4 Questions for the Co-Founders of Bloomers Intimates
Mother and daughter Noa Arias and Dr. Shaula Yemini co-founded the women's lingerie brand
Hi Chevralah,
We’ll keep this brief. We’d hoped to run this interview a while ago, but became a bit overwhelmed with another project. We’re excited to chat with a tech engineer who segued to creating lingerie.
Meet Mother and daughter Noa Arias and Dr. Shaula Yemini, the brains behind Bloomers.
Our questions were long. Their responses were brief(s).
The Kumzits: Tell us a bit about your company and how you went from being a tech entrepreneur to creating lingerie? What's it like to be a (Jewish!) mother and (Jewish!) daughter in business together? What are each of your responsibilities? What happens when you disagree?
Shaula’s transition from software entrepreneur to soft wear entrepreneur was a natural outcome of her advice to the many startups she mentored: when you identify a problem for which a large enough number of customers will pay enough for its solution to enable you to build a successful business, go for it.
The idea for Bloomers came about one day when Shaula lamented that she couldn’t find knickers like the ones she used to stock up on in her business travels to the UK. These were no ordinary knickers - they were beautiful lace undies that provided full coverage, with scalloped leg openings that disappeared under clothes, that were so comfortable you never noticed them, yet flattered every body shape at any age. Shaula had already realized that none of the beautiful lingerie on the market was suitable for her changed body – everything was designed for girls with youthful bodies willing to sacrifice comfort for style. Thus she identified an opportunity for a new business. Noa, a passionate marketing entrepreneur who had been involved in several prior ventures, needed a little coaxing to buy into the idea. A consummate Googler, Noa set out to prove the problem was already solved but when she couldn’t find anything that fit the bill, she enthusiastically embraced the idea and set out to build the company.
Being a mother and daughter in business together is almost all pure joy, with a little bit of tension sprinkled in. We’re extremely close, and speak with one another every day. I don’t know if that is unique to Jewish mother-daughter relationships or not, but it’s great! At first, we had some business disagreements, as I had managed people and business for decades, and was likely overbearing, while Noa wanted to assert her independence. We solved the problem by clarifying that as CEO, she is the ultimate decider, but will listen to my business advice. It’s working very well, and Noa is bearing by far the brunt of the work. For those who’ve watched Grace’s contentious business relationship with her daughter in “Frankie and Grace” – we’re the opposite!
Pantyloon Slip Shorts by Bloomers Intimates. Photo credit: Bloomersintimates.com TK: Your designs are quirky and cute and different than anything we usually see. Can you tell us a bit about the design process?
We started with inspiration from the old British knickers Shaula had collected and updated them in major ways to take advantage of new yarns and machines in a custom lace construction unique to us. We have a team that includes a world-class pattern designer that worked in the industry for decades, and a terrific production manager who also has vast experience with materials and patterns. In addition to external fit models, we too serve as fit models to ensure our products meet our requirements.
3. TK: Let's talk about inclusivity and sizing. Hurrah! What made you decide to go up a few sizes instead of sizing everything down?
Our motto is “Change Is Beautiful”. We recognize that not every woman has the figure of an 18-year old. With the passage of time, our bodies change: we may gain a few pounds, or have a few babies. Still, we believe women can and should look and feel sexy forever, and there is no better confidence booster than sexy lingerie.
4. TK: And a painful subject for all of us. Let's talk about being Israeli and Jewish in a world that seems to have unanimously turned its back on us and demonized us for all the ills of the world. How is that affecting you? Do people see your name and offer support or turn away? Have you come up with any coping mechanisms to get you through each day? Where were you on October 7th, and how might you commemorate the first anniversary?
At a business level, we aren’t aware of the effects on our business thankfully. In general, we’ve decided to keep politics and Bloomers separate, but we did feel the need to post on social media after October 7th. If anyone wants to avoid Bloomers because of antisemitism, it’s their loss!
On a personal level, what is happening in Israel and to Jews worldwide is devastating. To see so many people on US campuses and in capitals around the globe celebrate the massacre of innocent women and children is beyond heartbreaking. Meanwhile Israel, where many of our family members reside, is fighting for its very existence yet still making an effort to protect the enemies who vow to annihilate it, and provide them with food and healthcare. The world is upside down - it’s unfathomable.
Anything you'd like to add?
We often joke that every Jewish holiday celebrates the same story of - they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat! We’ve been here before, we will overcome it and we will dance again.
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