me. by bendon, Myself and I
It is a compelling challenge for one of the world’s largest intimate apparel companies to balance the delicate dichotomy between a marketing strategy that must encompass a global distribution reach of over 4,000 doors across 34 countries, and the nuances of something as acutely intimate and personal as lingerie. Bendon, however, is no ordinary lingerie brand.
The underwear powerhouse, who has been in the business of creating and curating world-leading intimates for over 70 years, has not only made it their mission over the decades to revolutionise the lingerie industry through their dedication to quality and innovation, but to also continually question and reset the future of their much-loved Bendon Lingerie brands to resonate with contemporary and present generations who are proud of their bodies and unafraid to challenge convention. In doing so, Bendon has cemented its place as one of the few ahead-of-the-curve leaders in lingerie who have crafted from the outset, a universal message that is close to the skin in more ways than one – a stance that is committed to celebrating the uniqueness of our individuality, of self-empowerment and acceptance of our authentic selves as an inherent tenet of their intimate apparel.
In their pursuit to celebrate individual expression and foster an empowered self- and body-image, behind the scenes, Bendon’s expert – and New Zealand-based – design team has also upheld a rigorous and innovative design philosophy that has gone from strength to strength throughout the company’s history. Their highly experienced and technical designers have continually honed, tweaked and tested the engineering of their lingerie designs that actually “bend on” the body, upholding comfort and support as queen alongside the supreme fit that Bendon has come to be renowned for.
The lingerie house’s steadfast approach has seen to it that their bras are now crafted with an average of 26 individual pieces, culminating in some of their best-loved signature styles such as Zoe, Sofia and Morning Lola – masterpieces that have stood the test of time and which continue to be introduced as evolved classics to Bendon’s latest brand under an equally rigorous process of leaving no stone unturned in sourcing only the finest quality, on-trend fabrics, laces and “of-the-moment” colour palettes.
We are excited to see that Bendon has chosen to usher in the New Year with a celebration of individuality and positive self-expression in a compelling new brand launch – me. by bendon – setting the bar with a luxe yet refreshingly relatable and less prescriptive vision that resonates with what everyday women want from their underwear.
The debuting me. by bendon campaign casts and caters to, a troupe of individuals in their underwear of choice whose unique stories of empowerment are underscored by the belief that personal strength comes from within, the authentic expression of which makes us feel like our real selves. To put it in a nutshell, the tagline says it all: Designed by bendon. Defined by you. “Hand-selected based on what they had to say”, Bendon has made a point of listening to these individuals’ stories, to their values and how they define and want to express themselves – in the case of this inaugural campaign for me. by bendon: Goofy, Determined, Strong, Lover, Real and Authentic.
Dig a little deeper, and me. by bendon is further extrapolated and epitomised in a diverse collection of empowering statements that are a further reminder that every interaction Bendon has with its audience is all about making women feel comfortable and confident for life: being beautiful by your own definition, being strong when it feels like you can’t, being brave from the power you have within, being playful because life is too short, and being confident especially when others doubt you. And we wholeheartedly agree – it mightn’t always be easy but when we give ourselves permission to be ourselves, living an authentic life is always vastly more rewarding than hiding your true self. Not one to do things by halves, Bendon has furthermore placed these inspiring sentiments on the swing tags of the lingerie pieces as a reminder to believe in yourself: I am Strong, I am Beautiful, I am Brave, I am Confident and I am Playful.
The new brand’s laser focus on individuality and living authentically could not be further apart from the stance of a certain other lingerie giant whose former president boasted of “never conducting any research into what actual women wanted from their underwear or their lives.” Authenticity, looking good and feeling good – Bendon has made empowering women through underwear a thing, leading the way in highlighting lingerie in another light and in welcoming and adapting to social and consumer change. More specifically, the launch chooses to resonate with those of a present generation who have a voice, who are independent, fearless and confident, and who choose comfort and sexiness first and foremost for themselves.
The essence of me. by bendon is further reflected in the new range names – the perfectly designed push-up bra in Uplift Me in honour of surrounding yourself with the things that uplift you most and for when you need a little pick-me-up; Passionately Me, a collection centred around uplift and coverage, which “you can be passionately yourself in”; and being comfortable in your own skin while embellishing what you already have in exquisite pieces from Captivate Me for the ultimate in support and the sexiness of being confident and comfortable being yourself.
me. by bendon honours and reflects back to their audience in real and relatable terms, that ubiquitous connection between intimate fashion and the cultural zeitgeist, sans the male gaze, and what is perceived as typically commercially attractive – of what it means to be “me” and that the only person who can validate you is you. We don’t know about you, but this is our kind of storytelling.
Check out me. by bendon online now.
