23/09/2025
Kia ora koutou lovelies,
It’s been a long while between chats.
Although Howl loped off more than a year ago, I’ve stayed busy on a project sparked by so many of our in-store conversations.
As part of my Master of Design, I developed a safer, more comfortable chest binder for gentler gender affirmation. Through an iterative, design-led process (and a lot of wear-testing on myself!) I discovered something unexpected: when I loosened compression just a little, the garment became the minimising, comfortable alternative to a bra I’d always wanted for my own larger chest.
This insight led me to design a new category: a half-bind.
It’s for anyone with breasts who wants to comfortably streamline their silhouette — not a bra evolution, but a binder-inspired design.
The half-bind is a tankini-style top with a bonded silicone interior that gives reliable support both in activity and at rest. I wear mine to the gym, to swim, for walking, and to work — and it’s the first time I’ve felt genuinely supported and comfortable.
I’m now at the stage of wear testing and will soon be tooling up for production. I already have a few volunteers but would love around 4 more people to join this next phase. If you’re curious, please message me — I can provide more detail and answer any questions.
The image below shows an earlier prototype — representative but not exact.
Thank you for following, I can’t wait to reconnect share how this product and brand evolve.
Ngā mihi nui, Kylie
