Art of Intimates - From Air to Bricks

Suzanne, you entered lingerie as a profession later in life, tell us about your background.
My degree is in nutrition, exercise, and health science. I was a personal trainer and fitness instructor for 13 years in Lincoln, Nebraska and operated a personal training studio in my home, Every 1 Fit. I moved to Kansas City in 2014 where I decided to change professions and worked at J.Crew and became an assistant manager.

When were you drawn to the world of lingerie?
Art of Intimates the “brand” started in 2018 as I became a frequent shopper and a friend of the owners of Birdies KC. I enjoyed experimenting with self-photography while featuring beautiful lingerie brands from all over the world and posting it on my social media pages. The summer of 2019, my husband and I moved to Amherst, MA, where I soon discovered the lack of lingerie stores. I wanted to continue to grow my social media presence and also feature new collections of lingerie. I started to contact some of the brands to look into the process of opening an E-Commerce Store.

So you pursued the online option first.
The reason to start with E-Commerce was simple, I had already owned the domain Art of Intimates and rent in Amherst was and is still quite high. And then Covid-19 hit and the world along my vision was put on hold. Time went on and there were no changes, yet my itch to get started was intensifying; I finally made the decision to launch the website in November of 2020. The E-Commerce was going well, I was learning a lot about backend SEO website building and customers from all over were starting to find my website.

What made you decide to expand to a brick-and-mortar store?
The locals were not finding me, or not comfortable buying lingerie online which was frustrating for me. In August 2021, I attended the trade shows where I had the opportunity to meet up with my long-time friends from Birdies KC. As longtime supporters of mine, they helped convince me to start looking for a store front. Upon returning home from New York, I began the process of looking for a brick and mortar. On November 2nd, 2021, I opened Art of Intimates.

What about brands and price range? Is there a brand that is special to you?
It is so difficult to pick just one brand because not only do I have such an amazing connection with my distributors/reps but also some of the designers themselves. That said, CLO intimo has been there from the beginning for me. They boosted my confidence as an influencer and were the first ones I contacted when I decided to open a store. Again, I always hate to leave brands out, so a few others are Ellipse, Else, Cosabella and Skarlett Blue. We also carry Aubade, Samantha Chang, Biota, Commando, Noelle Wolf, Huit, Ellipse, Wood Underwear for men and more. Prices range from entry level to luxury.

Does the store offer any additional services?
We have private fittings on Sundays and Mondays along with before and after store hours. We also offer curb-side pick- up. As for marketing and PR activities, currently everything is so new. I would love to incorporate the university and colleges in the area.

How rewarding is the experience?
I have always worked in a job where the focus is on the customer, helping them build self-esteem, confidence and to see their beauty. It rewarding to teach them about the lingerie brands and how the pieces should be enjoyed not just for special occasions but any day of the week - If lingerie fits well, you will wear it! I enjoy working with my small community and discovering what they are looking for in lingerie. In time, I hope to fulfil their needs for years to come.