Over the summer, I had the pleasure to intern for an incredible company based outside of Richmond, Virginia. Lottie Belle Lingerie was created by Heidi Field-Alvarez just about a year ago and has just recently started accepting pre-orders for their first line of women’s lingerie. I was immersed into the world of photo shoots, manufacturing, marketing, event planning, and so much more when I started off in May. Every experience was a learning process for me and I found out it was also very new to Heidi.
Heidi started off as an artist, but after hearing about a local charity, Sylvia’s Sisters, she became inspired to create a new kind of lingerie that helps keep girls in school. Many young women around the world, and even in the Richmond area, suffer from extreme poverty and are unable to obtain proper menstrual hygiene products. Because of this, girls do not attend school during their menstrual period and end up dropping out. This cycle of poverty continues because of their lack of education. Sylvia’s Sisters, started by Jennifer Taylor, seeks to end this cycle of poverty by providing women with washable, reusable products so that they can be comfortable enough to go to school. So far, as a giving partner of Sylvia’s Sisters, Lottie Belle Lingerie has donated funds to provide 130 young women locally and in Uganda with menstrual kits that will last them a whole year. The goal is to donate 20% of all profits to this organization and further in the future, to make a simple pair of underwear to go in these kits.
Besides being a charitable company, Lottie Belle’s garments are super stylish and versatile. The new launch is collegiate-inspired and even has a Virginia Tech line. Of course the VT garments are the best in my unbiased opinion, but there is also a UVA line (might as well take on the biggest college rivalry in the state of Virginia for the first line, right?). Bookstores and local shops around other big colleges are showing an increased interest in Lottie Belle garments and will hopefully be carrying them in their own school colors soon. The garments are made out of high-quality Italian fabrics that have moisture-wicking capabilities, are non-pilling, and have a UPF of 50+. The tops won’t uncomfortably stick to you and can even double as swim tops! Oh, and the best part is, they have POCKETS. Game. Changer.
If you want to check out Lottie Belle Lingerie and Sylvia’s Sisters I’ve attached links to both of their websites. I had the best time watching this company grow over such a short period of time and cannot wait for the final product run to come in!
VT Vogue 