I received an e-mail about Alicia Vianga, owner and certified bra fitter of Premier Jour Lingerie Boutique about a month ago, and I decided that she would be the next person that I I’d love to interview.
I had the most fun interviewing Jazmine Sullivan last summer, but that was a looong time ago and I was itching to tackle another interview. I thought I’d start 2009 off with a bang by interviewing someone.
I checked out her lingerie online, and let me tell y’all, they all looked gorgeous.
I armed myself with a battery of questions and braved the snowy Canadian weather and ventured off to her boutique in Little Italy.
I walked in and was greeted by an extremely bubbly sista. I introduced myself and said that I was there to interview Alicia Vianga. I started to walk away when she said, “I’m Alicia!” I was shocked. I had no idea that the boutique owner was a sista! I felt happy, but also ashamed. I was ashamed of myself for assuming that the owner was someone other than a sista. I especially felt horrible because I am a sista too.
Alicia was very cool about it. She took me aside and said that it happens ALL THE TIME! I apologized profusely and was angry at myself over my ignorance. Alicia was so warm and friendly that she put me at ease and my shame quickly dissipated.
Although I was there to interview a certified bra fitter, I really didn’t want to get fitted. Believe it or not, I am a shy girl and I didn’t feel like exposing myself (ahem, my breasts) to a total stranger. But after catching a glimpse of the huge, spacious and glamorous fitting room (equipped with stilettos, an ornate chandelier, and some negligees) I calmed down.
I took off my top and Alicia could already tell that I was wearing the wrong size—the straps were falling off my shoulder, the band size was too big. Basically, the bra was way too big and did nothing for my girls.
She brought over a mountain of bras for me to try on. Damn, they looked good! I had nothing like that at home. They were lacy, intricately designed—they just looked hot!
One by one I tried them on. I couldn’t believe how different I looked. My body and my posture also seemed to change! I honestly felt like walking around with the bra and my jeans—and nothing else! I felt sexy, confident and gorgeous!
After staring at myself in the beautiful bras, I finally tore myself away from the fitting room and met Alicia on the cute lil’ couch in her boutique and started the interview.
What inspired you to open a lingerie boutique?
I was inspired years ago. One day a friend of mine came to my workplace saying, “Alicia, I have to show you this! I have to show you this!”
We went to this fantastic lingerie boutique and I was shocked to see that lingerie came in colours other than black, beige and white. I was awestruck over the beautiful pieces. I wanted to purchase the boutique but decided against that and decided to open my own.
I spent a good 8 years studying and researching. I travelled to Paris… London.
I believe that women need to have fantastic foundation pieces. I, like most women, wore beige, black and white and nothing of quality. I wanted my boutique to be different, and I wanted women to have different bras, and to feel really good when they are wearing it. It was all about quality.
Your pieces are like works of art. How do you choose which pieces you want to sell in your shop?
When I look at the bra or feel the bra, it’s more about something that I would want to wear for myself. I sometimes think about my clients. “She would love this!” It also has to be something that is different. Something that will make a woman feel sexy and beautiful.
I think about the body shape, the colour of the skin, I think about what they are going to wear with it. Like you said, they are works of art. They are pieces that you want to show!
What services are available at Premier Jour?
It’s mainly a personal bra fitting boutique. It’s not a service that you pick up something and walk out. We try to make sure that everything is tried on and make sure it’s the piece that you want.
Everyone who walks out of here is pretty much fitted.
We also do gift wrap, bridal registry, gift suggestions and a girls’ night out.
What’s the girls’ night out?
It’s where you bring a couple of your friends and everyone is fitted. The boutique is closed for a couple of hours and everyone tries on various bras. You see the shy girls become bolder when they are wearing sexy lingerie!
How important is it to get a bra fitting?
It’s essential because every bra is different. Every body type is different. Our bodies change through age, weight gain, weight loss, babies, stress. It is essential to get a bra fitting every 6 months. Your bra doesn’t stay the same.
How long should you keep a bra?
It depends on how many bras you own. I believe that women should have at least 6 bras in their wardrobe. Six good bras! Six will last you about a year. Don’t hang on to them. Send them to bra heaven! They don’t last forever.
Why should a woman buy lingerie for herself?
Why shouldn’t she?
It was such a pleasure meeting Alicia. She’s sooo right about women buying good quality lingerie. The garments that you put on your body are a direct reflection of how you view yourself. So, instead of buying that bra that’s on sale that doesn’t quite fit, buy something of worth. Remember, in life, you should never settle for less!
To view her lingerie ranging in sizes from 28-48 and cups A-H, visit Premier Jour Lingerie at 1288 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario. Also, check out her website at www.pjlingerie.com.
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