Kat travelled to London for expert training
Kat Alexander training to become a Cancer Research UK approved post-breast cancer bra fitting specialist(Image: Sophistikate Lingerie Boutique)
“It’s something I’m passionate about doing,” said Hull lingerie shop owner Kat Alexander on returning from “brilliant” training to help breast cancer patients feel better in their bras. Kat, who runs Sophistikate Lingerie Boutique, in Chanterlands Avenue, already had ten years of bra-fitting experience under her belt.
She decided to go one further and seek more extensive training to help “as many post-surgery ladies as possible”. It meant visiting London and a full day of training at the Better Bras After Breast Cancer Bra Fitting Academy, run by Pudding in collaboration with Cancer Research UK.
In October 2024, Pudding launched the Better Bras campaign with the mission of giving more women access to better bras and bra fitting advice during and after breast cancer. Now a Cancer Research UK approved post-breast cancer bra fitting specialist, Kat said she “learnt so much” on the course.
“I’m the only one currently out there in Yorkshire,” she said. “There were about ten more people training from all over the UK and Ireland.
“It’s a very, very complex thing. There are all the different surgeries to know about – mastectomies, lumpectomies – and we need to treat every single lady individually.
“There is no one size fits all about this. You have to recognise all the different styles of bra there are for comfort.”
Kat’s shop sells an ever-increasing range of specialist bras, prosthesis and bra balancers. “You have to make sure each lady has the perfect style and fit for her.
“What the bra fitting academy did was also put us in touch with more suppliers. I’m starting to get these new designs sent to my shop – the bras are really good, more modern, pretty, practical – and they really are available in every style now.”
Kat extended her award-winning shop Sophistikate last year and offers a private consultation room upstairs. “I offer fittings in a beautiful, private room where these ladies can sit down and chat with me in a relaxed, compassionate environment before I fit them with comfortable supportive bras.
“The ladies open up so much to me. I hear what they have been through and they are getting younger and younger; it’s so sad, but it’s so nice to see them walking out with a smile.”
Kat said: “In the autumn and winter last year I was quite quiet but I’m doing fittings from day to night now. I think I’m the biggest small independent in Hull now, in lingerie shops.”
Sophistikate last year scooped the Best Newcomer accolade at the Stars Best Shop Awards, hailed as the “Oscars of the intimate apparel industry”. Kat has run the shop since July 2024 and has previously said: “In Hull there are so few places where ladies who have had mastectomies can go for expert bra fittings.”
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here .