Cassy Concept Design: Bringing Ideas to Life

Now consisting of three people, the team cultivates a rare savoir-faire inherited from the worlds of corsetry and lingerie. In this workshop, where patternmaking software, specialized machines, and prototypes undergoing fitting coexist, each project is first and foremost a matter of problem-solving, finding balance, and constant adaptation. This is a crucial step in transforming a creative vision into a viable, comfortable, and industrially producible product.

Savoir-faire rooted in corsetry and Haute Couture

In the mid-2000s, Cassy Marit, drawing on experience gained at luxury houses and in Haute Couture, decided to launch her own product development unit. Initially hired for one-off projects related to fashion shows and exceptional designs, she gradually built a loyal client base that has remained with her over the years. “It was a small network. Product managers would switch companies and bring us along with them,” explains Fanny Ramière.

While the early projects focused primarily on the luxury sector, the business gradually shifted toward providing broader support to lingerie and swimwear brands. This was a natural evolution for a firm whose expertise is deeply rooted in corsetry techniques. Even today, this heritage remains one of the product development unit’s hallmarks. The techniques developed for support, comfort, or the construction of undergarments are regularly adapted to new applications.

The team thus works with both established brands and emerging designers seeking expertise that is hard to find elsewhere. Some collaborations are long-term, such as the one with Ysé, which the firm has supported for a decade, while others involve more specific or experimental projects. This specialization also enables the product development unit to contribute to innovative developments. Recent projects include, notably, posture-correcting bras and products incorporating patented support systems. “People come to us for our savoir-faire in corsetry, which we know how to adapt to the products our clients need”, says the CEO.

From design to prototype: a process of continuous refinement

“Most people who come to us have an idea, but don’t even know if it’s feasible. Many aren’t from the textile industry”, says the CEO. However, the process is particularly demanding in the world of lingerie. Unlike other product categories, aesthetics alone aren’t enough: comfort, support, and adaptability to different body types play a decisive role. “The main selling point is always ‘comfort’ first: pretty and well-made, but always comfortable!”says Fanny Ramière.

Depending on the product’s complexity, several successive versions are required. On average, three prototypes and just as many fittings are needed to achieve full technical approval. “If we have the materials and supplies on time, we can get a ‘production OK’ in about two months, after three prototypes and three or four fitting sessions,”says the executive. Sizing issues also play a significant role. In the lingerie industry, moving from one cup size to another isn’t simply a matter of mechanically scaling up a design. In fact, “Starting at a certain cup size, you have to reinforce certain areas, widen the suspenders, or support the breast differently. The challenges vary depending on the size”, she explains.

This requirement explains, in particular, why physical fittings remain essential despite advances in digital tools. The product development unit uses Lectra Modaris Expert software for all of its product development. However, the CEO remains cautious about 3D simulation solutions. She points out that “with lingerie and swimwear, we can’t see everything yet. Comfort, feel, and fit—these remain difficult to assess without women trying the garment on”.

A workshop on a human scale to meet the challenges of brands

Beyond the technical aspects, Cassy Concept Design prides itself on a very human approach to its profession. The proximity between the product development unit and the prototyping workshop is one of the company’s major strengths because, “we’re sitting at the computer, and if we run into a problem and need to touch the product, we just have to go into the next room to make the prototype”.

This setup promotes responsiveness and helps speed up the development phases. It also helps foster the team’s creativity, as they are accustomed to solving unprecedented challenges. Some involve complex materials, while others involve particularly demanding technical or industrial constraints. The goal is then to find the best solution that balances creative ambition with feasibility. “We look for compromises to highlight what’s important to the client while letting go of what’s impossible. You can’t fit everything into a single bra,”explains Fanny Ramière.

The product development unit’s role doesn’t end with prototype validation, either. We maintain regular communication with the manufacturing workshops to support the industrialization phase; she explains that “we work closely with the workshops because we’re responsible for patternmaking. We’re in constant communication with them.”

Without getting involved in sourcing or production management, Cassy Concept Design thus acts as an essential technical link between design and manufacturing. In response to market changes, the company has also learned to diversify its activities. In addition to its traditional services in technical fashion design and prototyping, it now offers small batches, grading checks, and one-off projects for major corporations, because “the past year has taught me that we must adapt.” This ability to adapt is now seen as one of the keys to the product development unit’s long-term viability. In a landscape where brands are seeking partners capable of providing expertise, responsiveness, and support, Cassy Concept Design continues to leverage its technical savoir-faire and tailored approach as its main strengths.

“We want to stay in business as long as possible with as many clients as possible. Our strength lies in having this workshop, this savoir-faire, and this ability to find solutions to problems”, says the CEO. Nearly twenty years after its design, the Landes-based company continues its mission: to help ideas take shape, while ensuring they can be brought to life, produced, and stand the test of time.

To learn more, check out the company profile for Cassy Concept Design.