CALLING ALL CURVES: Curvy Kate Lingerie Launches in America with National Model Search; Renowned Bra and Style Guru Enlisted to Educate, Motivate and Inspire Women

NEW YORK, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning, fuller-bust British lingerie brand Curvy Kate is celebrating its U.S. debut with Star in a Bra, a model search of impressive proportions that is open to all confident and naturally curvaceous women who are D plus cup size. The winner has the opportunity to receive an exclusive one-year international modeling contract with Curvy Kate, and become the U.S. face and body of the brand, fronting a marketing campaign that includes website, video and print components.

"The average American breast size is now a 36DD, and the average dress size is a 14 or larger, but many fashion brands still choose a model that is, on average, 23 percent lighter than the typical woman," said Steve Hudson, Curvy Kate managing director. "We use our real customers as models because beauty comes in all sizes, and women need to see how fabulous a shapely figure can look in well-made lingerie created just for them."

Star in a Bra has already taken place five times in the U.K., becoming a widely anticipated event garnering thousands of entries, and has since launched in Australia, and now for the first time, America.  Curvy Kate uses only amateur models found through Star in a Bra, and have signed a diverse set of women with dress sizes from 8 – 16, and cup sizes from E – J.

Jene Luciani, nationally renowned bra fit and style expert, TV personality and author of The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra, has been enlisted to help launch Star in a Bra.  She will provide expert advice, fashion styling tips and tricks, and behind the scenes content to fans during the search, as well as mentor the top 10 finalists when they are flown to New York for a professional photo shoot.

"I've dedicated my life to educating women on the importance of finding the right bra, and fuller-busted women face an even greater challenge because there aren't enough brands like Curvy Kate who are offering bras for them," said Luciani.  "I'm thrilled to be a part of Star in a Bra because it's about real women with real curves who need to be represented more.  As a fuller-busted woman myself, I'm constantly looking for new ways to help women of all shapes and sizes look and feel great, and I can't wait to share my insider advice."

Previous winners have found international stardom including 2011 U.K. winner, 31-year-old Lizzie Haines, who went on to win Plus Size Model of the Year at the Plus Size Awards. "I entered Star in a Bra to prove I could, and then against all my expectations, I won," said Haines. "The search is a fun, enthused and eclectic event celebrating life, diversity and passion. It's so much more than underwear, it has changed my life."

Star in a Bra was born out of necessity when Curvy Kate launched in the U.K. in 2009, and company executives couldn't find a professional model that wore the product well and also fit the "flirty, fabulous, full-busted" brand image.  The U.K. winner from 2009, Lauren Colfer, is still signed to the brand, saying, "I entered the search by taking pictures of myself in my bathroom mirror.  I sent them to Curvy Kate, and here I am now.  If you've got it, flaunt it!  It's great seeing curvier girls in the fashion industry to relate to."

How to Enter:

• Starting today, women ages 18 and over with natural D plus cup sizes can create an entry profile on Curvy Kate's USA Facebook page.  This is the only place to enter.  Entrants must upload five pictures* of themselves wearing their favorite lingerie or swimwear, and write a short summary of why they want to be Curvy Kate's Star in a Bra.
• On April 27, contest registration closes and the Curvy Kate team of expert panelists chooses the top 30 finalists to be featured on Curvy Kate's USA Facebook page.
• On May 10, the top 30 finalists are posted on Curvy Kate's USA  Facebook Page.  The public will have two weeks to vote for the top 10 finalists.
• On May 30, the top 10 finalists are announced.
•  On June 6 – 7, the top 10 finalists are flown to New York for a professional makeover and photo shoot with the Curvy Kate team of experts.
• On June 13, the professional photo shoot images will be posted and the final public voting round begins for the model search winner.
• On June 27, the voting closes.  The winner is announced June 29.
• The winner will be flown to the U.K. for a series of photo shoots to execute the marketing campaign with other winners from the U.K. and Australia.  In addition to the modeling contract, the winner will also receive a year's supply of Curvy Kate lingerie.
• Dates subject to change.  Curvy Kate Star in a Bra official rules are posted at http://slidesha.re/SIABUSAterms.

*NOTE: Only the top 30 finalists will have their photos shown publicly on Facebook.  All photo uploads are private, secure, and only the team at Curvy Kate has access to images.

About Curvy Kate
Curvy Kate is a fuller-bust lingerie line that caters to fun and flirty women who are a D plus. Passionate about making real women feel fabulous about their curves, Curvy Kate utilizes gorgeous designs and clever engineering to create supportive, flattering and fashion-forward styles normally seen in smaller cup sizes. Bras and matching panty sets are available at BareNecessities.com, and select online retailers and boutiques across the U.S.  Follow Curvy Kate on Twitter @CurvyKateUSA and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CurvyKateUSA.

SOURCE Curvy Kate