After my first breast cancer, a lumpectomy, shopping for swimwear to wear to my local pool was not a fun time. My challenge…find a suit that had an accommodation for a small, partial prosthesis to make my lumpectomy side look even and balanced with my other side.
All the suits I tried, that accommodated a prosthesis pocket, be it a full or partial prosthesis, made me look frumpy. I hated how I looked in these suits. So, I got a regular suit off the rack at Macy’s, that I felt good in, and being someone who sews, I adapted the suit to accommodate my small prosthesis. It gave me the confidence to put on a swimsuit.
Ten years later, following my second cancer, a bilateral mastectomy, I was not so ambitious. I’ve looked at suits, tried on suits, and walked out of stores having not bought a suit. Why? I didn’t feel attractive. I didn’t feel comfortable with the styles and cuts. That’s why, a few weeks ago, when I saw a news feature on a woman who has created a whole line of very feminine post mastectomy swimwear, I had to learn more about why she did it, how she did it, and what has been the response to her collection to date.
Veronica Brett is the first luxury swimwear collection designed specifically for the needs of breast cancer survivors. Launched in May 2010 by Patricia Brett, Veronica Brett is modern, beautiful swimwear for women who have undergone breast-removal surgery.
Patricia Brett has spent most of her professional life as an architect. She designs suits with the goal of helping women once again feel comfortable in a bathing suit following a mastectomy.
As she puts it, “I wanted to create a really beautiful, high-end product that not only met the needs of breast cancer survivors, but was also a really beautiful line in its own right.”
Brett’s family has a long history with breast cancer. She lost three aunts to breast cancer, including her father’s sister, Veronica, for whom the brand is named. Her sister was diagnosed when she was 41, and in 2002, Patricia tested positive for the BRCA1 gene, a genetic mutation that greatly increases a person’s chance of getting breast cancer. Faced with the overwhelming prospect of diagnosis, she decided to have a double mastectomy to minimize her own risk.
Several years later, Patricia’s niece decided to undergo the same surgery at age 29. Patricia, her sister and her niece decided that a girls’ weekend was in order, and it was on that road trip that the idea for a swimsuit line arose. Although her niece was at peace with her upcoming surgery, she was venting over the limited offerings of swimsuits and bras for women post-surgery. Patricia and her sister had suffered through the same problem and upon reflection, Brett realized that it didn’t have to be that way.
“I was thinking, ‘This is crazy that all three of us struggle with finding fashionable, sexy, sophisticated apparel because of breast surgical issues,’” said Patricia,”All of a sudden this light bulb went off. I thought, ‘If I can design a building, I should be able to design a better swimsuit.’”
So she got to work. She sat down with a sketchbook and designed several initial concepts, wrote out a business plan, met with countless fabric- and pattern-makers, and even sewed the first suit herself. She kept the project a secret from her sister and the next time she visited, Patricia brought out the unfinished prototype for her sister to try on. The reaction said it all.
“She tried on the suit and literally burst into tears,” Patricia remembers. “It barely held together, but it worked. It covered the bits that needed to be covered and it was sexy everywhere else. I thought, ‘If this is her reaction, then a lot of other women are in the same boat.’”
The suits are designed to address the concerns of women who have had one or both breasts removed. They feature pockets that can hold a breast form or prosthetic breast, thicker fabric and a modest cut to cover surgical scars, and a high degree of comfort and flexibility in post-surgical areas while remaining supportive.
Though the learning curve was steep and she faced considerable resistance from larger department stores to stock the line, due to the small market of breast cancer survivors, Patricia pushed forward. Two recent developments have been encouraging for the company’s prospects. First, two smaller retailers — a spa boutique in Manhattan, Kimara Ahnert, and online retailer ShopBop.com are selling her suits, with positive reviews rolling in from customers. Second, the sellers report that a variety of women are buying the suits, not just breast cancer survivors.
Patricia says various women, including large-busted women and new moms, appreciate the suits. The fact that women who aren’t breast cancer survivors are buying the suits, she says, is evidence that she achieved her goal of creating a product with both style and functionality.She’s motivated to use those successes to attract larger stores and a greater reach.
Veronica Brett Swimwear has been featured on ABC 5 pm evening news, in Oprah Magazine, Harper’s BAZAAR, and CNNMoney.com
