I have struggled for many years when searching for bras and bikinis. I've searched countless websites and ordered from several online stores with very little luck. Melmira is best described as amazing. The service is personal and I was made to feel comfortable the entire time. I purchased 3 bikinis during my first time at the store and am so happy with my purchases. They are comfortable, stylish and provide support. I can't imagine shopping anywhere else in the future. The prices are a bit steep but the value is there and it's worth every penny.

I had passed by this store countless times and had generally avoided it because it seemed expensive. I am getting married in two months and needed a good corset for under my dress. I normally shop at Victoria Secret or Change (and hate La Senza) so I was hoping to pay $100-$150 for the corset (which I realize is low for a corset, but I've already dropped a fortune on my wedding). I booked an appointment that morning online and got an almost immediate confirmation. I was greeted kindly at the front and then taken to a fitting room by my salesperson - Babs. She was friendly and fun, but not annoying and in your face. She made me feel comfortable as we went through the process and did not try to sell me outrageously priced lingerie. I told her I was nervous about the lack of price tags, and she told me she had selected a range of low and mid range prices (before I had mentioned price). Her "best guess" was not only the lowest price, but the perfect fit and exactly what I had in mind. We tried to find panties to match, which was less successful, but I was happy enough leaving with just the corset. The entire experience was positive, but the best part was the store's understanding and flexibility. I have a dress fitting in two weeks, but they only had my corset in ivory, not white. They allowed me to take the ivory one to my fitting while they order me the white one. This was compeletely unexpected - I don't think you would find that service at any other lingerie shop. The store as a whole had a good vibe to it (non-corporate) and I would definitely recommend it to my friends. I'll admit I probably wouldn't go in there for everyday bras and panties (because of the lack of browsing), but it worked when I was looking for something specific.

I have walked past this store many times and never gone in because it looked pricey. However, I was desperately in need of a good bra-size bathing suit to replace my old one in time for a vacation in a few days. The store I normally go to (Sole, in First Canadian Place) was closed, so in a panic, I Googled bra-size swimwear and came up with Melmira.

I didn't research the store in much detail, just found the address and headed on the subway. When I arrived they had me make an appointment for later that day. An appoint to go buy a bathing suit.

Other reviews have described the concept of this store, so I'll spare the detail, but essentially there is no merchandise on the sales floor and you spend quite a lot of one-on-one time with a salesperson. They tell you a fitting takes about an hour.

The thing with me is that I have been sized for a bra more than once. I have also been sized previously for a bathing suit. I know my size and I know what brands work well on me. I had a very good idea of what I was looking for, the size, style and colour, etc. I did tell the salesperson my bra size (she didn't ask; I offered) but she continued to bring me bikini tops that were either way too big or way too small. The thing is that most of these bathing suits were the same brands I've had previously (and the same brands as my bras), such as Freya and Fantasie, so I knew instantly most of them were the wrong size.

I finally found a bikini top that fit and lo and behold - it was in the exact size I had originally requested!

I would have just walked out of there, but I was so beaten down by the hour I'd spent trying on a bunch of stuff I didn't like, and I was so in need of a new bathing suit, that I just bought the damn thing, even though it was probably twice the price I have paid for a similar bathing suit elsewhere (same brand, etc.)

This store was not for me, although I can say with some fairness that I'm not sure I would have picked out the bikini I ultimately bought if left on my own. I had to see it on to like it. Melmira is not for anyone who: likes to browse, knows what works on their body, has a specific idea of what they're looking for, doesn't want someone looking at them semi-naked, or likes to shop independently, wants to save money.

That said, I would probably recommend this store for shoppers who:
*Don't care much about price
*Don't have any clue what fits and what doesn't on their body
*Are easily overwhelmed by shopping in general or the prospect of bikini/lingerie shopping in particular
*Like personalized service and having someone make suggestions/offer an honest opinion

It has been a few years since I went to Sole, mentioned above, so I can't say whether it's still a good place to shop. However, I'd recommend it over Melmira for high-quality, well-fitted swimwear. It looks somewhat unassuming and quite crowded, but there is similar high-quality merchandise for cheaper prices (though still expensive). You can pick out your own bathing suits and the salespeople will still give you an honest opinion of whether it works on you or not and help you decide on the suit.

I agree that this is a beautiful place with excellent service. However, it is not for everyone. First of all, on an incidental note, I wasn't measured and was told when I asked that they don't measure clients, so my bra fitting was based on guess-work, though I found my salesperson to be fairly good at guessing sizes. My primary complaint is you are not able to look at what they have and pick out what you like - your salesperson picks a few things out, brings them to you, and you say yes or no - you choose, but choose from a very limited number of things that someone else who does not know you or your taste has pre-selected. There are no prices on anything, and the salespeople do not know the prices, either (they look the prices up at the register when you buy), so between not being able to make your own selections and not being able to factor prices into your decisions, it's a very powerless situation for a customer to be placed in. I ended up with two bras, four panties and a corset for $1,400. I have been past the store a number of times since and liked virtually everything in the window more than what I purchased - they were just items I was not offered. Lastly, the process of a salesperson going back and forth to bring two or three bras at a time goes on forever, and feels really inefficient. I felt if I could just take a look at a row of things I would be able to select very quickly what I would like and what would be flattering. So, it was not for me. If you want a mother to pick out your clothes for you, don't mind how much they cost, and have all the time in the world to do it, you will probably enjoy the experience. If not, I would recommend going elsewhere.

I originally heard about Melmira from a number of friends who highly recommended it. I knew they carried high quality swimsuits and lingerie but was always too intimidated to go in. I finally decided to venture into Melmira after a friend of mine went and told me what to expect (book an appointment, be aware that many of the items do not have price tags and that the bras can be expensive - over $100).

I have to say, that this lingerie shopping experience was amazing. They measure you first, have you try on a basic bra and from there pull inventory based on your body type and fit. The great thing about Melmira is that the sales associate brings everything to you. I would try on each piece and my sales associate would assess the fit and from there, pick more items from the back for me to try on. It was so nice to be able to compare so many different ypes and brands of bras for fit - and to have the sales associate there to confirm whether things fit properly or not.

Something to be aware of is that most of the merchandise is not displayed on the floor so if you like to look around and see what is available, then you might not enjoy it (however, it's hard to know if things will fit properly by just looking at it). You will enjoy the experience if you are looking for good, high quality lingerie that fits well and have someone who is knowledgeable on the subject to answer your questions.

I recommend this store to anyone who wants to get educated about proper size and fit when it comes to lingerie. Melmira also carries a lot of brands and a wide range of sizes. It's a good option for people who have difficulty finding a certain brand or their size in other stores.

I wish I had gone to Melmira a lot sooner! I would have saved me a lot of money and misfortune from buying things that don't fit properly.

Melmira was a dream come true! I was met by my fitter, Anna, who took me to my change room and offered me a beverage. I basically sat in this cute room with a vanity-like set up in a robe flipping through a magazine while she shopped for me. Once we tried one bra for size, she asked me a little bit more about what I was looking for. She then went and brought me 4 to 6 bras at a time to my change room. She helped me try on each one and we made a “maybe” pile and she took back the others. For the ones I really liked she would grab the undies for me to try as well. At the end Anna left me to contemplate my maybe pile and she asked me to wave her in for one last round of try-ons on the final items.

The one thing is that none of the items that they bring in to the change room have prices on them, so you don’t know the damage until it’s all over. I was okay with that because I wanted to choose based on fit and not be swayed by price. They cost me $139 and $150.

Another bonus - they offer onsite alterations! I didn't even know that a bra could be altered.

Melmira gets two enthusiastic thumbs up!