THE
NBOX
i
For women with broad
shoulders, finding clothes that
don't just fit, but fit com-
fortably, can be a challenge.
Manuella Widjaja knows the
feeling—especially when it
comes to finding the right bra.
She would spend countless
weekends shopping, only for
the band to be too tight or
the cups to be the wrong size,
ultimately forcing her to settle
for a sports bra or bralette.
Then the idea snapped into
place. "I was like, hey, you
know what? This is a personal
problem, yes. But it's also a
business opportunity," she
recalls. So, in 2022, she
started doing market research
to see if the bra problem
resonated with other broad-
shouldered women.
It did with two-time
Canadian Olympic rower
Jennifer Joan Casson. "I'm
very vocal about my issues
with my back and my chest
and finding things that fit," she
says. Casson was training with
her doubles rowing partner for
the Paris 2024 Olympics when
Widjaja reached out. The two
connected, and Casson was
immediately on board.
"With her background in
healthcare startups and her
very clear vision on what she
wanted to establish, I was very
attracted to that," says Casson,
who became the official
co-founder in January. "From
the get-go, I loved the energy
and drive that she had in terms
of getting things done... And
I knew, following rowing, I
wanted to do something that
was equally challenging."
Thus, Vancouver-based
bra startup Daylilie was
born. The garments are
designed for women with
athletic silhouettes (which
Casson jokingly refers to as
"the upside-down Dorito
body shape"). Think: broad
shoulders and backs, and
THE
PUSH UP
Daylilie may not be
in full bloom just yet,
but its strong roots
promise to simplify
bra shopping for
women with athletic
silhouettes.
By Sandrine Jacquot
R E TA I L
MUSCLE MEMORY
Daylilie's bras are designed
based on silhouettes, not cup
sizes—using flexible back clasps
and bands tailored to the
latissimus muscle.
To p : D a y lili e ; Illu s t r a t i o n : J a n ik S ö ll n e r/ N o u n P r oj e c t 9
B C B U S I N E S S . C A
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 9
Manuella Widjaja and Jennifer Joan Casson
