My name is Catherine Barolo and I am the founder of Didge Designs, and responsible for designing the world's first non-wired ,softly padded, low cut front and back T-shirt maternity bra. In 2004 I started my own profitable and successful home based business investing less than $2,000.00!  Creative talent and one great idea.  It took only five months, for my uniquely designed maternity bras to be selling nationally and internationally in major department stores.  Late 2005 I became my own customer, having my fourth child.

 

      Turning a great idea into a reality.

We all have them....great ideas, but how many of us actually follow them through?  Well I did.  Going the next step, wearing my prototype I handmade while feeding my third son in 2003.  A brilliant T-shirt bra with the functions of a maternity bra.  I searched every where for a maternity bra that resembled my prototype, Nothing!

 

       That's when I realized there must have been other women that shared my dilemma.  So my research continued.  My next step was to utilize a research company to research my market.  The results confirmed my judgment for a mere $1,500.00.  Out came the yellow pages directory, I  called a wholesale company and got an interview.  I walked in a complete stranger to someone who had been in the intimate apparel industry for over 30 years.  They knew what they were talking about, but so did I.  After all this was a World First.  I had a confidentially agreement drawn up that the company signed before seeing my maternity bra, and when they saw it they were

 "...gob smacked, why hadn't we thought of this before?" queried the Marketing Manager of Slim Form Australia

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      We took the design to a major department store chain and with in five months of my initial meeting they were hanging on the shelves nationally and internationally for sale.  To walk into my nearest department store and see my design hanging for sale was truly amazing.  The feed back started and thousands sold in the first weeks on the market and has not slowed down.

 

       I don't hide the fact that I  have never had formal training in business, worked in an office, sat in a boardroom or worked on a computer!!!!    But I have had the experience of pregnancy, breastfeeding and uncomfortable, nonfunctional maternity bras over a period of 15 years and three children.  Insisting that the department stores keep their prices down, makes perfect sense.  I want every woman to be able to afford quality maternity bras for an extremely affordable price.

 

        Towards the end of 2005 my husband and I welcomed our daughter.  I became my own customer!  wearing the maternity bra gave me the confidence and comfort that was not there with my other three babies.  Great smooth shape, no signs of lopsided bust line after each feed, no leakages and no visible breast pad.  I know I got it right!  Learning what people want from you is simply to deliver on you promises: people only complain when the promises you made did not deliver.  And Didge Designs will always deliver top quality maternity lingerie and sleepwear at the best price possible.

 

                With  the amazing support of my husband and children , they inspire me to be myself and always do my best. 

                       Just like we tell our own children, if you truly believe........anything is possible, and this is what I live by.

 

                                                     Here's to being a woman, mother , wife , friend and taking the next step!

                                                                                             Catherine Barolo                             

                  

  Didge Designs