Ladies, say goodbye to hooks and hello to magnets.

A bra design that relies on a magnet for closure is busting into the lingerie market.

Designed to be easy to clip on and take off, with a front closure that provides a smooth back, this bra is said to be a first for the Canadian market.

"We wanted to do something new and innovative," says La Vie en Rose spokes- woman Candice Pantin.

It's not the only magnetic bra out there. On Wednesday, burlesque star Dita von Teese launched a line of Wonderbra lingerie featuring quick-release magnetic closures, but it's only available in Europe.

Canadian lingerie company La Vie En Rose unveiled Magnetic Attraction earlier this month. The line comes in three styles – the Boost push-up, the Daily lightly padded and the Au Naturel unpadded – at $33.95 each.

But just how powerful is this magnet? Can it be trusted in moments of stress, such as, say, a D cup running to catch a bus or busting out some new moves on the dance floor?

Ashley Shortall, 28, a student in George Brown's community work program, wears a 36D and took the Daily model for a test drive.

Originally from Newfoundland, Shortall is a dancer who loves to jig. And she was impressed.

"I jigged as hard as I could and the bra didn't budge.

"It is so comfortable and it gives a lot of support," she says. "The front magnetic closure is easy and super strong. It really surprised me."

Sarah Kurchak, 27, a personal trainer who is a 34A cup, chose the Boost model, whose "padded push-up gives you that oomph you crave in a plunging neckline," according to the media kit.

"I put the bra through the wringer. I ran in it, did some plyometric (jump) training in it and even took it to a Muay Thai class and the clasp didn't budge at all," Kurchak says.

Her bosom may have been a little perkier than she likes for exercise thanks to the padded cups, but otherwise she is impressed with the magnetic hold.

While the little magnet's strength is a source of comfort for the girls, it is proving to be a source of frustration for the boys.

Having spent years refining his bra-opening skills to the point where he can undo the traditional hook-and-eye model with one hand, John Koplimae was not impressed when the Magnetic Attraction repelled his advances in an informal man-on-the-street interview in which the bra was handed over and men were asked to try to open it.

"It's a lot stronger than I thought," says Koplimae, 26, a cook at Bymark. "That is solid hold."

"I need two hands with this," he says. "It holds so well there's no way to flick it open."

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Adam Cowan, 24, who takes gender studies at the University of Toronto, is not a fan.

"Why did they invent this? Is it supposed to make it easier? 'Cause it's not."

It took a few tries before Shortall's boyfriend, Pat Conway, 25, an international relations major at U of T, could figure it out.

"It's a mighty powerful magnet keeping in those guns," he laughs. "At first I was like, `I don't get this at all. It's not working.' It's a good design, it just takes a little muscle."

Joan Chang, 25, a producer with CBC Radio, has a more practical concern: "I'll get paper clips stuck to my shirt. I don't need scrap metal accessories, thank you very much!"

As for worries that a Magnetic Attraction bra could demagnetize a credit or bank card, Pantin says no such cases arose during testing.

"The magnetic closure is no more harmful than a purse or wallet magnet, if not less, due to its smaller size," she says.

However, going through airport security could be a concern. It all depends on the location and calibration of metal detectors and not necessarily the strength of the magnet, says Mathieu Larocque, spokesman for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

Nonetheless, one anonymous blogger at Tremendousnews.com cracks, "Finally a bra I can open, and also hang on my fridge!"

Ivy Knight wrestled with her Boost bra for 10 minutes before she managed to open it. She later went through an entire workout with her locker key stuck to it outside her shirt.