Bravissimo: Meaning, Usage, and the UK Lingerie Brand
When you hear “bravissimo,” you might think of enthusiastic applause echoing through an Italian opera house, but this expression of excellence has also inspired one of the UK’s most successful lingerie brands. From its roots as an Italian superlative to becoming synonymous with exceptional bra fitting services, bravissimo represents the pursuit of excellence in very different contexts.
This comprehensive guide explores both the linguistic heritage of this Italian expression and how it perfectly captures the mission of Bravissimo, the UK retailer that has revolutionized lingerie shopping for women with larger bust sizes.
Definition and Meaning
Bravissimo is an Italian interjection meaning “excellent” or “very well done,” representing the highest form of praise you can offer. Pronounced as [brah-vis-uh-moh] or [brah-vees-see-maw] with the phonetic spelling /brɑˈvɪs əˌmoʊ, brɑˈvis si mɔ/, this expression conveys enthusiastic approval that goes far beyond a simple “good job.”
When someone exclaims “bravissimo,” they’re expressing the highest level of praise and enthusiastic approval possible. This Italian superlative conveys excellence and acknowledges outstanding performance across various contexts, from artistic achievements to exceptional service delivery.
The word carries emotional weight and cultural significance, often accompanied by vigorous applause, standing ovations, or celebratory gestures. In Italian culture, using bravissimo indicates that something has truly exceeded expectations and deserves the most enthusiastic recognition.
Etymology and Usage
Bravissimo originates from Italian language roots as the superlative form of “bravo,” following the grammatical pattern where “-issimo” creates the absolute superlative. Just as “grande” becomes “grandissimo” (very large), “bravo” transforms into “bravissimo” to express the ultimate degree of approval.
This expression is commonly used in performance contexts such as opera, theater, and concerts, where audiences need a way to express exceptional appreciation. Unlike the standard “bravo” or “brava,” bravissimo functions as an interjection to praise performers and acknowledge truly exceptional achievements that demand the highest recognition.
The word represents the pinnacle of approval beyond standard expressions of praise. In Italian grammar, while “bravo” can be inflected for gender and number (bravo/brava/bravi/brave), “bravissimo” in English usage typically remains unchanged, functioning as a borrowed exclamation that transcends grammatical variations.
Bravissimo UK Lingerie Brand
The connection between the Italian expression and the UK lingerie brand becomes clear when you understand the company’s mission: to make women feel excellent about themselves. Founded in 1995 by Sarah Tremellen in the United Kingdom, Bravissimo emerged from a personal frustration that resonated with millions of women across the country and beyond.
Sarah’s journey began during pregnancy when her bust size increased significantly, and she discovered that the mainstream lingerie market offered virtually no attractive, supportive options for larger cup sizes. What started as a mail-order business from her Twickenham living room has evolved into a specialist retailer that truly lives up to its name.
Today, Bravissimo operates 26 stores across the UK, focusing on comprehensive fitting services that help women discover what proper support feels like. The company specializes in lingerie, bras, swimwear, and clothing designed specifically for women with larger bust sizes, serving a market that had been historically underserved by traditional retailers.
With over 700 employees and more than 1 million customers worldwide, Bravissimo has built its reputation on a simple but powerful premise: every woman deserves to feel amazing in properly fitted lingerie. Over 90% of staff are women, with many starting as professional bra-fitters who understand the unique challenges their customers face and provide personalized customer service that goes far beyond a typical retail experience.
Bra Fitting Services
Understanding that 92% of women wear the wrong bra size, Bravissimo has revolutionized the fitting process to help customers find your perfect fit through expert guidance and innovative techniques. The company offers free, personalized bra fittings both in-store and online, ensuring that geographic location never becomes a barrier to proper support. For additional resources and to explore more options, check out the best online bra shopping sites.
Their virtual fitting experiences are accessible via phone, tablet, or laptop, making professional fitting advice available to customers who need help regardless of their circumstances. This accessibility represents a significant advancement in customer service, particularly valuable during times when in-person shopping may be challenging.
The cornerstone of Bravissimo’s approach is their expert eye-fitting technique without using tape measures for accurate and comfortable results. Unlike traditional methods that rely on mathematical calculations, their fitters assess how current bras sit on the body, looking at band snugness, strap positioning, cup coverage, and wire placement to determine the optimal size and style.
Specialized services extend to lingerie needs, recognizing that women’s bodies change throughout their lives and require different types of support at different times. These specialized fittings ensure that customers receive appropriate guidance whether they’re navigating pregnancy, breastfeeding, or recovery from medical procedures.
Product Range and Specialization
Bravissimo’s product range reflects deep understanding of the engineering challenges involved in creating beautiful, supportive garments for larger bust sizes. Their sports bras are designed specifically for larger bust sizes and high-impact activities, addressing the common problem where women with bigger busts often avoid exercise due to inadequate support options.
The company’s bra-sized swimwear collection is engineered for bigger busts, offering the same level of support and fit precision found in their lingerie while ensuring customers feel confident and comfortable in water activities. This specialized approach to swimwear fills a significant gap in the market, where traditional swimwear often fails to provide adequate support for women who need it most.
Their comprehensive lingerie range focuses on proper fit and support across sizes from D to L cups and 28 to 40 back sizes, ensuring that even women with very specific size requirements can find multiple options that fit properly. The range includes everything from everyday essentials to special occasion pieces, proving that supportive doesn’t mean sacrificing style.
The clothing line is specifically designed to complement and flatter larger bust sizes, addressing common fit issues like gaping buttons, pulling fabric, and unflattering silhouettes. These garments are cut with extra “boob room” built in, ensuring that women can enjoy fashionable clothing without the compromises typically required when shopping mainstream retailers. For additional support and shaping, open bust shapewear is also a smart solution for women seeking both comfort and style.
Fitting Process and Customer Experience
The Bravissimo fitting process begins with consultations that start with discussions about customer needs and preferences, ensuring that the entire experience is tailored to individual requirements. This customer-centric approach recognizes that proper fitting involves much more than determining size, it’s about understanding lifestyle, comfort preferences, and style goals.
The visual assessment of current bra fit is conducted without requiring customers to remove clothing, maintaining dignity and comfort throughout the process. Experienced fitters can identify fit issues simply by observing how garments sit on the body, looking for telltale signs like band riding up, straps digging in, or tissue spillage that indicate sizing problems.
For those who prefer remote assistance, safe, secure, and private virtual fitting options are available with full accessibility support. These virtual consultations maintain the same level of expertise as in-person appointments while providing flexibility for customers who cannot visit physical stores.
Expert guidance is available for finding the perfect fit across different life stages and needs, recognizing that a woman’s body changes throughout her life due to factors like pregnancy, weight fluctuations, aging, and medical treatments. This comprehensive approach ensures that customers receive ongoing support rather than just a one-time fitting service.
The company’s commitment to making bra shopping “fun” rather than clinical or embarrassing has transformed how many women approach lingerie purchases. By creating an environment where customers feel celebrated rather than judged, Bravissimo has successfully challenged the traditional retail model and created a new standard for customer care in the lingerie industry.
The success of this approach is evident in the company’s growth from a small mail-order operation to an international retailer with stores across the UK and a global online presence. The brand’s focus on empowering women with bigger busts to feel amazing has created a loyal customer base who often become advocates for both the brand and the importance of proper fitting.
Whether you’re discovering bravissimo as an expression of Italian excellence or as the name of a revolutionary UK lingerie brand, the connection is clear: both represent a commitment to celebrating and achieving the very best. For the millions of women who have found their perfect fit through Bravissimo’s services, the brand name truly embodies the spirit of excellence that the Italian expression represents.
