Happy International Women’s Day from Cosabella.
Cosabella is celebrating four decades of being a female-founded, female-run company. With every passing decade, we evolve to cater to more women with inclusive sizing, diverse skin tones, and more. Our mission is to empower women by giving them a first layer that makes them feel strong and supported.
Read on for an exclusive interview with our founder, Valeria Campello.
What do you think it means to be a strong woman?
Being a strong woman means being independent, assertive, and able to approach challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. A strong woman is a self-confident person, able to face the various stages of life and overcome problems. Most importantly, she is able to count on herself.
What did you dream of doing when you were a little girl?
I never dreamed of a specific career or becoming anyone special, but I know I always wanted to grow up fast and become independent.
Who is a woman that you admire?
My maternal grandmother. She was a woman ahead of her time. She took care of the family business as a butcher, while her husband and son migrated to Africa. She was forced into a concentration camp during World War II, and once released she continued to support her husband, while also building a warm and loving home for her family. She has been a great example for me, and I wish I would have been able to share more of her life growing up.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the lingerie industry in the last 40 years?
The biggest change I’m seeing is that the lingerie world is putting women first. There is a wave of inclusivity and body positivity that can change the way women feel and see themselves, and radically change the way they approach all the relationships in their lives. This has never before been embraced so profoundly. At Cosabella, we are bringing this to the forefront by innovating so that all our collections fit different body shapes, and tones that enhance diverse skin tones – with the intention to make every woman feel confident and proud of their body.
What advice did you give to your daughter, Silvia, about running a business like Cosabella?
Above everything I told her to have passion for whatever she does. In every business, be it lingerie or any other, you can’t be successful and happy if you do not have passion for what you’re doing. In the fashion industry, passion is instrumental to success and personal satisfaction. The constant up and down of the market, the changes in buying patterns, a collection that doesn’t go as well as you expected, just to mention some, are all obstacles that you can endure only if you love what you do. The other piece of advice I gave her is to recognize her strengths and weaknesses. To not be afraid to ask for help and delegate, delegate, and delegate. We can have passion and great talent for some aspects of the business, but we need to surround ourselves with people who are experts in the areas where we are less knowledgeable or lack passion. For example, don’t ask me to plan out a budget or speak in public, I would fail miserably on both tasks.
What is the biggest piece of advice you would give your granddaughters as they’re growing up in today’s world?
I tell them to make sure they stand on their own feet and work hard to be respected. To not let anyone make you believe you’re not worthy, and never allow someone else to make your choices for you. But from what I’ve seen I don’t need to worry about them, they are already making their own stand in the world and I couldn’t be more proud.
At Cosabella: We pride ourselves as a modern pioneer in lingerie (pronounced “langerie”), not just in bra and panties sets, but in comfort wear for all human shapes and sizes. Underwear is a personal choice for most people, finding the right fit with your bralette, finding the right lingerie set for a night out and having the right lift and support is all key when it comes to your underwear. We carry a wide variety of styles, ranging from high waisted panties to boy shorts , lace bralettes, strapless bras, wireless bras, push up bras, t-shirt bra with a wide range of cup sizes and shapes. Feel free to sign-up to our Loyalty Program, where you can engage with our seasonal sales and our social media announcements. For assistance in finding what you are looking for in our selections, feel free to check out our “Best Bra for your Booby Shape” and “Best panties for your Booty Shape” blogs. We stand out from other lingerie brands by listening to our customers – so come shop lingerie with us, and share your experiences with us.