Designer Information - Hot Milk
Hot Milk have arrived in the UK! They fill a very empty hole in the market by providing sexy, beautiful (but very well made) maternity lingerie and nightwear. Hot Milk is a young design duo from New Zealand whose mission statement is to celebrate the sexy, sensual woman inside the loving mother. By providing a sexy premium brand at an accessible price Hot Milk have ensured that they are becoming a global leader in the maternity market.
One half of the design duo, Lisa Ebbing, found her inspiration came when she was pregnant with her first child "I have two girls, two-and-a-half and six months old. After a lifetime of wearing beautiful lingerie I was horrified with the maternity lingerie I was being offered. I am pregnant not 90!". Lisa then enlisted the help of Angela Crosbie to bring the project to fruition. Both Lisa and Angela recognised what a fantastic opportunity it would be to fill such a gaping hole in the market and they have now seen their small New Zealand company grow into a global supplier within the space of one year. They have found it both challenging, rewarding and exciting and hope that their story of success will help inspire other women to turn their ideas and reams into reality. Lisa and Angela encourage women to reach for their dreams with the words "We just have to be prepared for hard work (just like motherhood) and at times it will seem too hard, but if we push through those times it will be incredibly rewarding (just like motherhood)."
Each Hot Milk design is tested on pregnant and breast feeing women and all of their beautiful designs are carefully thought out to provide maximum comfort and support. Each product includes design features such as:
- No underwires as these can restrict milk flow and can be uncomfortable when the breast size and shape fluctuates.
- Soft cotton linings and flat covered seams to ensure no rubbing or chaffing. This is especially important in the cup as the nipple area can be very tender.
- Easy to open clips so the drop down cup can be opened with one hand.
- Strong power elastane in the back to proved extra support and an excellent fit.
- Wider bra straps and back adjusters in the larger sizes, larger cups sizes must have the best possible support as the breasts are heavier during pregnancy and breast feeding.
- Six rows of hooks at the back to allow for the most the diaphragm will expand.
- The fabrics and laces are specially chosen for their comfort, softness and support.
As well as each stunning feeding bra coordinating with beautiful pants Hot Milk has designed a range of camisoles, nightdresses and pyjamas so you are always comfortable, supported and beautiful whether at home, staying with friends or at the hospital.
One of the effects Hot Milk hopes to have through the promotion of their lingerie is an elevation in the status of breast feeding. (Well, that and helping pregnant and breast feeding mothers feel sexy.) Essentially hot Milk redefines and reinvents breast feeding by showing just how much mischief a breast feeding mother can get up to!
Hot Milk has recently created controversy in New Zealand regarding the promotion of pregnant women having the right to feel and look sexy. Headlines have included "Yummy Mummies or Soft Porn" and some articles seem to promote the feeling that it was offensive to portray the pregnant form as anything other than puritanical. Hot Milk has hit back with "Hello! The woman is pregnant. How do you suppose that happened? So basically, women can look sexy to sell lingerie so long as they dont look like they actually have HAD sex?" and Karen Murphy of www.babble.com had plenty to babble about on this nursing bra debate "Apparently, though, some people think the pregnant body is decidedly unsexy. Or maybe too sexy: after all, to be pregnant, one must have had sex, I'm pretty sure".
Hot Milk has now also hit Hollywood! Kevin Costners wife Christine is wearing Hot Milk for her first baby with the charming actor. In Christines words "Lisa and Ange, thank you so much for creating such beautiful lingerie. Our anniversary is tomorrow perfect timing!" Hot Milk samples have also been sent to the Ophra show and the Hot Milk PR companies are working with other celebs who are expecting.
Latest News (November 08)
The UK press has given its seal of approval to Hot Milk with Pregnancy and Birth Magazine's 'readers test' voting Hot Milk the best in the lingerie catagory. Hot Milk won with a high 10 out of 10! In the Bloom awards Hot Milk won 'Best for Lingerie' with the quote "Comfortable, luxurious and very very sexy - this maternity lingerie is too good to be kept under wraps!"
Latest News (December 08)
Not content with helping to promote breast feeding and helping women the world over feel sexy during pregnancy Hot Milk is now working to prevent sexual abuse in Zimbabwe. Hot Milk was alerted to the rampant sexual abuse of women in Zimbabwe when former Zimbabwean Morag Roy returned to her Australian home with the intention of helping women at risk. Morag contacted Hot Milk and described her conversations with a Zimbabwean priest to them. "He told me that underwear gives a woman women prestige, shows they have money and means men are less likely to assault them," says Roy. "I was amazed but when I flew back six months later with suitcases stuffed with bras I saw first hand what a difference it made." It is both amazing and upsetting to think that such a simple thing, underwear, can stop sexual abuse. Morag also discovered that most of the women she met were so poor they only had one ragged pair of knickers each so they often went without wearing any. "They also desperately need knickers, but I guess a Catholic priest wouldnt have thought about mentioning that!" she says. Thats where Hot Milk stepped in. Morag had collected thousands of bras to donate so Hot Milk was delighted to donate 6,500 brand new pairs of knickers to her cause. Hot Milk then involved their freight company, Express Logistics, to ship both the collected bras and underwear to Zimbabwe. "Express Logistics is a NZ based International freight forwarding company. Because we deal with the rest of the world on a daily basis we are pleased to offer our assistance in this worthy venture," says Account Manager Kim Herewini. "It was so wonderful to hear that HOTmilk and Express Logistics wanted to get involved," says Roy. "It just proves that there are companies out there who care about others and are willing to do what they can to make a small difference."
Latest News (February 09)
Due to the massive response from retailers throughout the country, Hot Milk have decided to run the underwear collection for Africa in the UK. From March, Hot Milk will be promoting this charity cause and we will be providing one of the collection points. Please drop in any second hand underwear that you no longer want, need, or fit and we will arrange delivery to Hot Milk, who will then distribute the underwear to women in Africa.
We are very excited to be part of this knickers for Africa campaign. So much money is raised for charity but it is hard to find out where it goes and who it helps. By personally delivering the underwear to women Hot Milk can re assure us that people will benefit instantly. For something so small for us to give the difference to women in Africa is amazing.
To learn more about Hot Milk's fabulous range of pretty pregnancy lingerie, beautiful breastfeeding bras and sexy nursing nightwear visit the Hot Milk Lingerie website.