A Sequel to Our Kiva Journey
Six years ago, I shared my first Kiva story about how Exclusively Kristen turned to crowdfunding to keep up with the overwhelming demand for our best-selling bust-friendly shirt, the One and Only Shirt. At that time, the white version of the shirt was selling out faster than I could restock, and Kiva’s generous community helped me stay afloat while delivering the styles our customers loved.
Today, I’m excited to share the next chapter of that journey.
While our white shirt remains a favorite among busty women everywhere, we’ve outgrown the days of just one iconic design. Now, our mission is to expand our bust-friendly collection by offering more variety and styles that cater to different tastes, body shapes, and occasions. Whether it’s dresses, tops, or outerwear, we want to ensure that women with fuller busts never have to sacrifice style for fit.
The Next Step: Expanding Our Collection
With the help of Kiva lenders, we are moving beyond our foundational pieces. We’re in the sampling phase, choosing fabrics and colors for our next bust-friendly designs. As I’ve listened to our customers, it’s become clear that more variety is key, and that’s where your support comes in.
This time around, my Kiva loan isn’t just about keeping up with demand—it’s about creating more options for women who have long been underserved by traditional fashion. We want to offer a complete line of beautiful, well-fitting clothing that makes every woman feel confident and stylish, regardless of her bust size.
The Challenge: Lack of Access to Capital for Women Entrepreneurs
Starting and growing a business is never easy, and for women entrepreneurs—especially Black women—access to capital remains one of the greatest hurdles. In the U.S., women receive only about 4% of all small business loans, and Black women are even more disproportionately affected. Despite being the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, Black women often face systemic barriers in securing traditional financing.
That’s why Kiva has been such a game-changer for me and so many other women business owners. By offering accessible, interest-free loans, Kiva enables us to scale our businesses without the obstacles we typically face in mainstream finance.
Join Us in Creating Inclusive Fashion
Exclusively Kristen is on a mission to make the fashion world more inclusive for busty women. But to continue our growth and introduce new designs, we need your help. By lending as little as $25 through Kiva, you can be a part of this next phase of our journey, helping us bring more stylish, bust-friendly pieces to market. And the best part? As always, lenders will be repaid in full.
Your support means the world to me and the thousands of women who rely on Exclusively Kristen to feel seen, supported, and stylish. If you'd like to contribute to this next phase, you can lend to our campaign here: Kiva Lending Link.
Thank you for believing in our mission and for being a part of our journey. Together, we can make fashion more inclusive for everyone.