Baby, it’s cold outside for most of us. And when it is, we want to keep it warm inside. Lingerie is definitely one way to bring your sexy back, whether you are in a relationship or not.
However, Sadia Sisay is on a crusade to make your lingerie journey one of self-love first.
Sadia is the creator of the beautifully crafted lingerie brand, beingU. Her beingU bras, panties and briefs were especially created with our beautiful bodies and rich range of skin tones in mind.
Born in Sierra Leone and coming of age in the UK, Sadia wants to put an end to black women feeling invisible.
We all grew up with the experience of having “invisible” bandages that didn’t match our skin tones, the “flesh-colored” crayons that didn’t look like us, makeup blandly marked “nude” that was anything but and clothing labeled “neutral” that didn’t speak to our diversity.
Sadia saw this as an issue and birthed her beingU lingerie line as a self-love crusade.
Sadia, congratulations! Thank you for creating this brand with our beauty in mind. What is beingU?
A high quality lingerie line for us that says, “We see you, we understand you and you are visible.” beingU has 5 rich skin tones and our sizes have a range from 28-44 back and B-H cups at the moment. beingU is you. beingU is me. beingU is my daughter. I hope that beingU will become a brand that women of color understand sees them. Our objective is that we will get enough people supporting us, spreading our message so that women, especially darker skinned women, will see that we are valued.
I was 8 when a white woman told me I was “beautiful… for a dark skinned girl.” I am now 47 and that still affects me. Two years ago at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood event, Lupita Nyong’o talked about her darkness and how it was Alek Wek that made her realize she was okay.
We all as black women and women of color owe it to each, owe it to our young women, owe it to our children to celebrate our skin tones. Because when I feel visible, I feel possible, I feel like me. When I feel possible I can do anything so I believe same for others.
Yes, feeling visible is feeling possible. That is powerful, Sadia. There are other skin color lingerie brands for black women but you actually started your journey first. Please share your story.
Yes there are other brands and I welcome that! I love it that I came back to industry where others are trying to tackle same issue. When I started this beingU diverse lingerie journey 7 years ago, I was on my own. I was treated like I was crazy for having this concept. Banks told me to my face that black women did not have the money to buy my lingerie! Investors questioned me around the capacity of the spending power of black women and women of color. I am not sure what they thought we had been wearing all these years.
That’s upsetting. Why did you first decide to create this brand of diverse lingerie for us?
I am honored to be the mother of a 21-year old daughter who is the inspiration for the brand. I decided that my daughter Yazmin is NOT going live her life in invisibility, like I had. She is not going to live her life and not see lingerie for her; lingerie like her. It was not an option and now when I see her smile I know it has all been worth it.
Have you received any negative feedback?
Not really, but we were asked once why we were “still doing beingU as another company had already done it.” As if we as black women and women of color deserve only one choice!
Exactly! We deserve a multitude of choices like everyone else. Your lingerie looks beautiful and so well-made. What are the current beingU offerings?
We are launching with three styles of bra: Rosa is our ‘fashion’ bra with lightly lined demi cups and bespoke embroidery featuring our signature hibiscus flower. Kobicha, a high shine three piece cup which gives a perfectly natural, rounded shape and works amazingly well for larger sizes. There is a moulded t-shirt bra in the softest microfibre, Yendi, this bra has a slightly plunging neckline and padded, shaped straps, for ultimate all-day comfort.
Kobicha features a high waist brief, Yendi has the perfect boyshort and Rosa a high waist thong. All our briefs have been carefully fitted to include a little extra in the back for fit and comfort.
We are also excited to be launching the first part of our solutions collection, a stick on backless, strapless bra! Too many women wear the wrong size. They wear a larger back than they need and a smaller cup than they need, leading to reduced support.
What are your favorites from your collection?
I thought it was the Rosa embroidered bra for a while, then I see Kobicha and the beautiful shine of the fabric and then Yendi (which by the way is my daughter’s middle name) with it’s wonderful strap! It is like asking a mother which child is the favorite! All of them!
For the ESSENCE reader looking to feel sexy in her skin, what pieces do you recommend?
I recommend she BE herself first before wearing the beingU lingerie. We add to your beauty and power — not make it.
Yes! Well said. How do our readers purchase beingU lingerie?
This is so exciting, because I created beingU just for us, just for your readers. Currently, beingU is available online. Please visit the site now to get on the waiting list and soon, pre-order. Shipments start February 6th, 2017!