The Wire-Free Bra That Data Built
Data-Driven Design (2016)
True Body emerged in 2016 as the signature product line of True & Co, the data-driven intimates brand founded by Michelle Lam. While True & Co had been using its proprietary fit algorithm to match women with existing bra styles since 2012, True Body represented a more ambitious application of the brand's data: designing an entirely new bra based on what millions of fit quiz responses revealed about what women actually wanted.
The data was clear. Women overwhelmingly wanted wireless bras that provided genuine support, comfortable stretch that adapted to body changes throughout the day, and a smooth silhouette under clothing. They did not want underwire, rigid construction, or bras that required precise sizing to function.
The Construction Innovation
True Body bras used a proprietary knit fabric that provided graduated support through its structure rather than through hardware. The bra's seamless construction and carefully engineered fabric tension zones created lift and shaping without underwire — answering the "wireless but supportive" request that the data had identified as women's primary unmet need.
The result was a bra that fit a range of sizes within each designated size band — a forgiving approach that contrasted with the precision sizing of traditional bras. For the majority of women who were wearing the wrong bra size, this flexibility was a feature, not a bug.
Mass Market Success
True Body's partnership with Target brought the data-designed wireless bra to mass-market consumers, making it one of the most widely available products from a DTC-born brand. The Target distribution also provided True & Co with massive additional data: purchasing patterns, return rates, and customer feedback at a scale that further refined the product.
Industry Impact
True Body demonstrated that the bra industry's obsession with precise cup sizing might be solving the wrong problem. By designing bras that worked across size ranges rather than for specific measurements, the brand offered an alternative paradigm that prioritized comfort over precision.