- After being a standard-size model for years, Amber Tolliver began working as a curve model in 2009.
- That's when she noticed the lack of bra sizes for women with bigger busts, so she decided to launch her own brand.
- In 2019, Tolliver founded Liberté — a size-inclusive
lingerie brand withbras ranging from 32C to 38H and underwear in sizes XS to 2XL. - Tolliver told Insider that she's working on extending the size range even further.
After 11 years of working as a professional standard-size model, Amber Tolliver became a curve model, which is when she noticed a lack of bras made in diverse sizes.
Tolliver found that in her experience, many brands did not dress curve models in bras that fit them — which was due to a lack of undergarments that went beyond conventional sizing.
Tolliver told Insider that as a model who wore a 32E bra, some brands would dress her in a 38C or 38D, then pin it, stuff the bra, put toilet paper in the back of the garment, and retouch the photos after the shoot.
"I know that retouching is so expensive, so why not just get me a bra that fits? What I realized is that there were no bras that fit me. When I really started digging in, I noticed there was an issue," Tolliver said. "I really wanted to create a brand that was a bridge. We touch both sides and also bridge the gap in sizing."
Tolliver founded Liberté in 2019 to provide women of all sizes with lingerie they love
Liberté is a premium, size-inclusive lingerie brand. It caters to a range of women thanks to its bras that range from 32C to 38H and underwear sizes that span XS to 2XL.
Bras range from $83 to $118, and underwear ranges from $40 to $52. All of the brand's undergarments all available in three colors: black, blush, and navy.
"Our goal is to inspire confidence in women without needing to subscribe to industry standards," Tolliver said.
It took Tolliver five years and all of her money to release her initial line of four bras in 24 sizes.
"I needed to have our largest size fit just as well as our smaller size and everything in between," Tolliver said.
Liberté bras may look identical from afar, but they have different design features depending on the size. For example, a 32C bra has thinner straps, while a 38H has thicker straps and closures.
Tolliver said she drew inspiration for the name Liberté — which translates to "freedom" in French — from her mom, as well as from a 1968 Nina Simoné interview where the singer defined freedom as having "no fear."
"Everything else in my life had been defined by other people. There were so many outside factors that defined who I was, so to finally be able to take hold of my own — that was my ultimate freedom," Tolliver said.
Tolliver says the best part is seeing the look on women's faces when they are being fitted in Liberté bras
Tolliver wants women to realize that it's possible to have a bra that fits well and is also sexy.
"I can't tell you how gratifying it is to fit someone in a bra and have them wear their true size for the first time ever," she said. "For me, it's not even about the gratitude — it's the expression and shift that you can actually see on their faces when they talk about themselves and how they see themselves."
"I want them to feel so empowered and so uplifted — pun intended," Tolliver continued. "I want them to feel like they can do anything."
One goal that Tolliver is currently working toward is expanding the size range of Liberté's bras.
"We are going to extend on both sides to cater to even more women," Tolliver said. "I'm excited to continue catering to as many women as possible while also remaining true to proper fit and
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