25 Years Strong: The History of Shear Enterprises
From New Orleans to 35 million Ahh Bras — the full story of how Rhonda Shear founded Shear Enterprises, launched the first infomercial, and built 25 years on HSN by proving a simple premise: comfort doesn't require compromise.
In the early 2000s, Rhonda Shear — then already a decade into careers in comedy, modeling, and television — launched Shear Enterprises with a product based on a premise the lingerie industry had largely ignored: that the most comfortable bra would be one with no underwire, no rigid cups, and no back clasp, sized by clothing size from XS through 5X, at the same price at every size.
Twenty-five years later, 35 million units later, and across a quarter-century of consistent presence on HSN, the premise hasn't changed. Here's the full story of how it began.
I knew what I was making when I designed the Ahh Bra. I knew it was right. I'd been looking for a bra like it myself for years, and I couldn't find one, so I made it. Twenty-five years of selling 35 million of them didn't surprise me — it confirmed what I already believed: women know when something genuinely works, and they don't forget it.
— Rhonda Shear 🌸The History of Shear Enterprises: Milestone by Milestone
- The original wire-free seamless bra — 25 years of the same formula
- 96% nylon / 4% spandex — support through fabric, not metal
- XS–5X · $25 at every size · 26+ colors
6 styles · All wire-free · All seamless · XS–5X · From $24
25 Years. The Same Promise.
Wire-free. Seamless. XS through 5X. $25 at every size. The formula that's never changed because it was right from the start.
Shop the Original Ahh Bra →XS–5X · 26+ colors · Free shipping on orders $85+
Frequently Asked Questions
Shear Enterprises was founded by Rhonda Shear in the early 2000s with the launch of the Original Ahh Bra. The company's first national infomercial launched in 2009, which drove rapid growth and established the HSN relationship that has continued for more than 25 years.
More than 25 years. Rhonda Shear's presence on HSN across a quarter century is notable in the direct-to-consumer retail landscape — built on a consistent product (the Ahh Bra formula hasn't changed), genuine connection with an audience developed through her television career, and a commitment to inclusive sizing that resonated with HSN's broad national viewership.
The product was right. A 96% nylon / 4% spandex wire-free seamless bra, sized by clothing size (XS–5X), at $25 at every size — the premise being that comfort and support weren't opposites, just that no one had properly optimized for both. The industry assumed wire was required for support. Rhonda disagreed and proved it with a better formula. 35 million units sold validated the premise.
Rhonda Shear is a comedian, model, and actress from New Orleans, Louisiana. She built a stand-up comedy career in the 1980s–90s, hosted USA Up All Night on the USA Network from 1991–1998, and founded Shear Enterprises in the early 2000s. Her entertainment background — particularly seven years of direct audience communication on USA Network — gave her the communication skills and audience trust that made the Ahh Bra's direct-to-consumer launch so effective.
