MARS, Pa. — For women with fuller busts, ditching a traditional bra without sacrificing support has long felt impossible. On Thursday night at FYIE Boutiques (“Find Your Inner Empress”), local women gathered to learn how one new clothing line is trying to change that.
Boutiques owner Josette Gastonguay hosted the special event featuring Karen Poirier, founder and CEO of Embrago, who shared the nearly decade-long journey that transformed her own frustration with uncomfortable bras into a patented clothing technology now being sold in boutiques across the country — including FYIE in Mars, which recently added the Embrago collection to its store.
After spending nearly 30 years in corporate marketing, Karen Poirier never imagined she would become a fashion inventor.
But after years of struggling to find comfortable clothing that offered support without the discomfort of a traditional underwire bra, the Pittsburgh native decided to solve the problem herself.
That journey eventually led to Embrago, a clothing company built around her patented Body Responsive Fit™ technology—a structural support system built directly into garments that eliminates the need for a traditional bra for many women with fuller busts. Poirier shared her story Thursday evening during a special event FYIE Boutiques in Mars.
“I never intended to start a company,” Poirier said. “I simply couldn’t find what I needed.”
Founder Karen Poirier shows the patented interior construction of Embrago garments during Thursday’s event at FYIE Boutiques in Mars.
A Personal Problem Becomes an Invention
Poirier said the idea grew out of her own experience after becoming a mother and entering her 40s.
She explained that traditional underwire bras became increasingly uncomfortable, but every alternative she tried forced her to choose between comfort and support.
“I wanted something that allowed me to look polished and feel comfortable at the same time,” she said.
Unable to find a solution, Poirier spent years working with a fashion industry sewing coach, experimenting with fabrics, patterns and construction techniques before developing a completely new support system.
Reinventing Support
Unlike traditional garments that rely on elastic bands, underwires or foam cups, Poirier said Embrago’s patented technology distributes support through engineered seams and hidden structural panels sewn directly into the garment.
The result, she said, is clothing that provides support without many of the components women often associate with conventional bras.
In addition to its patented support system, Poirier said Embrago garments are made with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified organic cotton — a material she said is uncommon in foundation garments, which are often made primarily from synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester. She said growing consumer interest in natural, non-toxic textiles, particularly among younger women, has made fabric selection an increasingly important part of the brand’s mission.
The innovation eventually earned a U.S. utility patent protecting the support system itself rather than simply the garment’s appearance.
Nearly a Decade in the Making
Developing the product wasn’t easy.
Poirier said she began designing the concept around 2016 before finally bringing her first garments to market in 2021.
Finding a manufacturer proved especially challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many American factories shifted production to medical equipment.
Ironically, after years of searching, she eventually found manufacturing partners much closer to home in Pennsylvania.
“I wanted quality,” she said. “I wanted to manufacture in the United States and know the people making the garments.”
Serving an Often Overlooked Customer
Poirier said Embrago was created specifically for women whose needs she believes have often been overlooked by the fashion industry, particularly women over 40 and those with fuller busts.
Her clothing line generally accommodates women from approximately clothing sizes 8 through 24 and bust sizes beginning around a DD cup.
“My goal from the beginning was to design something with more compassion for curves,” she said.
Finding a Home in Mars
Thursday’s event at FYIE Boutiques gave women the opportunity to see the garments in person and ask questions directly.
Poirier said meeting customers face-to-face remains one of her favorite parts of growing the business because women can experience the garments themselves rather than simply reading about them online.
She said partnering with boutiques owner Josette allows customers to not only try on Embrago clothing but also receive personalized styling advice.
“Our missions are very much aligned,” Poirier said. “We’re helping women feel confident in the bodies they have today.”
Looking Ahead
Five years after selling her first products, Poirier hopes Embrago continues expanding into additional boutiques while reaching more women through online sales and community events.
She also plans to continue growing an ambassador program featuring everyday women rather than professional fashion models.
Before leaving Mars, Poirier shared the message she hopes women remember.
“I hope they’ll remember that bra freedom is actually possible,” she said. “You can look well dressed, live well and not have to subject yourself to the discomfort of a traditional bra.”
FYIE Boutiques
https://www.fyieboutiques.com/home
134 Grand Avenue, Mars, PA, United States, 16046
