Angela O’Brien stands beside a sign listing Esteem Lingerie’s offerings
WEST KELOWNA – If the bra doesn’t fit, you shouldn’t commit.
To buying one, that is, and to that end, Esteem Lingerie has a fully trained team that ensures each client has an undergarment that fits them perfectly and comfortably.
“Women spend more time in their bras than they spend in their beds and their shoes,” says owner Angela O’Brien. “So what we do is important to us. If we can help women feel comfortable and confident in their bodies, that helps bring them self-esteem and empowerment.
“We are solution providers,” she adds. “Busy women don’t have a lot of time to flutter about shopping, so we are their destination. Women come in and we help them find solutions for their bras, nightwear and panty needs. The way we look after them, I only need to see them every year or year and a half or so, before they need to come back again.”
Esteem Lingerie is a family business in every sense of the word. Angela O’Brien co-founded the company with her mother, Florenda Pickett, whose husband, Gilbert Guenette, looks after photography and videography. Angela’s husband Eddie Rakowski looks after IT, and their daughters have both grown up in the business.
Esteem Lingerie owner Angela O’Brien has set up a sister company, Esteem Bra Fitting Academy
Angela has set up a sister company, Esteem Bra Fitting Academy, to teach other lingerie shops the fine art of bra fitting, in order to increase their professionalism with their customers.
“The academy is the offshoot of my passion for training and development,” Angela explains. “I’m taking what we’ve been able to develop & refine with creating Esteem Lingerie over our 18 years in the industry and we have designed programs & certifications to help other lingerie boutique owners improve their businesses. We want to see more lingerie boutiques flourish as well run as profitable and sustainable businesses.
Esteem Lingerie also gives her an outlet to encourage and empower women, as she shares not only expertise, but her life experiences.
It was seven years ago that Angela suffered a catastrophic brain injury where she lost her ability to speak and read. After enduring several years of therapy and physical redesign, she has bounced back, better than ever.
Then last years’ fire that jumped Okanagan Lake, Angela ran emergency runs to evacuate her daughter and others, minutes before the fire attacked a youth camp, and had to relocate to her mother’s place while the fires raged. Meanwhile, her business suffered smoke damage that eliminated all her stock and caused the business to close for seven weeks.
Thankfully, her earlier decade in the insurance industry enabled her to properly protect her premises and assets with coverage, allowing the company to bounce back.
“There’s no such thing as a challenge-free life,” she notes. “It has its ups and downs, and it’s a roller coaster. You can knock me down, but I’m going to come back twice as strong. That’s where the longevity comes from for our business.
“I looked at the smoke damage as an opportunity for us to re-launch the store, fresh, but now with 18 years of experience. Every mistake I made in the first 16 years of the business, was hard-earned knowledge that allowed us to restart the business quickly and better than before.”
Esteem Lingerie in West Kelowna has a wide assortment of bras and women’s garments
Esteem Lingerie’s model is based on sustainability, not just from a business standpoint, but from a product standpoint.
“I do not like it when women waste their money on products that don’t work for them. We help them understand what works for their beautiful body and we work with quality products, therefore they don’t have to be replaced as often. We work with some of the top European brands, and we have the best quality garments available for our clients.” she says, “We make it easy & consistent for our clients, that’s why we have such incredible client loyalty. Our client’s consider Esteem Lingerie THEIR lingerie shop! This is the fairy dust we will be teaching our boutiques how to create!”
Esteem Lingerie expanded a number of years ago to double its size, in the Westridge Centre Mall at the corner of Elliott and Highway 97 South in West Kelowna.
“It’s always worth the drive to the West Side,” Angela says. “We do more than lift your spirits!”
www.esteembrafittingacademy.com
By Mark MacDonald