Aasha: A new chapter in body positivity and confidence

Elma Siddiqua, a graduate of Coventry University, has experienced extreme changes in her body at different intervals in her life, which called for different sizes of undergarments.

But to her utter surprise, she could not find any brand in Bangladesh catering to the broader spectrum of body size. In fact, there are only a few established brands in the country working in this particular segment.

"Most of the brands sell S, M, and L sizes. Extreme sizes like XXS or XXL are scarce to the level that I have to look for foreign brands. I wanted to create a brand that would not miss out on any size or body type," said Elma.

That is how her lingerie brand 'Aasha' was born in April 2022. 'Aasha' is a Bengali word which means hope. This brand aspires to be the beacon of hope to those women who are struggling with body acceptance. 

In fact, the brand's logo is created around the idea that there are certain gaps in the market for women's intimate wear and that many women have been left out and cannot access the quality products they deserve.

"Body positivity is one of the vital parts of well-being. We must embrace the way we are. Aasha stands by this notion and preaches it to its best level," Elma added.

Hence, for the photoshoots to promote the products, Elma always introduced real-life women with their natural body types, embracing scars, imperfections and other individualities. 

Aasha is a community-focused brand that encourages women to discuss topics that are considered taboo in society, such as women's well-being needs, periods, mental health and so on.

To Elma, Aasha is more than a brand. She finds this platform highly gratifying and community-engaging.

"We receive random texts from random women, saying good things about the brand and things we do. Some of them even said, Aasha boosts their confidence and provides them with a feel-good factor. Texts like these keep us going, thriving for the greater good," Elma added.

As of now, Aasha is a team of around 20 people. The manufacturing unit of the brand is located just outside Dhaka. 

Lingerie education is very important as it's closely related to different health issues. Surprising as it is, 4 out of 5 women wear the wrong bra all their lives, and little do they realise how a wrong choice could have a detrimental effect on their health.

"Choosing and understanding the right size and the right fabric is so important when it comes to innerwear. We must advocate for it," she added.

Regarding fabrics, the brand cautiously curates its fabric mesh. Elma prefers polyester-based blend material, although some people have some prejudices about polyester, and consider it unbreathable and bad for health. According to Elma, "Blend of polyester can be super skin-friendly and comfortable. We think cotton is the best option when it comes to intimate wear, which is not necessarily true. With washes, cotton becomes very rigid and uncomfortable."

Moreover, the brand uses deadstock fabrics, which are leftover from larger production runs, and also imports its accessories for the best possible quality and aesthetics.

As of now, Aasha is only focusing on panties. The brand has launched two varieties of panties – the basic range and the lace range. The basic range features everyday wear knickers, which come in three shapes: Hipster, Bikini and Thongs. They are priced between Tk235 to Tk245. The lace range consists of various knickers, priced between Tk180 to Tk255.

Aasha's lines are drop-based. As the brand works with exclusive materials, they only have limited stock items and if it's sold out once, they do not restock them.

Aasha also introduced seamless bonding technology, which can be seen in the premium offerings of international brands. This technology replaces regular stitching with bonding, and provides a smooth feel when wearing the underwear. It also diminishes visible panty lines.

Continuing a lingerie brand and promoting it with open-mindedness has not been easy for Elma, given the patriarchal mindset dominating in society. The pictures posted by Aasha often received unsolicited attention and judgemental comments. Some of the posts were even shut down by Facebook, marking them for nudity. 

Overall, the journey has been a challenging one, yet satisfying.

To learn more, visit, https://www.facebook.com/aasha.bd22