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By Melissa Newcomb

Chatting with a business school friend in the 2010s, Jenna Kerner Barnes ’11 observed that while many women enjoy shopping for apparel like shirts, pants, and dresses, acquiring a new bra is often seen as a chore.

Whether it’s the discomfort of underwire and constricting elastic, the awkward experience of being measured in a store, or the hyper-sexualization of lingerie shops, a lot of customers not only don’t relish bra shopping—they put it off as long as possible.

“So many industries had been disrupted by businesses creating a better product to serve customers the way they want it,” recalls Barnes, who majored in biology and economics on the Hill and is now based in the L.A. area.

“But we were still wearing old, ratty bras with underwire poking out on the side. Why had industry disruption not happened for bras and underwear?”

In 2017, the Arts & Sciences alum cofounded an online clothing business aimed at changing that: Harper Wilde, which offers comfortable, high-quality bras as well as underwear, sleepwear, and activewear.

Its bras and bralettes (wire-free bras with little or no padding) have earned kudos and landed on “best-of” lists in such media as CNN, Harper’s Bazaar, and Good Housekeeping.

We were still wearing old, ratty bras with underwire poking out on the side. Why had industry disruption not happened for bras and underwear?

Among Harper Wilde’s top sellers is its Bliss line, comprising nine styles of bralettes and underwear made of an ultra-soft microfiber.

Priced at $45, they include styles like V-neck, halter, and racerback, and have straps ranging from spaghetti-thin to wide.

Harper Wilde’s products come in standard colors (like rose, beige, and black) as well as limited-edition shades such as periwinkle and plum.

Three models smile together while wearing Harper Wilde bras and underwear. — Models wearing Harper Wilde's Base T-Shirt bra.

The brand’s ethos includes offering a wide range of sizes, from XS to 6XL—which translates to cups from A to DDD/F and bands from 30 to 50 inches.

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One thing that Harper Wilde bras don’t have is the sort of frilly embellishments typical of the lingerie industry—and that practical approach is by design.

“We thought competitors were hyper-sexualizing the market and were out of touch with what women really wanted, which is to be comfortable,” says Barnes, who was named to the 2019 Forbes "30 Under 30" list in retail and ecommerce.

We thought competitors were hyper-sexualizing the market and were out of touch with what women really wanted, which is to be comfortable.

“Women are leading board meetings; they’re saving lives in hospitals; they’re working 16 hours a day. They’re not all sitting in a corset waiting for their husbands to come home.”

When the New York Times’ Wirecutter (a subscription-based product-review section) compiled a list of the “best, most comfortable bras,” Harper Wilde took two of the seven spots.

In addition to the Bliss bralette, Wirecutter praised Harper Wilde’s Base T-shirt bra, which is lined and offers full coverage.

Three models wearing Harper Wilde bras and underwear. — The company also makes sports bras and underwear in a variety of styles.

“It’s supportive and pillowy soft. Wearing this bra feels like curling up in a favorite armchair,” says Wirecutter. “And it’s a bargain, to boot.”

Manufactured in Sri Lanka, Harper Wilde’s products were initially developed while Barnes and her cofounder were working toward their MBA at Penn’s Wharton School.

(The company’s name is an homage to two female authors: Harper Lee and Laura Ingalls Wilder.)

It’s supportive and pillowy soft. Wearing this bra feels like curling up in a favorite armchair.
The New York Times’ Wirecutter

“There were hundreds of women in our program who were part of our target demographic,” Barnes recalls. “Between classes, our friends would try the prototypes on in the bathroom and give us feedback.”

As the business has grown, Barnes and her colleagues have sought creative ways to reduce waste from castoff undergarments: through its recycling initiative, more than 120,000 bras and 50,000 pairs of underwear have been broken down for use in insulation, rugs, and other upcycled products.

All photos provided.

Published October 31, 2024