cancer. Thankfully things have improved and treatment is better, but no one knows these cancers exist, they get no press , yet they are nearly as rife as breast cancer. I didn’t start my own brand because of it, but I line my garments in a lavender colour, so that whoever buys them knows that even when they are putting on the bra that a percentage of profits is going to a good cause.

2COP: What is the best part of desining lingerie? What about the worst?

I’m currently just getting my thoughts together for SS17 and I love getting all the embroideries and prints created. Of course this is always the best thing for a creative person.  The worst thing.. there isn’t one, I sleep and breathe it!

Rochella AW16

2COP: How do you feel your brand differs from other British full-bust brands?

K: Britain is stuck in a price battle war of all brands on fuller bust. I could have designed something similar, but whats the point,  I’d just be competing with everyone else. Retailers don’t buy after certain price points. There is nothing on the market like mine currently. At the moment it goes from brand to luxury with very little in-between. I’m having a lot more success outside of the UK in sales.

The UK has become a bit of a throw away society, we wear things a few times and then bin it. This is not good for the environment. We need to produce items that people care about. If you look after a bra well, it becomes a favourite.

2COP: What is in store for Rochella in the future? Have you got any specific dreams regarding your brand?

K: My dream of course is to become a global brand and I would then support cancer charities all over the world. Having had cancer myself, you have to pay the ferryman. Im lucky to be here enjoying life. Many have only a few hours left. If I can change this by just making a few bras , then I have succeeded in my mission.

Thank you Karen for introducing your brand to me and my readers! If you are interested to see how Rochella bras fit, I have a review coming up soon so stay tuned for that 😉