A bra may look simple, but it’s made up of many components that each play a specific role in fit, comfort, and style:

- Cups – shaped to hold and support the bust. They can be lined, padded, or unlined. At Somewhere Never, I design soft, non-wired cups where shaping comes from pattern cutting and darts, supported by embroidery.

- Center front (gore) – the panel that sits between the cups, affecting separation and fit.

- Band/wings – the part that wraps around the torso. Often made from stretch mesh or power mesh, this provides most of a bra’s support. My bras use stretch mesh with Lycra at the back for comfort and adaptability.

- Straps – adjustable elastics that help distribute weight. They’re fitted with metal rings (to allow movement and flexibility in strap angle) and slides (for length adjustment). In some designs, straps can be crossed or reconfigured.

- Hooks & eyes – the most common closure system, usually with multiple rows for adjustability.

- E-hooks (swan hooks) – alternative closures, often at the back, used for a sleeker look or easy fastening.

- Bar slides – small pieces of hardware, sometimes branded, that join two elastic pieces neatly and reduce bulk.

- Underwires – metal or plastic wires that shape and support the cups. While Somewhere Never currently focuses on non-wired bras, wired designs are part of upcoming developments.

- Channeling & elastics – trims sewn around cups and bands, providing both stability and softness against the skin.

- Corsetry hardware – in structured lingerie, components can include eyelets (for lacing) and a busk (a rigid fastening at the front of a corset).

At Somewhere Never, I treat these components as both functional and aesthetic choices. Straps, rings, and slides aren’t just hardware — they’re part of the visual story, designed to enhance both the fit and the fashion feel of the garment.

Elastics are some of the most important parts of a bra — they’re what keep the garment flexible, supportive, and comfortable over time. There are many different types of lingerie elastics, but I choose mine carefully to suit Somewhere Never’s design aesthetic:

- Underband elastic – firm elastic that runs along the bottom edge of the bra, anchoring it against the body.

- Strap elastic – designed with controlled stretch so straps stay supportive and don’t lose shape, usually paired with metal rings and slides for adjustability.

- Plush-back elastic – with a velvety underside for comfort against the skin, often used in high-contact areas.

- Decorative or satin-finish elastics – smooth, shiny elastics that bring both luxury and colour into the design. These are my favourites to work with, as they add graphic, modern lines and allow me to experiment with unexpected colour combinations.

- Fold-over elastic (FOE) or bind elastic – sometimes used for a clean edge finish, flexible and minimal in look.

At Somewhere Never, elastics are never just functional. I source the softest, shiniest qualities with excellent recovery, so they not only feel good to wear but also contribute to the bold, fashion-led look of the garment.

Picot elastic is a type of lingerie elastic finished with a decorative looped edge. It’s often used on bra bands and knickers to create a scalloped, vintage-inspired look. Picot has a long history in lingerie design and is still widely used in everyday bras and underwear.

At Somewhere Never, I don’t use picot elastic — my aesthetic leans towards clean lines, bold shapes, and unexpected colours rather than vintage frills. Instead, I source the softest, shiniest elastics with excellent recovery, so they not only feel smooth against the skin but also add a graphic pop of colour and maintain their stretch over time.

Bra strap elastic is different from other lingerie elastics because it has to do two things at once: support the bust and stay comfortable over hours of wear. Unlike decorative trims or underband elastics, strap elastic is engineered with controlled stretch — flexible enough to move with the body, but firm enough not to lose shape or lengthen over time.

Most bra straps also include metal rings and slides, which allow for adjustment and help reduce bulk at joins. Rings let straps shift angle (for example, when crossed at the back), making bras adaptable to different body shapes. Slides allow wearers to adjust strap length for a personalised fit.

At Somewhere Never, I think of straps as more than just engineering. They’re a visible part of the design, framing the body and often showing under clothes — so I choose soft, shiny, high-quality elastics that look striking, feel smooth against the skin, and hold their stretch. Straps are not hidden details; they’re part of the bold, fashion-led statement of the bra.

Boning refers to narrow, rigid strips inserted into a garment to add structure and support. In lingerie, boning is most often used at the side seams of bras, or throughout bandeaus, longline bras, and corsetry.

Function – Boning stops bands from folding or rolling, helps keep strapless or bandeau bras in place, and distributes pressure evenly around the torso.

Materials – Modern lingerie usually uses plastic boning, which is lightweight and flexible. High-end lingerie and corsetry often use spiral steel boning, which bends in two directions (for comfort and mobility) while still giving excellent support, or flat steel boning where rigidity is needed.

Placement – Side boning stabilises the wings, while bandeaus and corsets may feature multiple channels of boning for shaping and hold.

At Somewhere Never, my bandeau bras currently use plastic boning to keep them supportive and comfortable. For future collections, I plan to move toward spiral steel boning — a more traditional corsetry technique that offers strength, flexibility, and a luxurious feel.

Channeling is a narrow strip of fabric sewn onto the inside of a bra cup or cradle to create a tunnel — or “channel” — where an underwire can be inserted.

Function – In underwired bras, the channeling holds the wire securely, stops it from poking through the fabric, and provides a soft barrier between the wire and the skin.

Materials – It’s usually made from brushed or plush fabrics that feel smooth and cushioned.

Attachment – Channeling is typically sewn on with a straight stitch to keep it stable, and the ends are bar tacked (reinforced with short, dense stitches) so the wire can’t work its way out.

Even in non-wired bras, channeling can be used for structure or as a design detail — giving the impression of a wired frame while staying soft and flexible.

At Somewhere Never, my current bras are non-wired, so I don’t use channeling yet. But as I introduce underwired designs, channeling will play a key role — both functionally and as a clean, architectural line that frames embroidery and adds a couture finish.

An E-hook (sometimes called a swan hook or a g-hook if it has more of a curved interior shape) is a type of bra closure made from metal or plastic, shaped like the letter “E.” Instead of the traditional hook-and-eye tape sewn across the back, an E-hook is a single-piece fastener that slides into a fabric loop or ring.

Why it’s used – E-hooks are sleek, low-profile, and create less bulk at the back. When combined with an adjustment slider, they actually provide more adjustability than a traditional hook-and-eye fastening, giving a wider range of fit options.

Where you’ll see it – E-hooks are used not only in back fastenings, but also at the ends of bra straps, where they can be unclipped to cross straps over or remove them entirely. This makes the bra more versatile and adaptable to different outfits.

Design choice – They create a clean, minimalist look and can also be used decoratively with shiny metal finishes.

At Somewhere Never, I use E-hooks when I want both flexibility and a modern finish. They allow me to design bras that are adjustable, versatile, and fashion-forward, while avoiding the bulk of traditional closures.

A hook-and-eye closure is the most traditional fastening used in bras. It consists of two parts:

The hook tape – a strip with rows of small metal hooks.

The eye tape – a strip with corresponding loops (the “eyes”) that the hooks latch into.

Function – This closure allows the band to be adjusted tighter or looser, usually across two to four rows of eyes, making it a practical and reliable fastening.

Design variations – They come in different widths (one row high for bralettes, up to four rows high for fuller-support bras or longlines). The tapes are typically backed with brushed fabric so they feel soft against the skin.

At Somewhere Never, I currently use E-hooks with sliders instead of hook-and-eye closures. They give a sleeker, more modern look and actually allow for more adjustment than traditional closures. That said, hook-and-eyes remain a lingerie standard, and I may explore them in future collections where that classic finish makes sense.