Hi Jordan, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with us — to start, can you tell us about the journey of launching Ankh&Lotus and what this upcoming collection represents for you personally and for the brand?
The journey has been very trying and full of lessons learned through trial and error. When I originally planned to launch about two years ago, I almost ran out of money. Instead of giving up, I used that time to focus deeply on perfecting the design itself. Over the years, the BAWDYdress went through many revisions.The BAWDYdress is a multiway dress — and while multiway dresses have existed before, nothing has been created quite like what we do at the home of the Bad & Busty Ladies. My goal was to give my bad and busty homegirls the luxury, support, and intentional design they truly need and deserve. Our upcoming collection, WRAPT, featuring the BAWDYdress, represents resilience, persistence, and intention. I want every busty woman to feel physical relief in her body, confidence in her body, and a sense of ease when she gets dressed. I’m not sure what to call it, but it’s that feeling when a woman gets her hair done and all of sudden she wants to be out and about showing off how good she looks, that’s the energy we want our homegirls to have in their Ankh&Lotus.
Ankh&Lotus was created specifically for busty women, a group that’s often overlooked in fashion. What gaps did you see in the industry that made you feel compelled to build something entirely different?
As a busty woman myself, I created this brand out of sheer frustration. It’s normal to find a top that fits the body well but fails in the bust area — or fits the bust but fits awkwardly everywhere else. The fashion industry traditionally designs around overall body size, while we design from a bust-centric perspective. I refused to accept struggle as a normal part of shopping. I wanted to create a space where women like me can walk into a store knowing the clothing is intentionally made for their bodies. Busty women require more precision and finesse to achieve an impeccable fit, and it has become my mission to deliver exactly that.
Your upcoming collection builds on feedback from your community, especially with pieces like the Bawdydress. Can you walk us through how listening to your customers has shaped the design, construction, and overall evolution of the brand?
Comfort is a major theme we hear from our community — and by “the girls,” I mean both busty women and their set of girls. Carrying additional weight in the chest often creates real physical discomfort in the neck, back and shoulders, so we engineer our designs to solve all of those pain points. We describe our brand as “inclusively exclusive.” We cater specifically to busty bodies, but within that niche we embrace a wide range of shapes and proportions. Because of this, our sizing system is uniquely bust-centric. Every piece is intentionally designed to lift, support, and relieve pressure, allowing busty women to feel comfortable and look elevated.
Launching a luxury fashion brand with limited capital and a very specific audience comes with unique challenges. What have been some of the hardest lessons you’ve learned so far, and what has surprised you most along the way?
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is not allowing a lack of money to stop momentum. I once believed that without funding, I couldn’t move forward. Eventually, I shifted my mindset and moved forward with unwavering belief — even without knowing exactly where the resources would come from. I was told once that as a business owner, we have to be a little delusional to get things done. I can honestly say that delusion has gotten me far in the best way possible. After investing heavily in samples and running out of capital, I chose not to pause the brand. Instead, I used those samples to create as much meaningful, busty-focused content as possible. Those samples were literally prototypes that were’nt approved and there I was shooting content in them as if they were the final product – delusion. That decision changed everything. We grew our following, engagement, and email list before even having products available for sale. Another major lesson was realizing the importance of networking beyond social media. Building real relationships allowed me to connect with people who ultimately helped open doors to funding opportunities and grants. That experience reminded me that community and connection exists both online and offline.
You’re designing for real bodies and even creating your own sizing system rather than relying on industry standards. Why was that important to you, and how do you hope it changes the way busty women experience fashion?
The busty body is incredibly nuanced. Someone can have a smaller frame with a significantly larger bust, and traditional sizing rarely accommodates these women. They typically have to seek out alterations which is an additional cost. I wanted to remove that frustration entirely. Busty women deserve clothing that fits beautifully the first time they try it on. They shouldn’t have to purchase a luxury garment and then spend additional money tailoring it just to make it wearable. That’s why I created a bust-centric sizing system that accounts for these differences from the beginning. My goal is to normalize an easy, enjoyable shopping experience for busty women. We want luxurious, beautiful pieces just like everyone else — without worrying about an unexpected “Janet Jackson Super Bowl halftime show 04” type of wardrobe malfunction.
Beyond this next collection, what’s your broader vision for Ankh&Lotus — and how do education, content, and deeper community connection fit into the future you’re building?
We believe busty women should not only know how to dress their bodies, but also how to care for them. Throughout the years of building Ankh&Lotus, we’ve spoken with countless busty women who share similar experiences of shame, discomfort, and inconvenience related to having a larger chest. That shame can stem from oversexualization or past experiences, while the pain can be both emotional and physical. Encouraging women to care for their bodies creates a ripple effect in how they show up in the world — with more confidence and self assurance. Our vision is to impact busty women globally and provide a safe, affirming space for them. Ankh&Lotus is its own universe — and busty women are the main characters.
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