Underneath it all: Pine woman honored for philanthropic excellence
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Judy Masucci believes it’s what’s underneath that counts.
The owner of Levana Bratique, a specialty retailer of bras and lingerie in Pine, Masucci is committed to helping women find the perfect fit — whether they have the money to pay for it or not.
For her support — literally and figuratively — Masucci was awarded the nation’s top honor for philanthropic excellence at the Curve Awards in August in New York City.
The Curve Excellence Awards were presented at CurvExpo’s Welcome Back party, hosted by sponsor Journelle.
Levana Bratique was chosen from among more than 18,000 bra and lingerie shops in the U.S.
Masucci and her team have donated in excess of 100,000 bras, panties and feminine products since 2018.
“It is nice to be recognized for the work that you do, even if people can’t see it because it’s under your clothing,” said Masucci, who lives in Pine. “Lingerie is the foundation to how you start your day. Even if no one knows what you put under your clothes, you do. And that can make you feel beautiful. And if you feel good, you will have a confidence about you.”
Masucci, who leads an online group of bra store owners, found out about I Support The Girls, a nonprofit that provides basic health and hygiene necessities to girls and women experiencing homelessness, trauma or poverty in the Pittsburgh region.
More than 60,000 of Masucci’s donations took place during the pandemic through a partnership with I Support The Girls.
“Judy is a force,” said Dana Marlowe of Maryland who is founder and executive director of I Support The Girls. “She is an incredibly smart human being. Judy gives back in such a vast and empowering way. She has helped so many women in need. She is the conduit for making that happen for many Pittsburgh folks. She is constantly raising her hand to help.”
Having the donated merchandise stay in the area is important to Masucci.
“Judy has gone above and beyond what any other retailer in the country has done,” said Kirsten Griffin, visitor promotions director for CurvExpo, of which the Curve Awards were a part. “She has given of her time and resources in a truly significant way to uplift and support the women of Southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Masucci normally makes donations in person but covid-19 restrictions prevented that. Her store is open by appointment, and she has bras for women in need. They can come in and receive a bra free of charge with no questions asked. She also has other items available, such as panties, shampoo and feminine products.
It is important that a bra fits properly, and Masucci and her staff are professionally trained for that. She said the statistic most often associated with bra fitting is that 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra.
“If I look at the women who come into my store for the first time, I would say 99% of them are in the wrong size,” said Masucci, who also does virtual bra fittings. “We have people who hug us because they’ve never felt this good in a bra because this one fits. They cry because it’s a life-changing experience.”
She carries an in-stock selection of hard-to-find sizes, ranging from band sizes 28 to 56 and cup sizes A to W. She plans to launch a line of luxury lingerie brands in the fall or early winter.
Masucci originally founded “A Mother’s Boutique” in 2007 to equip new mothers with well-fitting nursing bras. The shop was rebranded as Levana Bratique in 2016. She expanded product offerings to include bras of all types and sizes.
Masucci also writes a regular blog encouraging women with bra fitting advice and affirming content. Her store name is derived from the Latin word “levare” which means “to lift.”
The shop’s identity embodies their mission to lift women up in every way.
“Even before the pandemic, there were people in our community who couldn’t afford basic self-care necessities, and we wanted to do whatever we could to help,” she said. “In 2020, the need increased exponentially as more families were struggling. We were honored to be able to step up our program and reach even more local families in need.”