Legacy bra company Wacoal has acquired young lingerie startup Lively - after testing the newcomer's bras, we're not surprised
- Legacy women's lingerie brand Wacoal has acquired relative newcomer and online startup Lively for $85 million.
- 34-year-old company Wacoal serves an older and more affluent customer base than the four-year-old Lively, but it has much to gain in e-commerce strategy and a new millennial market by taking Lively under its wings.
- On the flip side, Lively should be able to take advantage of Wacoal's manufacturing and distribution channel resources to expand its size-inclusive offerings and scale more rapidly.
Lively, a digitally native lingerie and swimwear startup founded in 2015, has been acquired by Wacoal, a 34-year-old Japanese intimates brand, for $85 million.
The acquisition makes a lot of sense, giving each brand the chance to share strategic resources and learn from the other's success.
Lively founder Michelle Cordeiro Grant is a former Victoria's Secret director who wanted to shake up the industry with affordable, high-quality lingerie and a message of empowerment. Lively sells bras for just $35 each and underwear for $10 each. It also makes swimsuits, fragrances, and other small accessories.
You can primarily find it online at its own site and Nordstrom, though it does have two "experience stores" that bring the online shopping experience to life.
Read more: The best bras you can buy
Wacoal was founded in 1949 and launched in the US in 1985. Its bras are available online and offline at many major retailers and department stores, including Amazon, Macy's, Nordstrom, and Walmart. The average price of its products hover around $50 and its customer base skews towards an older demographic.
Despite these significant differences in history, availability, price, and customer, both companies align on three major product priorities: quality, fit, and comfort.
Lively and Wacoal pride themselves on making bras that can make women look and feel confident every day. Rather than sell a fantasy, they sell the concept of being comfortable in your own skin.
One of Wacoal's most popular bras is the Full Figure Underwire Bra, a supportive, full-coverage bra with hidden side slings and underwire. It's available in cup sizes up to 44I. In terms of size inclusivity, Wacoal has the leg up (Lively currently only makes bras up to sizes DD and DDD). The ability to tap into Wacoal's expertise and manufacturing resources could help speed up Lively's ongoing plans to make its offerings more inclusive.
While Lively benefits from this veteran perspective, Wacoal can now access the large and highly coveted millennial women market. Lively's specialty in e-commerce and digital marketing strategies can boost the reputation and reach of a classic but sleepy brand like Wacoal.
If you haven't heard about Lively before, check out some of the best bras from the newcomer below. It could soon become as familiar a name as Wacoal.
Shop Lively bras here: Lively Nordstrom
Shop Wacoal bras here: Amazon Macy's Nordstrom Walmart
Here are the best bras to shop from Lively:
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