Nine X Lingerie is the brainchild of entrepreneur Nina who has created a sassy and sensual plus size lingerie line for those women that want a bit more than just the boring basics. This sexy line carries sizes up to a 30. From plus size bridal lingerie to sexy chemise’s and cute baby dolls, Nine X is there to tap into your sassy side. We get the low down from Nina on the last six years.
The History…
“We started in 2010 so we have been around for 6 years already. It was very difficult at the beginning because I had to do some research into the market and it was something new for me. I spent lots of hours checking other websites and blogs about lingerie, social media websites because I wanted to know what was hot on sale and to create beautiful and affordable lingerie to fit and flatter all body shapes”.
You’re petite, what made you want to launch a plus size lingerie range?
“I was a plus size woman. Maybe I don’t look like one now, but I still feel like a plus size woman. I know how hard it is to find some nice lingerie. I believe that plus size body is beautiful and deserves the best. It felt that most companies only catered for average sizes so I decided that we needed to make every woman feel special”.
Were there any pieces in the collection that you took a risk on but then it paid off – plus size notoriously plays it ‘safe’…
“My whole first collection was an experiment to check what my customers like, which sizes are most popular, which colours and if the direction I chose was right. From that we have made adjustments to ensure our quality is never compromised. I think there is no ready formula for success”.
How important are trends when it comes to lingerie? What should we be looking out for?
“I always need to know what kind of products ladies want to buy, what sizes are most popular, which colours are most popular and how bold my products should be. We bring out 2 collections every year and each collection has around 10 to 15 pieces. But every piece comes in 3 to 5 different colours. This way we can hopefully produce lingerie to suit as many customers as we can find. There will always be traditional lingerie but trends in colour etc. are big and we try to satisfy the market as much as possible”.
How differently do you have design for plus and straight size customers?
“The biggest challenge is to adjust the constructions of every style to all sizes. Each size almost requires a different fabric specification so the levels of design and production are vital to our collections. I can say that “the bigger the bust, the big- ger the challenge” is what we thrive on”.
What do you know now, that you wish you had known when you started Nine X?
“I’m still learning new skills when it comes to creat my collections, which is the most important in plus size designs. I’ve already learned a lot about my customers, what they need and now the collection is well thought of. Every day we learn some- thing that brings us forward in terms of customer satisfaction, which is paramount to Nine X.“
Who is the Nine X woman?
“When any woman wears our lingerie they will feel confident, gorgeous and sexy…”
What is a typical day for you?
“I mostly deal with the manufacturing side, in which I make daily contact with
the factory regarding the constant production of our pieces. I work with suppliers to ensure our fabrics are perfect for further production and I’m in constant contact with the designers in approving new pieces. Inbetween I help at the warehouse picking and packing. It’s all hands on deck every day”.
How important is passion for you when running Nine X, what drives you?
“Plus size lingerie is something we feel passionately about. Every product we create is designed with the customer in mind. From fabric, to style and fit, we believe everyone deserves to look and feel fabulous in their lingerie! Having the passion behind it all is what drives us to help make Nine X work for all our customers”.
What achievements are you most proud of for Nine X?
“We were nominated for the best lingerie brand and Nine X has been twice on the catwalk, with two more fashion shows scheduled for 2016. But the true success for me is that ladies like my collections and customers come back for more”.
What would you like to achieve this year for Nine X?
“Nine X is a very young brand but we are still growing. There is still a lot ahead of us. I dream for the Nine X brand to be recognised and valued all over the world. We are going to bring out a new collection and I’m sure it will be a nice surprise for our ladies”.
If you could have any model in your line, who would it be and why?
“Alessandra Garcia is such a beautiful model, she is a natural plus size beauty”.
Shop the line here: NINEX
