Women masqueraders in two-piece costumes during Carnival gave Diana Botero the idea that an intimate-apparel business in Venezuela would do well in Trinidad.
A move to Venezuela's Caribbean neighbour would also help the business survive the economic challenges of her homeland.
It was 2003 when Botero came to Trinidad for Carnival. A year later, she would convince her father to open a store which today, under the name My Perfect Shape, has branches in malls across the island.
"I came on vacation to a Carnival, then I decided to stay for a few months to study English, and then my father came, encouraged by me," Botero told Business Day.
In Venezuela, the Botero family was a shareholder in a chain of intimate-apparel stores.
Botero observed that in Carnival the women's costumes had body shapers and undergarments as the base. It was even part of the fashion worn at fetes.
So she suggested to her father, Luis Jose Botero, that they open a store in Trinidad. He took the idea to his partners in Venezuela and they decided to test the Trinidadian market for a few months.
“We started with the name of Trivenco and then we went on to My Perfect Shape, allied with the Diane and Jordi brands, leaders of underwear in Venezuela and Colombia, and with whom we were associated in Venezuela,” Botero said.
The family also has Colombian roots.
"At first it was very hard trying to reach a difficult market, because Trinidadian women invested a lot in beauty products, but they went more towards the brands already known to them here."
The slow start forced Botero and her family to relaunch the brands and use other strategies.
“We decided to go to the malls, open small booths with lower rent payments and that would attract attention. We focused on the sale of the girdles and that gave us good results."
My Perfect Shape's first store was Pasarella on Frederick Street, Port of Spain, still there today. The other stores operate as My Perfect Shape branches in Aboutique Mall, Port of Spain; Centre City Mall, Chaguanas; Trincity Mall, Trincity; Gulf City Mall, La Romaine; and Carlton Centre in San Fernando.
[caption id="attachment_914677" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Luis Jose Botero and his daughter Diana at Pasarela store in Port of Spain where Colombian underwear brands are sold. - PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB[/caption]
"Our main product is the girdles, currently selling about 300 units per month – that can reach 500 in December. We also sell sunglasses and underwear for men and women."
The Botero family is an example for Venezuelan businesses operating in other countries, although they have not forgotten their home country.
“If I could return to Venezuela, I would do so, because emotionally it still affects us, But economically, socially and even legally, the situation in Venezuela is very difficult. We sold everything there, and thanks to Trinidad and Tobago, which opened its doors to us, we have been able to stay here,” said
