It’s that time of the month again when we feature one of You! Lingerie’s retailer; and this month, it’s Rondom Eva. Rondom Eva is a web based store located in the Netherlands that carries delicious maternity and nursing lingerie, swimwear and sleepwear. Like most mompreneurs, Rondom Eva was launched when owner Eva was pregnant with her first child and had a difficult time shopping for stylish yet comfortable maternity Lingerie. With her second child due any day now, we couldn’t be more excited for Eva as her and her store continues to strive that mummies everywhere feel their absolute best during and after pregnancy.
We had the wonderful opportunity to interview the founder and owner of Dutch maternity retailer Rondom Eva, and below are some excerpts from that interview.
YL: Tell us a little bit about your business
Eva: I launched my web-store last year October 1st on the Dutch celebration of World Breastfeeding Week. Website is now live for a little bit more than 6 months and in this short period of time; I have already met a lot of mums and professionals who are really enthusiastic about breastfeeding and my shop. With my Web-shop, it is my aim to make pregnancy and breastfeeding even more beautiful than it already is.
YL: Can you share details about your background, how and why you decided to become a maternity boutique owner?
Eva: After a career in several commercial jobs, I kept searching for a job to would be more satisfying to me. I was looking for products that I could relate to and also for a possibility to fully use my creativity. Being pregnant with my first child, I found that it was very difficult to find good and good looking maternity lingerie. That’s how my plan was born. I started investigating and found some very pretty lingerie brands that convinced me to give it a go. I love to make pregnant and breastfeeding women feel pretty and happy with their beautiful curves.
In the meanwhile, I am expecting my second baby on July 21st, that makes it easier for me to relate to all the mummies and what they are going through. We do not know if it is going to be a boy or girl yet, but we are very much looking forward to our second one. Our daughter (almost 2) is also very pleased; she’s kissing my growing belly everyday which is so cute!
YL: How did you come up with the name of your business?
Eva: My name is Eva (from Adam & Eve) which is very suitable for the market that I am in. Therefore I wanted to have my own name in my company name. As I also wanted to relate to the beautiful curves I chose the name “Rondom Eva”. Rondom can be translated as around, but also relates to curves. This also shows in my logo.
YL: What do you think your customers think when your store comes to mind?
Eva: My customers are excited to find out that there’s such a wide range of both functional, beautiful, and sexy maternity and nursing lingerie. During the past months, I have managed to create a personal relationship with some of my customers which made them return for more items. Which I view as a very large compliment.
YL: What type of products do you carry?
Eva: Besides maternity- and nursing lingerie, I also carry nightwear and swimwear. At this moment I am talking to a new supplier of another type of products which I am convinced many of the mums (to be) would be very pleased with.
YL: Why do you carry You! Lingerie?
Eva: As stated before it is my aim to make pregnancy and breastfeeding even more beautiful. You! Lingerie perfectly fits in that profile. I had the honor of being the first one to introduce You! Lingerie to the Dutch mums (to be) who are all very excited about it.
Be sure to check out out Rondom Eva’s super chic web-store: http://www.rondomeva.nl
We are happy to feature Mommy Gear as our inaugural Retailer of The Month.
Mommy Gear® is where fashion meets function for Mom & Baby. Mommy Gear has a beautiful store in Ligonier, PA and ships products all over the world via their website—http://www.mommygear.com. They specialize in beautiful nursing wear, breastpumps, nursing bras (32A-48K), breastfeeding support products, baby carriers, and cute baby gear & gifts.
A couple days ago, we had the chance to interview the founder, Dawn Higgins. Here are some of the highlights of our conversation with Dawn:
YL: Can you share details about your background, how and why you decided to become a maternity boutique owner?
DH: I started Mommy Gear® in 1996 because she wanted great looking clothes to wear while breastfeeding my first son, Will–and I thought other moms would, too. Not just casual clothing, but real clothes that we can wear to all the occasion in our lives. I left my job as a corporate communications & customer service manager and started Mommy Gear as a small, home-based business with most of our marketing by word-of-mouth. When people referred us to their friends and family out-of-state, I built a home-grown website. Since then, we’ve expanded into a storefront and launched an expanded website. This has allowed us to better serve our customers, help a form and host a local La Leche League & offer classes for new moms and families. We have partnered with The Bra Recyclers to collect gently used bras to be used for women in need. It’s a dream to have Mommy Gear® be the center of grass-roots community breastfeeding support & education.
YL: How did you come up with the name of your business?
DH: Mommy Gear® was the working name that I used as I made notes on my business idea during my lunch hours at my corporate job. Mommy Gear fit the active, casual yet classy moms that were my friends and the name just stuck. Our logo was developed by Audrey Brown, one of our earliest customers who is an artist & designer. She was looking for a project during her maternity leave and I told her that I tried to draw an image that was a mom and baby formed by one line, but had no artistic ability. She took my crude sketch and made the elegant logo that we still use and love today.
YL: What do you think your customers think when your store comes to mind?
DH: We want to make breastfeeding comfortable & convenient for all moms & babies. We look for products that meet the highest quality and design standards that are beautiful and practical too. We offer personalized service to professionally fit nursing bras, choose breast pumps and teach baby carrying.
YL: What type of products do you carry?
DH: We offer nursing bras, tops, dresses & nightwear from top designers as well as our own Mommy Gear private label styles. We carry professional breast pumps, parts & support products from Medela, Ameda & Hygeia. We also feature a great selection of baby carriers, baby clothes & gifts, and baby shoes. Since our store is located a few miles from Steelers’ training camp, we’re a center for the littlest football fans, too.
YL: Why do you carry You! Lingerie?
DH: We love the fun, sexy styles that You! Lingerie offers. The You! bras are gorgeous and well-made and easy to use for nursing. The prices make You! bras an affordable luxury that our customers really enjoy. You! Lingerie proves that breastfeeding doesn’t mean giving up your sense of style.
If you are in the Ligonier, PA area, drop in and say hi to Dawn and her team at Mommy Gear. Its a great place to shop! And if you cannot make it to Ligonier, but need beautiful nursing wear, breastpumps and cute baby gear & gifts check out their website: http://www.mommygear.com
Mommy Gear is offering a You! bra giveaway (YAY!) on their FB page & website (giveaway through rafflecopter) at http://www.mommygear.com/mommy-gear-contest.htm
We are SUPER excited to announce that we have partnered with Burlington Coat Factory (you know…..the national retail chain) to offer consumers an exclusive collection of maternity/nursing bra designs…in stores now! WHOOOHOOO!!!
You! Lingerie’s line for Burlington Coat Factory is comprised of three new styles exclusive to the retailer. They are made for comfort and functionality and feature our signature hot pink cotton lining, bows & nursing clips, soft moulded cups(non-underwire), wide bra straps and four hook back closures. Like our previous designs, these bras are also playful and exude luxurious sensuality made for the fashionista mama who is looking for Affordable Luxury! 
Now, I know you all have some questions. So let me try to answer them:
Sounds great, but what do these bras look like?
I hope you love these, as much as our Signature You! collection. They take cues from our inaugural line but add a variety of soft, romantic colors.
Frosty Silver/Strawberry Pink (3/4 Cup)
Pewter Gray/Blackberry (Full Cup)
Flirty Pale Pink/Hot Rose Pink (3/4 Cup)
What stores will be carrying these cute bras?
There are almost 140 stores spread across the US carrying these yummy You! Lingerie bras.
Hey, there isn’t a store near me? What’s a haute mama to do?
If there isn’t a Burlington Coat Factory near you that sells You! Lingerie or you cannot find one in your size, feel free to contact BCF via their website (http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com), on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BurlingtonCoatFactory) or on Twitter (@BCFTweets) to ask when you are going to get You! Lingerie at your local store.
