Helping women ‘feel as good as you look’
Uconn student has created a new kind of intimate apparel
Ladies, the next time you put on underwear, stop and think about it.
That’s what Christina Phillips did and realized there’s a possible silent threat lurking beneath lingerie. This led the ambitious entrepreneur to a new venture to help health-conscious Black women like herself live a healthier, sustainable lifestyle, including through intimate apparel.
“I realized there was a problem with toxic and dangerous chemicals in our bras and underwear,” said Phillips, a UCONN MBA student, who found that women’s underwear can be manufactured with chemicals such as formaldehyde, pesticides, parabens, “forever chemicals,” and dyes.
Suffering from fibroids for years and seeing other family members experiencing them, Phillips was determined to offer women a more healthful, eco-friendly alternative. She created Puure, an intimate apparel brand that offers organic, non-toxic women’s underwear for women, ages 25-45. A website will officially launch in August for sales, with Phillips hoping to partner with retailers in the near future.
To start, Puure will offer nonpadded, nonwire, nontoxic bras and silhouette underwear that’s both stylish and comfortable, Phillips said. Products will be made with organic fabrics such as absorbent cotton and natural hemp, free of harmful chemicals, she said.
“I want it to be as natural as possible and I’m looking into using chemical-free dyes. You want to feel as good as you look. It’s the most sensitive part of your body so it should be protected. I can’t wait to wear them,” she said.
To keep merchandise affordable, Phillips is sourcing overseas manufacturers and hopes to branch out into items for men and children. “I want to start slow and perfect it for women.”
Phillips also embarked on a comprehensive research study to uncover how phthalates (kinds of chemical) affect the human body and the environment.
“There are not many laws that regulate the use of chemicals in underwear. The more I started digging, the more I found pesticides linked to reproductive health issues such as hormone imbalances, infertility, and cancer,” Phillips said. “What triggered me was the higher rates in Black women. I wanted to first tackle the issue with a group I’m most familiar with. As a Black woman myself, I knew I had to do something about it.”
Phillips said she comes from a Caribbean background. “There, everything is more herbal or organic. They have a more natural mindset. I started learning about organic living and sustainability, and I’m going on this journey with everyone else to figure out how to detoxify my life.”
In 2008, Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Clark Atlanta University and moved to
flattened and there’s not as much of an understanding for the importance of aviation and the freedom of it.
“We are hoping it’s an inspiration for the young people. Jim wanted his legacy to be to encourage others to be interested in aviation and keep people interested in it,” she said.
Vanessa Williams said NEAM plans a new 35,000 square foot state-of-the-art hangar to serve as a compelling narrative of the role Connecticut has played in the birth and future of flight— from its humble beginnings through breakthroughs to the contemporary advancements in electric-powered flight and civilian space exploration.
It will also include a Challenger Learning Center, digital classrooms, and an interactive manufacturing gallery to drive workforce development. NEAM will establish a state-of-the-art digital dome beyond the traditional theater and planetarium experience among other improvements.
“Jim was passionate about aviation and wanted to ensure the growth of future aviators and the industry continued. You will see that Jim has asked that donations be given to NEAM on his behalf to support significant expansion plans,” Vanessa Williams said. “We want to do some good in the name of someone who did something good.”
Williams said her husband wanted to fly every day whether it was a fixed wing aircraft or a helicopter. His usual trips were to Boston, New York or Washington, D.C.
Yellow was his color. He flew a yellow plane and painted most things yellow.
“When you think about what society is today,” Vanessa Williams said, “It’s people living a purpose and having that purpose be your guiding light every day and that was aviation for him.”
The Williams’ flew several friends to Block Island for their wedding and then flew back to the house later that day for the reception. The couple later flew together to Alaska for their honeymoon.
One of Jim Williams’ closest friends was Stephen Korta – one of the original neighbors on the Salmon River Airfield. Korta and his wife, Debra , introduced Jim to Vanessa in 1995.
Korta, who now lives in Rockford, Illinois, was a former Connecticut Aviation Director as well as the commissioner of the state Department of Transportation.
“Jim had a passion for aviation he was a flight instructor and a glider pilot and also had a passion for helicopters,” Korta said. “The United Technologies CEO Harry Gray would always want Jim as part of the crew. He was a stand-up guy who knew the business inside and out and he didn’t hesitate for a minute to share that knowledge.”
Despite sharing the same airfield and working in the same place, the two seldom commuted to work together to Bradley International Airport because they arrived and departed at different times.
“My office overlooked the field,” Korta said. “I knew the tone of the plane – the noise was very distinctive. If I heard that engine, I knew it was Jim landing or flying over.”
Korta said Williams built a helicopter from a kit and it was his personal helicopter. He used it to assist area fire departments if they needed help on search and rescues or to overlook forest fires.
“That’s just how he operated,” Korta said. “He also offered to help search for JFK Jr.’s plane when it went missing. They didn’t take him up on it but that’s the kind of stuff he would do.”
Another friend and co-worker was Portland resident Kevin Desmond. They met in 1985.
“He was a legend 50 miles around Hartford in the aviation community,” Desmond said. “He belonged to a tight knit group of pilots called the Quiet Birdmen – which was started by WWI pilots. You have to be asked to join. It’s more of a fraternity. You have to prove yourself to come in.”
The Birdmen drew attention in the 1990s when a judge candidate was asked to resign from it because it excluded women.
Desmond said friends called Jim the ‘flying fool’ and he would fly almost every day and every New Year’s Day he would fly somewhere if the weather cooperated.
“He was a jack of all trades,” Desmond said. “If you wanted to learn to fly, he would be the No. 1 guy I would send you to. He was Mr. Aviation.”
“He liked to fly,” Desmond said. “He was married and had a family, but flying was his passion. He is an honest guy. I don’t you will find anyone who will say a bad word about Jim Williams.”
Ken Forrester, a Windsor resident, worked with Williams for 33 years at United Technologies.
“He was a very good pilot with good judgment,” Forrester said. “He was just a ball of energy. When he wasn’t flying, he was always involved some aviation activity. Jim also had a sailboat near Westerly in the Pawcatuck River.”
“Jim was a thoughtful man with an enthusiastic style. He always brought a smile to my face,” he added. “We flew together all over the Americas and Europe and when we were in an outlying location, we would look up something historic to visit.”
Forrester has been a longtime advocate of the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks and would like to see it expanded.
“They have a world class collection of aircraft and memorabilia,” Forrester said. “It’s a big draw for the state. They restore old aircraft.”
Cheshire native Scott Ashton had known the Williamses for 20 years.
“He was an iconic aviator,” Ashton said. “He was also a friend to everyone and had a passion for flying and was a skilled pilot. He was a role model for me, and he was well known in aviation circles.”
Ashton served on the New England Air Museum board for 10 years and stepped down in 2020 when he relocated to Naples, Florida.
“He left a big hole for all of us,” Ashton said. “His legacy is all the kids he inspired. In the middle of everything that has been going on the last few years Vanessa wanted donations sent to the museum in Jim’s name to encourage kids to get involved. Jim wanted to get the next generation of pilots going.”
In the final years of his life, Williams’ family decided to say goodbye to his friends while he was living with a Legacy Memorial of life in 2022.
The hour-plus long production was put together by Brian Boyer, CEO and managing partner, The Boyer Group.
“Jim Williams was not just a pilot; he was the embodiment of passion, dedication and a zest for life,” Boyer said. “In the skies and on the ground, Jim was a true pioneer. His humor, kindness and unwavering commitment to aviation safety will continue to guide the industry even after he is gone. Jim’s love for aviation knew no bounds, but it was his infectious spirit and unwavering optimism that truly set him apart. His legacy will continue to uplift and inspire generations of aviators to come.”
“The video tribute to Jim was a labor of love with the family and friends who had the honor of knowing him throughout the different phases of his life. There are some people who make us better simply by having met them. Jim was one of those individuals,” he added.
“One of Jim’s last wishes was to leverage his passing to draw attention to the importance of aviation, particularly in the state of Connecticut,” Vanessa Williams said.
The family encourages donations to the New England Air Museum, 36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks, 06096, in his name to promote aviation and support future aviators. Please label and direct donations to the Jim Williams Fund. Or visit neam.org/pages/ donation-page