Summary Blurb

William Glass

 

 

 

Livi Rae Lingerie is Changing the Brassiere Game

 

Cynthia Richards and Molly Hopkins opened Livi Rae Lingerie in 2006 to meet the needs of women traditionally forgotten by the lingerie industry.

 

• Livi Rae Lingerie: A Pair of Double Divas Chasing Their Dream
• Livi Rae Gives Norma Stitz Big Time Support

Livi Rae Lingerie: A Pair of Double Divas Chasing Their Dream

Livi Rae Lingerie: A Pair of Double Divas Chasing Their Dream

By William Glass

Here is the article author William Glass, center, with Livi Rae owners Cynthia Richards, left, and Molly Hopkins, right.

Photo by William Glass

Starting From Scratch

            Cynthia Richards and Molly Hopkins may be enjoying the success of a thriving lingerie business and Lifetime reality show now, but it’s a far cry from where the two started Livi Rae Lingerie just seven years ago.  Opened in 2006 using some extra space in Hopkins’ cousin’s antique store, Livi Rae set out to cater to an entirely new, non-traditional lingerie audience.  The pair met while working at Intimacy, a high-end lingerie store in Buckhead’s swanky Phipps Plaza, and became best friends with a busty vision.

              “We realized there were people there that we couldn’t satisfy because we didn’t have the product.  The store’s vision was not large-busted women, it was more high-end fashion, smaller-bust which is fine but the majority of Americans are McDonald’s, country-gravy-n-biscuits people with bigger breasts and bigger bodies,” said Richards, “and we also wanted to help people that have had mastectomies, so we decided to open our business.”

            And just like that Molly and Cynthia left their cushy jobs at Intimacy to pour all their efforts into the large cups of Livi Rae Lingerie. 

            “I quit that day and we worked out of my house to try and get the business going,” Richards remembers. “Our old boss didn’t like it and she made it very difficult on us.  Molly quit about a week later and we opened our entire business on credit cards.  The only thing we had going for us was that I had really good credit and so every offer I got, I opened.”

            Seven long years of blood, sweat, tears, and bra fitting later, Livi Rae is enjoying her new home on Barrett Parkway and on primetime TV.

The Birth of Double Divas

            It’s not every day that a couple of entrepreneurs trying to upstart their first business are chosen to star in a reality TV show (OK maybe it is, but certainly not lingerie entrepreneurs), and the Livi Rae ladies are making sure to take full advantage of it. 

                 “The core reason why we started this business is to open the doors for people who have issues, to bring light to a subject so they realize they aren’t the only person that has this particular body image or issue,” said Hopkins. “When people think of lingerie they think of sexy, and Victoria’s Secret, and what most lingerie stores represent.  That’s never really been us.”

            The girls first learned about the possibility of a lingerie store reality show from one of their vendors in Miami, who encouraged them to film and submit a video about Livi Rae. 

             “We just filmed us being silly and what we do and why they should do a story on us,” said Richards.  “This has been like a two-year process, but they narrowed it down to ten stores, then to the top three stores, then they came and shot a pilot with us and after that we got nominated to do the show.”

            The first ten-episode season of “Double Divas” premiered in January of 2013 on the Lifetime network and wrapped up with the season finale in the first week of March.  The show experienced such success and popularity that it was picked up for a second season set to begin airing in August.  The divas began filming for the new season at the start of April, and they haven’t let their newfound fame go to their heads.

             “We didn’t do this to become famous, we’re not Honey Boo-Boo,” Richards joked.  “We truly want as authentic a show as possible so we strive to keep it that way.”

Divas with the Stars

            Even though the divas like to stay as grounded as possible, they still get to enjoy the perks of their situation.  They have worked with celebrities such as Wynonna Judd of country music and recently “Dancing with the Stars” fame, Dot-Marie Jones who plays Coach Beiste on TV’s hit show “Glee”, along with many others.  One super-celebrity has recently taken an interest in “Double Divas”, and you might have never guessed who. 

            “Tomorrow we’re leaving to go to Los Angeles because…. Stevie Wonder likes our show,” said Hopkins with a giant grin.  “He can’t see it, but he hears it and he likes us.  His assistant reached out to us and said he really wants us to be on a panel of speakers at his annual health forum.  We’re flying to L.A. to be on his radio show and to do some fittings at the health forum.”

            With clients ranging in age from 9 years old to 109 years old, from stars of stage and screen to the girls next door, Livi Rae has truly revolutionized the lingerie industry to meet the needs of women previously shut out from such personalized fitting and service.   

Internet Article Sidebar Story

Livi Rae Gives Norma Stitz Big Time Support

By William Glass

            Many people know Norma Stitz (Annie Hawkins-Turner) as the woman with the world’s largest natural breasts, but to Mollie Hopkins and Cynthia Richards of Livi Rae Lingerie she is simply a person in need of some womanly support.

            “That was a big deal because she really had nowhere to go; there is no bra for her, at all.” Richards says.  “I found out about Norma and I knew I could help her.” 

            Norma made an appearance on the first-ever episode of Double Divas, Livi Rae’s own reality show after Cynthia reached out to Norma via email.  Norma, whose bra size is estimated to be 102ZZZ with each breast weighing more than 50 pounds, holds the 1999 Guinness World Record for largest natural breasts.   

            “I’ve never really made a bra like that before,” said Richards, “I’ve never sought out to do something like that and really do it and it works.”

            Before Mollie and Cynthia, Norma was plagued by back problems, discomfort, and perhaps worst of all, ugly generic brassieres.  With her new bra customized to meet her weighty needs, Norma finally feels the comfort and support that Livi Rae believes all women deserve.