Love & Beyond: lingerie that celebrates freedom and women

While preparing a special file for Valentine's Day , I rediscovered Love & Beyond, a feminist and involved lingerie company. Without waiting, I contacted Judithe Bourgeois, the entrepreneur behind the brand, to learn more about the company and its history. It was at Les Faiseurs café on St-Laurent Boulevard that I shared a meal with a bubbly, fulfilled and assertive woman.

Land in the industry by chance

When she was younger, Judithe held various sales-advisory jobs in major lingerie brands. These years of working within this industry allowed her to discover the mysterious world of bras and underwear. At the same time, she is studying fashion marketing at CEGEP. She then learns all the steps to start a business. It was then that she discovered entrepreneurship. However, Judithe does not know where she wants to go. She has a certain interest in communications and marketing and is therefore pursuing her university studies in this field.

Along her journey, Judithe has what she describes as a “revelation”; she feels revolted in relation to the human being and the perception of women within our society. The universe of lingerie appears to him as a way allowing him to express in his own way this indignation and this awakening of conscience.

The birth of Love & Beyond

Love & Beyond first saw the light of day as a blog dedicated to lingerie. The entrepreneur creates content and visuals on the subject by presenting the different brands available on the market. Judithe already knows that the project will evolve, but the time is not yet right.

Returning from a trip to Bali, she decides it's time to take the plunge: “You just have to get started without waiting too long, otherwise you'll never make it. The first Love & Beyond collection was launched in the spring of 2017, just eight months after Judithe returned from her trip.

Feminist and assertive

“Love & Beyond allows me to express myself, to express my vision of the world and of women, to rebel in my own way against the world around us. »

Above all, Love & Beyond creates lingerie that hugs the natural curves of the body. The bralette, the favorite underwear of all the collections, naturally hugs the woman's breast. It is an ode to the beauty of women and the acceptance of natural breasts. “Some breasts are stronger, more descending or more pointed and that's what makes every woman beautiful,” says Judithe. The entrepreneur is one of those who denounce the current standards according to which the breasts must be round and well maintained at all times. She says you have to stop hiding behind a bra and simply "take off your clothes, look in the mirror and finally see the beauty".

Ode to freedom

If there is one value that keeps coming up in our discussion, it is that of freedom. “Do what you want, be yourself and everything will be fine! is the message that Judithe applies in her business and that she wants to convey.

This is why Judithe chooses, to pose during photo shoots, women according to their personality and the encounters she has, sometimes by chance. “I choose women who feel good about themselves and who are fulfilled in their femininity; I don't take models, but rather women who inspire me,” she tells me between sips of coconut milk latte. Judithe always tries to bring diversity of body and mind to each session.

An inclusive brand

In order to be even more inclusive in its approach, Love & Beyond is currently working on new models with a greater choice of sizes. A model for large breasts is also in development. "Initially, for a question of initial investment, I started with the basic sizes, but I want to add more to suit everyone," explains Judithe. This is something the company is currently focusing on.

In addition to its feminist values, Love & Beyond only uses packaging made from recycled and recyclable products. Judithe also works with her production to minimize fabric losses and maximize their use.

Love & Beyond aspires to become a leader in lingerie, but also to make its way in society and advance the causes that are close to its heart.

To learn more about the company, visit its member profile .

Reviewed By Melanie

photo credits: Marc-Olivier Bécotte