She is known for her passion, tenacity and sincerity. She is described as a “classy lady” and the “epitome of everything that is great about independent retailers” by Sharon Townsend, executive director of the South Granville Business Improvement Association. She is Diane Thomson of Dianes Lingerie – a venerable institution in Vancouver’s South Granville area and in the city, itself.
Since opening her store more than two decades ago, Thomson has garnered thousands of loyal customers, helped countless women, and donated both her time and money to several charitable foundations. Most notably, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region.
When the foundation was initially created in 1992, Thomson was there. Though her business was in its early stages and times were lean, she found a way to help by donating her time and partial proceeds during the yearly Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. Through the years, her donations have only increased.
Four years ago, when the BC Cancer Agency needed a new, specialized mammogram machine, Dianes Lingerie stepped up and donated $10,000 to help purchase the specialized equipment. After the mammogram was acquired, Dianes Lingerie attended the unveiling of the new machine – and was joined by organizations such as WorkSafe BC and London Drugs. Dianes was not just the only lingerie retailer present – but also the only small, independent business among a group of recognized heavyweights.
In the course of her daily business, Thomson and her staff endeavour to help improve the lives of her customers, particularly breast cancer survivors. She and her team are there – ready to help these “ladies on their journey,” as Thomson puts it. “We try to be there and understand when they come to our store with their problems and challenges,” she explains. “We’re very kind, understanding, good listeners – but we also help them with what they need.”
As a government-certified Pharmacare store, doctors often refer post-surgery patients to Dianes – where they can be expertly fitted for the right kind of bras and prosthesis (breast forms). Along with specialized training, her staff have been certified to assist with prosthetic fittings and to meet the unique physical and emotional needs of breast cancer survivors.
Testament to her charity work and commitment to helping others, Thomson has been donating breast forms to women in India who don’t have access to such products. Breast forms of any type aren’t available in India – for purchase or otherwise. And most women don’t have medical coverage for the type of bras that are needed after surgery. “When I heard that, I thought ‘wow,’ we’ve got to help these ladies on their journey,” Thomson explains. “At the time, we had some extra breast forms and I spoke with a few of our suppliers and they said ‘yes, we want to help too’ – so they also sent us some, and we gave them to the organizer and she sent them off.”
Thomson and her team continue their work in helping these women in need. In fact, she sent out another shipment of bras and prosthesis for India in early January. For Thomson, helping others – whether it’s customers, strangers or through foundations – is an important part of her life.
For more than 16 years, Dianes Lingerie has been increasingly involved with the BC & Yukon Region of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. In fact, such is her deep commitment to this cause that Dianes Lingerie is recognized as “Best Friends of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation” – specific phrasing that the Foundation chose to honour Thomson, and the only such designation in the BC and Yukon region.
Jan Engemoen, CEO of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in the BC and Yukon Region, calls her a “true ambassador for the foundation,” and says that – more than anything – this unique designation honours the passionate efforts of Thomson and her team in helping the foundation with their initiatives year-round. “Breast cancer is a movement, a cause – it’s not just about giving money. It’s also about time, expertise and skills that help give this a huge profile in the community,” adds Engemoen. “And frankly, Diane is – and always has been – relentless in this cause. She lives it everyday, she supports it everyday, and she is truly committed to it every day.”
Through her work with the Foundation, Thomson has hosted fundraising events at her store, donated gifts and prize money for their annual fundraising luncheons in October, and continually supports and donates her time and resources to breast cancer awareness and prevention. “I believe that you can’t expect to receive unless you give back,” Thomson says. “And you can’t expect customers to be loyal and come back to you if you’re not going to do something for them, or through them.”
Indeed, as Thomson’s business has grown over the years – so have her charitable efforts. And while she doesn’t necessarily believe in advertising or promoting her community and volunteer work, her customers are always aware of the store’s involvement in the community. “Diane does everything with her heart, and gives you 110% of herself to you – as a customer and as a person,” says Rashida Samji, a long-time customer of Thomson’s. “With her, it’s not just about business – it’s about helping others. You can see that from her work with the Breast Cancer Foundation – and helping women in need.”
Samji, a breast cancer survivor who has been a customer of Dianes Lingerie for nearly 20 years, has grown dependent on Thomson not just for her products – but for much more. Beyond helping with the physical support of specialty bras and breast forms, she says Thomson has helped her with much-needed emotional support, encouragement and inspiration. And similar to Samji, many of Thomson’s customers have been coming to her for nearly a generation – since she opened her store 25 years ago. Many times, she and her staff also serve three generations of the same families.
What inspires such loyalty? In addition to the quality products and personalized service, Samji believes it’s because customers appreciate that Thomson is “turning around and helping others” through her business. “She’s not a taker,” Samji adds. “She shares and spreads the wealth.”
It is this kind of unwavering loyalty that has helped Dianes Lingerie continue to prosper when the US dollar weakened, resulting in droves of Canadians traveling south to spend their money. As opposed to thousands of other Canadian businesses, Dianes Lingerie was completely unaffected. Diane attributes this kind of unique and steadfast loyalty to their products and unrivalled service – as well as customers’ interest and support of her commitment and passion to helping others.
(On a side note, Thomson calls them “guests” – not “customers” – “because they’re not customers,” she says. “We’re helping them on their journey, and through their challenges. We want them to know they can feel like ladies again.”)
Through the support of her guests’ – and their positive word of mouth – her business has grown remarkably. With a team of 16, Dianes Lingerie has experienced exceptional double-digit growth over the past five years. Last year alone, the store sold more than 25,000 fitted bras. “Our guests come to us – and come back to us – because they know us, they feel comfortable with us, and they know they’ll get what they need, not just physically,” adds Thomson.
Indeed, she and her staff take the unofficial role of therapists in counselling guests through their journey, and providing much-needed emotional and physical support.
While Thomson does some advertising for the store, she says that most of her business is through word of mouth, her charitable work, as well as various accolades and recognitions that she and the store have received over the years.
In 2007, Dianes Lingerie was voted as the best lingerie shop by the readers of Where Vancouver magazine. Dianes Lingerie has been awarded this distinct recognition a total of five times. As an individual, Thomson has also been nominated for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards and the RBC Lifetime Achievement Award for her compassionate care, community involvement and dynamic business success.
Beyond her work with the Breast Cancer Foundation, Thomson is also an active board member of Shelfspace where she champions and challenges the retail industry and the organisation to raise the bar, exceed expectations and continually improve and grow. “That’s one of the underlying forces that Diane brings to Shelfspace,” says Mark Startup, President and CEO of Shelfspace. “And it’s that kind of commitment, tenacity and passion that has earned her 25 successful years in business, and which ultimately helps make it better for all retailers in the market.”
Thomson has also served on the board of the Watari Research Association, a non-profit organization that aims to facilitate positive change for at-risk children, youth, families and communities in the Downtown Eastside and the Greater Vancouver/Richmond areas. While on the board for Watari, Thomson helped guide the staff in their projects, offered new perspectives on helping at-risk children and families get back on their feet, and provided valuable fundraising support to help raise awareness and resources for the organization.
As an active community member, Thomson also sponsors two local families in need around the Christmas season – donating her time and resources to purchase food, gifts and gift cards for the entire family, which she then personally delivers to them.
Integral to Thomson’s personal and professional life is the aspect of community, and her staunch commitment to helping others. She believes it’s essential for retailers to be involved in and support their communities in some way. “Really, it doesn’t matter what you do. As long as you do something,” Thomson says. “When we were just starting out and times were a bit tough, we gave $1 from every bra and prosthesis sold during breast cancer awareness month so we could help. Now we give more, of course.”
Thomson points to this as an example of how it doesn’t take much to support your community or charitable foundations. While Thomson chose to donate proceeds from bras and breast forms because that’s “who we are,” retailers have many options – poinsettias at Christmas time, $5 for a pair of shoes, $1 for every scarf or hat, and so on. “There are many, many things that people can do to help those in need,” she says. “Just look around you. Think about what your passion is, what inspires you, who your customers are. It doesn’t matter what or how much you give – it could be the gift of time. What matters is the thought, and what comes from your heart.”
Thomson has also worked with the BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre as well as the Burnaby General Hospital and the downtown eastside in donating bras and other supplies to help women with very limited means. Many of Thomson’s customers also get involved, bringing in products and items for donation to battered women, the downtown eastside or the hospital.
“I feel that all of us… we really, really need to give back – someway, somehow. And that’s what we do.” And that’s “Diane’s Way.”
“Diane’s Way” is a particular way of caring for the business, customers and strangers, says Lynda Barr, a director at Dianes Lingerie who has been with the store for 15 years. “In our training manual, we talk a lot about ‘Diane’s Way,’ ” Barr explains. “We personally mentor each new staff member to show them how and why Diane does things a certain way – and why it’s important for customers to feel acknowledged, nurtured and comfortable.”
But “Diane’s Way” extends to more than just their professional service and a turn of phrase in their training. For them, it’s an ideology and a way of living: It’s about caring, it’s about listening, it’s about having compassion and empathy. In short, it’s about helping others.
“I’ve been so blessed and fortunate in my life, and it’s nice to give back,” Thomson says. “Retail has been very good to me. And retail is good.”
In championing the retail industry, Thomson says that “retail is good” when it comes to opportunities and possibilities – for storeowners and employees. As many BC retailers pay their staff well beyond minimum wage, she points to retail as a great career option and an ideal setting to grow, learn and be challenged. “Retail offers so many opportunities,” she emphasizes. “You can be a sales associate, a manager, a business owner – whether it’s lingerie, ready-to-wear, appliances, whatever. It’s whatever you choose, what your niche is, what your passion is. You can become an entrepreneur. And you can help others.”
And that just what Diane Thomson has been doing for 25 years. Indeed, she is a very “classy lady” who truly epitomizes “everything that is great about independent retailers.”
