Yes, you guessed right. This secret shopper is talking about bras, the sometimes-wired equipment that holds up and envelops every woman's jiggly bits.
Ever since this secret shopper was old enough to need a training bra, she became acquainted with underwear brand Triumph.
It was something that, well, our mums and sisters wore. And like it or not, most of us Singapore girls probably had a Triumph bra bought for us by our mothers at some point.
So there is some nostalgia involved here and a heavy dose of good old reliability associated with the brand. Not that a mumsy-image is quite what the brand is hoping for, I am sure, but it certainly didn't incite feelings of excitement.
But when a close friend told me that one of its branches featured mood lighting in its dressing rooms, I was intrigued and decided to check it out.
Signature style
This secret shopper thinks that despite its heritage, Triumph lacks a distinctive design style to call its own.
La Senza has strong, youthful colours and patterns in its theme, while the blonde bombshells who model Victoria's Secret lingerie are known for raising the heart rate of men.
I can't quite put my finger on what Triumph represents. Maybe simply blending in is the price the brand is paying for offering such a varied mix of girly, minimalist and sexy bras.
The store I visited stocked a diverse range - from sports bras to sexy negligees.
The Triumph bras I tried on were sturdy and reliable. But nothing made a strong impression.
Prices range from about $50 for a minimally designed bra to about $170 for a figure-enhancing corset made of lace and silk.
Store layout
The store is by no means big, but it was stuffed to the gills with its many racks, leaving very little walking space.
Carpeted flooring lends the well-lit store a touch of luxury, so kudos for that.
I thought the dressing rooms would be the highlight of my visit, but they were disappointing.
The rooms, which are supposed to double up as mood galleries, have lighting which can be changed by toggling a switch.
A plain printed sign fixed on the wall of the dressing room says that the lights are supposed to put you in different moods, thus providing a better shopping experience.
Blue lighting is meant to simulate a "chill/pub" environment, while pinkish-red lighting creates an intimate setting.
I'm sorry to report, however, that it didn't work.
The different lights did nothing to change my mood, nor influence my decision to pick one piece over another.
In fact, the pinkish-red lighting gave the room a sleazy and cheap vibe, which discouraged me from buying anything.
Lighting aside, the rooms were clean and neat. Customers are also able to call for help from the sales assistant outside with a phone installed in the room. But I hated that artificial flowers were part of the decor.
If you must use flowers for display, give customers the real deal. If there isn't a budget for fresh stalks, it's probably better to do away with them completely.
Service
The service here is a rare find. The sales assistant who attended to me was attentive and cheerful.
She put me at ease, made me feel like a friend and almost convinced me to shell out $170 for a sexy blue corset I would only wear once or twice a year.
If there's one reason I would dish out the dough for a piece from this store, it would be the service.
Sizes
Bra sizes at Triumph range from A70 to F90 (for selected designs only), while panties range from M to XL.
Verdict
Not quite the place to go to if you're short on cash.
And the mood lighting? Let's just say it sounds cooler than it actually is.
But if you'd like your measurements taken while being treated like a princess, a venture into this store wouldn't hurt.
Check it out
What: Triumph
Where: Ion Orchard, #B3-08
When: Open from 9.30am to 10pm
History: Triumph was founded in 1886 in Germany. 125 years on, the business that started out with just six sewing machines and six employees has gone global, with 37,500 employees working in over 120 countries.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
