Q&A with
Renae Plant,
Designer,
[bump]

What is your background in maternity fashion?

I really didn’t have any background in fashion or maternity before I got started. I did, however, always have a creative streak that would come out in hand-made silk pillows that were sold at the prestigious ABC Home and Carpet store in New York. I have a knack for seeing something old and turning it into something creative and new: french doors into tables, TV sets into fish tanks, bird cages into lamps ... You name it, I do it. I love working with my hands and spending time and energy putting love into something and turning it into a treasure or a piece of art. I love extending this creative side into my maternity line.

What motivated you to enter the maternity fashion world?

When I was pregnant with my first child back in 2003 my body went through this morphing stage in the first trimester where I knew I was pregnant but the rest of the world couldn’t tell if I was pregnant or had just lost my gym membership. Little did I know it took at least 5-6 months for the [bump] to finally pop, so I decided to make some tees declaring to the world the reason for my bulging belly. I was a talent manager and already worked from home but loved the creative aspect of designing clothes and coming up with creative sayings. I started with a few sayings and proudly wore my [bump] tees and was amazed at the response I got from friends and strangers alike, so I new I was onto something.

What makes the [bump] line different from other maternity clothing lines? 

There are a lot of novelty tee lines out there which are all fun and sassy, but what sets mine apart is that I have trademarked the word [bump] and made it an acronym for “baby under manufacturing process.” We incorporate that in every single one of our sayings and designs. It's simple, stylish, and all the sayings are written across the belly, whereas a lot our competitors write theirs across the chest. There's something fun about rubbing your [bump] and bonding with your baby on a daily basis. I even have a [bump]-daddy tee line for the proud papas and [bump]alicious pant line as well, with the nail head designs splashed across the back of the pants as you proudly strut your stuff.

When was the line first created? Has it changed much since it first came out?

The line was originally created in early 2003, but was mainly just for me to wear and a few others that requested one-of-a-kind shirts with an ultrasound photo of their baby on their belly. I really started to get the line out there in January of 2006 when I sent samples to stores and was amazed at the response. The design and concept has always remained constant. We put square brackets around the word [bump] so people can immediately identify with the brand. Incorporating that word/meaning in every piece has been our concept from the get-go, and we're proud to say we are the first and original [bump].

How would you describe [bump] clothing?

Our line is very comfortable to wear and made to be thrown on day after day after day. Being pregnant with my third, I know how important it is to feel comfortable, yet still feel sexy. Our design is simple and clean with not much else than the simple statement it brings. Our tees are made from 100 percent cotton have 3” side vents which allow extra stretch at the bottom. Our cap sleeve tees are versatile, allowing you to wear them off the shoulder for a sexy edge. Our v-neck tees are for the more conservative with sleeves to hide the arms but still have a low plunging vee neck to keep the sexy side.