Bra constructions

A half-seamed cup is made from one piece of fabric. The seams are often vertical to give the cups their rounded shape. In Simone Pérèle, the seams also have a rounded finish to give the bust a natural shape.

Seamed cups consist of two pieces of fabric. The upper and lower parts of the cup are joined by a seam that is vertical or horizontal. In Simone Pérèle, the seam always passes through the apex of the bust, making the cup deep and rounded.

Moulded cups are made from one piece of fabric without seams. The cup is smooth and invisible under clothing, perfectly rounded.

The center gore or separator is a piece of fabric placed between the cups to ensure the product fits properly. It is often lined with a thin, firm material. The width of the separator depends on the cup size: the deeper the cup, the narrower the separator. The height of the back band depends on the bra size. Strapless bras and full-cup bras usually have higher bands.

A bra with an underband is the most stable - the underband supports 75% of the bust weight. Some bras do not have lower support. With the right construction, this provides a softer look without extra fabric in the lower band. A model without an underband is often used in push-up bras.

To properly fit the cup size, the shape of the underwire varies depending on the type and style of the cup. For example, in a full-cup bra there may be as many as 7 different types of underwire, to provide better bust support as the cup depth and size increase.