Q&A with
Germaine Caprio,
Owner & Founder

What motivated you to enter the maternity fashion world?

I distinctly remember waking up at 3:00 a.m. one month after my first baby was born thinking, "Why am I wearing a bra to bed?" The next day, I searched the internet, retail stores and my own closet for any alternative to a bra and came up empty. Having no design experience behind me, I decided to make a top that would give me some relief from wearing a bra 24 hours a day. I made a pattern, bought some fabric and brought it to the woman who altered my business suits. She sewed it up and I began wearing my new top not only during the night but also during the day. So many friends liked it, that I started having some made for them until one of them suggested I take it to a retailer to see if they would sell it in their store.

I found myself driving to the Nordstrom Central States buying office to meet with the hosiery buyer there. I really didn't think she would like it, but she told me she thought she could sell my little tank top and without having a name or a cost, I found myself in the garment business. I had no contractors to sew my top, no source for wholesale fabric or trims and absolutely no idea as to where to go next. All I knew was that I had something a buyer from a major retailer wanted and I better pursue it or I'll never have the opportunity again.

Eight years later, Majamas is one of the best known brands for nursing clothing in the country. The tank top Nordstrom bought turned into our patented, number one selling garment called The Original Nursing Top and now comes in many colors. We make over 23 basic styles that are offered year round, as well as 60 fashion items sold seasonally.

What makes your clothing line different from others? 

My rule for designing our fashion pieces is that the garment must look like something pulled from a high end fashion boutique. No hooks or apron fronts can be on our nursing tops and all our garments designed for fashion must work for a woman from pregnancy through her baby's nursing years. I trend in New York, Los Angeles and Europe and I stick very close to what is being done in the fashion market. I have an amazing and talented assistant whose strength is in trending, pattern making and fit. Together, we design a collection so current, many women who aren't pregnant buy our clothes.

Do you have any fashion tips/tricks that you’d like to pass along to our pregnant readers?

The biggest fashion faux pas I find is when a pregnant woman feels she doesn't have to worry about what she's wearing while she's pregnant. It's the one time in her life she needs to focus on her style and her look. The better you look, the better you feel. I recommend wearing fitted clothes that show off her pregnant shape. The trend in fashion may be empire seams and blousy but this cut can just make a pregnant woman look fat. The key is to highlight the belly and downplay the butt. Wear fitted tops that hug the belly and be sure to accessorize. A printed top can normally make a heavy women look bigger but it can do wonders for a pregnant woman pulling the focus to her belly and off her widening butt. Fashion can be comfortable. Look for machine-washable knits that grow with your ever-changing shape, and for tops and dresses like Majamas' Nixilu Collection that have nursing access in them so you have the option to wear them after delivery.