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Q&A: Gillian Horton of Colleen’s
Posted by Claire Boote, on October 15, 2019.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
WE ARE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE, ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRALIA, GILLIAN HORTON BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR AND OWNER OF COLLEEN’S LINGERIE.
Please introduce yourself
“I’m Gillian Horton, originally from Scotland but I now live in Canberra, the capital of Australia. I have been the owner of Colleens Lingerie and Swimwear since January 2014.”
What made you want to stock post-surgery lingerie?
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and was first fitted after my mastectomy at Colleen’s, a store for post surgery lingerie and swimwear. When Colleen was retiring and selling her business, I just knew that it was what I wanted to do – help other women find what they need after surgery and to be able to shop like they did prior to surgery, knowing that everything in the store was suitable for them. I found it so frustrating and detrimental to my recovery trying to find mastectomy bras in “normal” lingerie stores, walking past all the pretty ones to the back and seeing only one or two nude ones with a pocket. Colleen’s now provides the familiar experience of going lingerie shopping prior to surgery with our bras and swimwear all suitable for after surgery.”
When did you first hear about Royce and how?
“I first heard about Royce when I visited my family in the UK in 2012 and went shopping for bras with my sister who had also been diagnosed with breast cancer.”
When was your first experience of post-surgery lingerie?
“Even though my first fitting experience in 2008 was very good, the choice of bras was very limited, very nude, white and black and ones more suitable for my grandmother. There were no pretty or colourful bras or halter neck ones. “
What are the key changes you’ve noticed in post-surgery underwear since starting your shop?
“There has been a huge change in the choice of post-surgery lingerie in the past 6 years. There are more under wired bras, much more like mainstream ones, pretty, colourful and with thinner straps. Soft cup bras are prettier, with tried and tested styles appearing in different colours. The fashion trend of wearing bustiers and bralettes have transpired to post surgery bras, which are a great option for reconstructions and partial removal of the breast. Swimwear has just blossomed, with so many gorgeous fashionable high neck styles in florals, prints and plain colours.”
Has the way in which people write or talk about breast cancer changed since you started your shop?
“There is a lot more awareness around early diagnosis of breast cancer and getting regular breast checks especially for younger women. With more and more young women carrying the BRCA gene, there are more conversations around fertility, prophylactic surgeries, and the myriad of decisions to be made. Many women are also researching and wanting to know the pros and cons of reconstruction. The overall five year survival rate for women with invasive breast cancer has increased to 90% and the 10 year rate is now 83% and so there is a much larger focus on living well after breast cancer.”
What’s your favourite Royce bra and why?
“I love the bras with the optional lace insert, like the Rosie and Luella. Bras which have the lace insert permanently attached aren’t for everyone and having the option suits so many more women. Often ladies want more coverage immediately after surgery but then as they get used to their new shape and gain confidence, they don’t need it anymore – being detachable works beautifully!”
What boundaries do women face in getting post-surgery underwear in your country?
“The main obstacle is distance to lingerie stores, (women in remote and rural areas can take a day or more to drive to the nearest town), lack of professional and experienced fitters and lack of choice in post surgery bras in some lingerie stores. Knowing what women need and how to measure themselves is an obstacle to shopping online as well as determining if it’s the right fit or not when they try bras on.”
Where do women go after surgery to find a bra in your country? Is there an obvious route?
“We have wonderful breast care nurses who inform and care for ladies newly diagnosed and they are the ones who will usually explain what is needed in a post surgical bra. If a woman doesn’t see a breast care nurse, it can be very difficult to work out what they need and if they can’t visit a specialised store, very confusing especially dealing with diagnosis and medical treatments. There are online help forums but not many women are well informed on bras suitable during their treatment and after. There is no obvious route to determine where or what to buy.”
Do you know if surgery is changing too?
“The type of surgery is definitely changing. In Canberra most women are offered immediate reconstruction at time of diagnosis. Plastic surgery options such as TRAM and DIEP flaps, using the body’s own tissue are also becoming more available. When chemotherapy is given before surgery to reduce the tumour this allows the lump to be removed rather than the whole breast. We are seeing less mastectomies and more lumpectomies, reconstructions, and skin saving mastectomies.”
What lingerie trends are you seeing in your region at the moment?
“The bralette is very popular, with lacey, cotton, second skin fabrics and ones suited to fit a breast form. Underwires are becoming less popular for women who have had surgery. Women are looking for more structured bras as opposed to the smooth “flattening look.”
Thank you Gillian
