Page 29 of Under Her

“No. But we should get on with this, as I know you’re busy, and I’ve another meeting with accounting to get to soon.”

“Okay.”

I pick up my coffee again and gesture for her to take the lead. She did call for this meeting after all.

“So, I have an idea about us branching out into the D-plus-sized area of the bra industry. And I know this is something you’ve probably thought of in the past, and I know the reasons you have never moved into the area, but just hear me out.”

She’s right. I did think of it and decided against it, mostly based on cost.

“I’m listening.” I put my coffee down and give her my full focus.

“Okay, so there are lingerie companies that sell luxury bras for bigger-breasted woman, D-plus sizes. And companies like ours sell luxury bras for sizes A through D. But there are no companies that sell all sizes. The luxury-branded stores for D-plus-sized women are expensive, and I know the reason for this—cost of materials. That is why we and other lingerie companies have never moved into that area, but I think there’s a way for us to do this without adding the big price tag to the D-plus sizes. No other luxury lingerie company has done this. We’d be the first and the only.”

“So, you’re saying that you have a cost-effective way for us to make D-plus-sized bras?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve got my attention.”

She smiles, and I feel like I’ve won something.

“So, a few years ago, Oscars sent me to Thailand to meet with some new potential suppliers. While I was there, I was wandering around a market in San Kamphaeng, and I came across a silk supplier.”

“There are a lot of suppliers of silk in Thailand.”

That’s not me being an ass; it’s the truth. Thailand is responsible for the global distribution of around seven hundred metric tons of silk per annum.

Even though Thailand is not the world’s largest supplier of silk, they’re still pretty significant.

And the fact that she thinks finding a silk supplier in Thailand is big news kind of worries me, as she comes from a clothing background.

“I’m well aware of that.” She rolls her eyes. And I have to stifle a laugh. “And I also know of the cost the larger suppliers charge per meter. And I’m telling you that I know of a smaller supplier that will sell us silk charmeuse for fifty cents cheaper than what you’re paying our current supplier from China.”

That gets my attention. I sit up a little straighter and run the costs in my head.

“What’s the name of the supplier?” I ask her.

“Ananda.”

“I’ve never heard of them.”

“Like I said, they’re a small supplier. They sell more to local companies.”

“Small would be a problem since we’d need large amounts of silk.”

“But what if we stayed with our current supplier in China for the A-to-D-sized bras and bought the silk from Ananda for the D-plus sizes? In the beginning, that size would be in smaller demand until business increased.”

“Does Oscars use them as a supplier?”

She shakes her head.

“Why not?”

“Because they weren’t interested in a small supplier. They went with a bigger supplier with a quicker turnaround time even though the cost difference was significant. But I think we can work with the turnaround time. We’re in no rush. We can place an order with Ananda and get the production moving. If the business grows for us, they can hire more staff to cope with the increasing demand, and because the product is cheaper, the cost for the D-plus bras will be the same as the A-to-D-sized bras. And, maybe going forward, if Ananda could expand their production size, then we could shift all purchases of silk charmeuse to them. But that’s a conversation for another time. Right now, I really think we can do this, Wilder. I truly do.”

Her enthusiasm is contagious. I feel it bleeding into me, giving me that thrill that can only come from a great business deal.

“What’s the quality of the product like?” I ask her.