Allure Intimate Apparel’s story began in 2003 with a vision from Joy Anderson, mother of co-founder Peter O’Malley. Recalling a beloved bra-fitting shop from her Whitefish Bay childhood, she dreamt of a high-end boutique catering to women of all shapes and sizes. A place where comfort and support would empower women to feel confident and beautiful. This vision became Allure Intimate Apparel, which has since expanded to six locations across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas.

Woman empowerment and Allure. A background of Joy.

Joy Anderson’s passion, from a very young age was golf and driving race cars at her friends racetrack in WI. Raised in a blue collar family in Milwaukee, Joy was always extremely competitive and golf was Joy’s first passion. She played in local events and contests at country clubs and public courses and even finished on top at several Wisconsin State events. As Joy grew older, she became a freelance interior designer who went on to decorate beautiful homes along Lake Drive. Decorating ran in her blood and she went on to work on many private homes in Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee County. In doing so, Joy was able to join several private country clubs over the course of her career and life.

The Old And The New

To Joy Anderson’s amazement, she found it hard to play golf on certain days. Women were not allowed to play on Thursdays, which was “Men’s Day.” She even discovered that junior golfers had better “privileges” and access to the courses. Men were allowed to play on “Ladies Day” and she became angry and frustrated. Joy went on to champion women’s rights by having petitions signed at courses and spoke to local news and other outlets. Anywhere she could be heard.

Eventually, her determination paid off and she became the first woman ever to play at the Vince Lombardi Classic. The Classic is an annual celebrity tournament to raise money for cancer. Her partner? No other than Bob Hope, one of the largest and most well known actors and comedians in the 20th century. Over the years, other participants included the likes of President Ford, Mickey Mantle and Bart Starr. in 1992, Bob Hope went on to win the Vince Lombardi Award of Excellence. Other notables to win were Hank Aaron, Roger Staubach, Jane Petite, President George Bush Sr, Mia Hamm, Jack Nicholas. Current day sports commentator, Erin Andrews, is also a recent winner. While golf may not seem like an important segment of women’s repression or the avenue for change, Joy made a difference and had a tremendous impact on Peter O’Malley.

Moving Forward

Over the past 21 years, Allure has evolved, offering a curated selection of high-quality bras, panties, pajamas, robes, lingerie, and swim. “Around six or seven years in, we truly found our stride as fitters, recognizing the importance of a well-fitting bra,” says Peter. He credits this turning point to the addition of current President and part-owner Sarah Gash, and Head Buyer, Lindsey Belfield. “We began extensive training on form and fit, truly becoming experts by listening to our customers.” This commitment to personalized fit remains central to Allure’s mission.

This blog aims to share Allure Intimate Apparel’s journey, its community, and its people, exploring both the past and present. “Our hope is to share captivating stories from behind the scenes at Allure, both literally and figuratively,” explains O’Malley. “When we embarked on this project, our goal was to illuminate the many facets of the lingerie business. This includes its challenges and triumphs, the thoughts and experiences that have shaped us, then and now.”

Ultimately, this blog is a celebration of the hard work, the people, and the beautiful relationships that define Allure. “There’s nothing more rewarding than witnessing personal and professional growth,” O’Malley reflects. “I can’t express the joy it brings.”