A few years ago Knickers suggested 28 fun-filled things to do with your old bra; this year we’re showing you another idea and how to help a good cause when you do it!

Oxfam and Browns Lingerie Get Together!

Whether you’ve been meaning to get rid of those old bras from the back of your drawer or wondering what to with that bra you bought in the sale and never wore, you can now do some good while clearing out! Browns Lingerie Boutique in Leicester (UK) have organised a Bra Amnesty: on behalf of Oxfam, Browns are collecting worn and unworn bras to send to Africa. As well as their Bra Amnesty, Browns are also celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month with a Fitting Fiesta! If you’re taking along your unwanted bras, why not stay and get yourself properly fitted for a bra? And once you’ve been sized by the bra fitting experts, why not replace those old bras with a new one – because it’s Fiesta time, Browns are offering buy one, get one half price on their bras!

Those of you who don’t live near Leicester can still join the Bra Amnesty by sending your unwanted bras to Browns: 35 Francis Street, Stoneygate, Leicester LE2 2BE

A Bra Lover’s Quest To Help!

For those of you in the States, you may well have come across the story of this bra-loving lady with a very sensible idea! Elaine Birks-Mitchell noticed she had been hoarding her old bras for no reason; wondering why she hadn’t already disposed of these unwanted bras, she decided not to throw them way and instead donated them to a shelter for women. Realising other women must come across the same throw-away-or-hoard dilemma, Elaine decided to set up The Bra Recyclers. The Bra Recyclers process any unwanted bras (see website for information) and will either recycle the fabrics or pass on the bras to those who will benefit from them.

What we love about Elaine’s idea is that anyone can join in and donate, whether you decide to rifle through your own lingerie drawers, collect from friends and family, or become a rather fantastically-named bra ambassador!

Donate Your Bras To A Good Cause!

Wherever you live and whatever size or condition your bras are in, you can help a good cause!

For those in the UK contact Browns Lingerie or phone: 0044 (0) 116 270 7188
For those in the US check out The Bra Recyclers for more information.

Homepage Image – Marie Jo, who also support Think Pink!

Last week, we posted Part I of our roundup of The Lingerie Collective event in London. Part II of our Lingerie Collective video is now up, and this final video will give you a sneek peek into new collections from Lascivious, Ell & Cee, Velda Lauder, and a lot more brands. You can watch the video here, or just play it below:

Here are the brands we covered in this video:

• Kriss Soonik: We’ve been a massive fan of Kriss’s since 2007, where her manga-inspired “girlwear” captured our imagination and gave us a fresh new interpretation of lingerie. Kriss Soonik is now a well-established label, but is still innovating and perfectly fulfilling the term of “directional” designer – to us, she points in the direction of what the trends will be in the coming seasons. In the video, you get a peek at some of Kriss’s favourite pieces, but our favourite has to be the housecoat she’s wearing — it looks just a good over a dress as over a lingerie set!
• Lascivious: another longtime favourite of ours, Lascivious is going strong and producing some gorgeous new vixen-wear for S/S ’11. As usual, creator Chloe has collaborated with talented photographers, artists, designers and everyone else under the sun to produce her collection, and we think it’s one of Lascivious’s best so far. Our favourite piece has to be the little black “V” dress shown in the video – it’s bang on the “underwear as outerwear” trend, and boasts a thousand tiny little details that make it a Lascivious classic. We think it’ll be a sell-out!
• Sea Sirens: We met Sea Sirens for the first time at The Lingerie Collective, and as soon as we found out that creator Vivienne Austin had a “superhero” collection, we were sold! The Sea Sirens designs are fresh, colourful and modern, and as you’ll learn from the video, its creator enjoys a wealth of experience from a background at Liberty’s, amongst others. We’ll be keeping our eye on this promising swimwear brand!
• Tallulah Love: oh, Tallulah Love. This label is named very appropriately, for it was at this stand that I fell in love — deeply, hopelessly, with a petticoat (you’ll see it in the video – I made her do an extra take with it!). Loyal readers will remember that I went on the hunt for petticoats earlier this year, and didn’t find enough to satisfy my craving. So you’ll understand why I was so delighted to see such a beautifully made petticoat on the Tallulah Love stand, alongside sumptuous silk bra sets and corsetry pieces. This brand is just getting started, but is already attracting a lot of attention, and we think creator Michelle (who is equal parts adorable and determined) is going to go a long way with her new label. And Michelle – make more petticoats!
• Mint Siren: since we first saw this label five years ago, Mint Siren has undergone a transformation — the label’s roots are in goth, burlesque, and corsetry, but over the past few years, its creator Josephine has updated Mint Siren with a more urban, crisp, and expensive look. We think the update is inspired – Josephine has managed to keep the dark, seductive roots of her label intact, but has grown the label into an incredibly chic, urban brand. The stone-coloured pieces she shows in the video are beautiful, but our favourite pieces have to be from her leather strap collection – the cage skirt she is wearing adds a punch of intensity to anything that a woman could wear. We love this powerful new Mint Siren, and think you will too.
• Ell & Cee: We absolutely loved Ell & Cee’s collection this season – the label has always been great at soft, feminine looks but creator Laura has outdone herself this season with some incredible, ethereal pieces. Our favourite is easily the “Goddess” robe she shows you in the video, and in fact all of the gowns and robes in this collection are amazing. If you love a nymphlike, flowy look in your lingerie, Ell & Cee is swiftly becoming a must-have label.
• Black Neon: if you’re less interested in the flowy feminine stuff and want to make a splash instead, you’ll like the brand new swimwear label, Black Neon. Cast in uncompromising colours and bold geometric patterns, this label’s swimwear is designed to create a confident, modern (yet retro) style. Our favourite part of the collection has to be those bold blue silk shorts Jodi shows you, but we also love the strapless bathing suit with its incredibly flattering cut.
• MC Lounge: created by the brains behind Modern Courtesan, MC lounge is an all-silk, pure luxury loungewear brand that’s made in England. As Kelly tells you in the video, this gorgeous label has just gotten started, and we think it’s going to be a staple for boutiques who want to offer elegant, classic silk loungewear. We love the uncomplicated elegance of the collection, especially the silk tee shirt and that stunning white silk robe!
• Velda Lauder: the amazing Velda Lauder is well-known for her corsetry expertise, having dressed everyone from Dita von Teese to… oh who cares, she’s dressed Dita for god’s sake! In the video, Velda gives you a peek into the softer side of her label, and I’m not joking when I say “soft” – the powermesh that Velda uses for that gorgeous suspender belt is incredibly soft and touchable – sheer politeness kept me from holding it against my cheek! In the video you also get a sneak peek at Velda’s robe from her new collection (modelled by the incredible Maz Spencer) – we love the extreme wrap style, but love those soft skinny sleeves even more. Corsetry lovers should definitely check out Velda’s lingerie options, and if you haven’t seen it already, be sure to check out our video with Velda where she shows you how to lace up a corset!

Phew! And that is a wrap! Thank you again to all of the amazing brands that participated in our videos, and we will be doing more little features like this from now on!

Even before Alison and I visited The Lingerie Collective show in London last week, we knew we were going to be in for something special, thanks to the incredible list of labels attending the show. To have Wundervoll rubbing shoulders with Lascivious as Velda Lauder looks on is like a dream come true for the Knickers girls – we had every luxury and directional lingerie label in Britain (and some from Western Europe) available at our fingertips.

Beyond that, The Lingerie Collective is special because of its origins — it truly is a collective of lingerie labels who weren’t getting enough value out of the incredibly expensive “regular” trade shows for their industry, either because the costs were too high or the wrong kind of buyers were attending. The show first started with a handful of labels, then doubled for the next season, then doubled again. With 31 labels contributing this season, the Collective has reached its tipping point, and has come into its own as a must-visit show for luxury lingerie.

We spent a few days at the show (it’s surprisingly hard to see everything!) and recorded a video, asking various brands to show us some of their favourite pieces from their collection. Part I is available now, just watch it below or read on for a roundup of the labels included in the video.

(Note – to watch the video in high quality (which we recommend!), follow this link to YouTube)

Featured in the video:

• Eternal Spirits: Eternal Spirits has always been a mainstay in stunning corsetry, but a fresh new energy is in the label and we are loving the results. We were particularly impressed with Susi’s new “Inside Out” collection, which is created using luxury upholstery fabrics. The striped piece she shows you in the video is also our favourite of the collection, but all of the pieces enjoy an incredible amount of detailing, textures, and tiny little touches to make them even more special.
• Olga Olsson: This new swimwear label is exciting, and not just because of the goregous designs – the creator Ruth lives and works in Rio de Janeiro, where her swimwear is ethically produced by a team of seamstresses and pattern cutter. As Ruth explains in her video, the unique pattern on the swimwear is created by a team of young artisans who are apprenticing at a textile center for luxury fabrics. Beyond all of that, the swimwear is just gorgeous. The fabrics are super-soft and of the highest quality, and the styles are a wonderful and unique hybrid of South America and Europe.
• Fleur of England: it’s always a treat to see Fleur of England’s lingerie in person, since they produce such consistently stunning pieces from season to season. In the video, you’ll see their latest collection Midnight Storm, which just launched on their website and is already selling quickly. The contour brief shown in the video is a gorgeous piece of fashion, and I also finally tried on Fleur’s classic kimono, and am happy to report that it really does suit all sizes!
• Harlette: there’s luxury lingerie and then there’s luxury lingerie, and London label Harlette definitely falls into the latter category. Harlette’s rail was like a little girl’s dream of playing dress-up – bright pink feather capes, long dramatic housecoats spilling over in layers of silk, and crystal-encrusted accessories that would bring out the magpie in anyone. Browsing Harlette’s collection is like taking a Tour de France of luxury fabrics and techniques – you’re exhausted by the sheer glamour of it. It’s wonderful to see a label that gives so much priority to pure, delicious, self-indulgent glamour.
• Fred and Ginger: hot off the heels of her label’s appearance on Britain’s Next Top Model, Victoria was on hand in London to show us her new collection, a colourful Moulin Rouge-inspired collection of bright silks. We loved the feather accents, the bold colours and patterns, and our favourite piece was also the slinky silk gown she shows you – the striped silk panels add playfulness and colour to a classic look, and we think you’ll have a lot of fun wearing this collection!
• Ayten Gasson: Ayten Gasson is a British brand in the truest sense – her pieces are all hand-made in the UK, and trimmed with the most gorgeous vintage Nottingham lace. You can see the craftsmanship in all of Ayten’s pieces, but we think her silk teddy is her killer product – Alison has one and absolutely loves the fit and feel of it. You can see in the video how the collection’s jewel tones set off that creamy Nottingham lace perfectly – go and get one of these teddies!
• Maxine’s of London: finally, we get to introduce you to a new label in the video, the lovely Maxine and her stunning lingerie. Maxine’s lingerie is all about creating incredible textures, most notably using pin-tucking and quilting. The pink silk set she shows you is an incredible piece of craftsmanship, and is difficult to keep your hands off of. Her most amazing piece is shown at the end of the video on the big photo – the black girdle which gives incredible vintage curves without compromising one bit on luxury. This is definitely a label to watch, and we can’t wait to see what Maxine will do next!

We’ll be featuring even more labels from The Lingerie Collective in our next video. In the meantime, enjoy the video!

We might be in the throes of Christmas shopping (and secretly saving for the sales) but we always keep an eye on what’s up and coming…

Dirty Pretty Things

Launched at Selfridges this week, Dirty Pretty Things is a new lingerie label – and it’s hot! There may be a touch of the naughties about it, but we’re certainly not shying away from the new vixen in town. We’re seeing dark and dangerous as well as wild and wonderful – and to top it all off, we’ve seen the hottest pink peeking out from this inaugural collection.

As it’s an exclusive to Selfridges until January, we don’t yet have the pleasure of seeing the collection in any online stores, but we’ll be keeping a watchful eye out. Until then, why not join us and add Dirty Pretty Things to your list of things to look at come the new year!

Else Signature Collection

This isn’t strictly a new label, however this Turkish lingerie label is relatively unknown. Else is a beautifully designed, sophisticated luxury label and we adore its gorgeous, deep colours and understated use of lace. As far as online stockists go, we’ve noted US boutique Journelle as one of the listed online stores, but are yet to find it among their array of beautifully chosen items. Luckily Dames&Broads carry Else’s current collection; and for those who love the collection as much as we do, you’ll find right now it’s even on sale!

There’s no doubt about it, we’ll be keeping our beadies on this fine label in 2010!

Les Jupon de Tess

Another label that’s been around for a while but not been seen (online) is the exquisite-looking, Lolita-esque Les Jupon de Tess. Inspired by the 18th century woman, we’re hoping this label will call out to us when we’re in Paris again – the thought of this boudoir label not being part of our lingerie life is a little too much for us.

While we’re waiting

At least we have gorgeous images to look at until we hear more – and until then, why not check out the details here!

New lingerie stores are (understandably) a little scarce right now, so we’re very happy to announce that Playful Promises have just opened their first store!

Pretty and Playful

Spring Blossom Corset
Playful Promises started up in 2004 and we’ve had the pleasure of their pretty, playful lingerie online ever since. Appealing to those who love all things flirty, romantic and occasionally a little bit saucy, Playful Promises create affordable lingerie for those who love to…well, play!

Just In Time For Christmas!

Miss American Pie
With the Playful boutique now open, those lucky enough to live nearby in London will be able to pop in for a cheeky little something for themselves or their loved-one, just in time for Christmas! My absolute favourite is the Playful Promises signature silk corsage set – now available in Christmassy red…

Get It Here!

For those of you who live nearby, you’ll find the new Playful Promises boutique at:

136 Bethnal Green Road,
London E2 6DG
(nearest tube Liverpool Street)

For those who don’t – no need to fret – they also have an online store where you can find the gorgeous Spring Blossom corset (£50), Miss American Pie (£35) as well as their Pin-up Panties (£15) that come in a cute tin. With delivery costs within the UK a mere £1.75 and to the rest of the world a pretty reasonable £7, there’s really no reason to resist!

We hope you will join us in congratulating Playful Promises and wishing them every success for the future!

Jade Little’s Graduate Collection

Having completed a degree in Contour Fashion design at De Montfort University this year, Jade Little has had a fantastic start to her newly graduated life. Aside from a host of other achievements, her graduate collection was chosen to take part in the catwalk show at Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear exhibition this season.

Her edgy designs provide a contemporary versatility, which she highlighted with a beautifully designed wooden corset during the finale of the Harrogate catwalk show. Boldly coloured, Jade’s collection is adaptable to wearing as lingerie, swimwear or even outerwear.

Strapless Bra by Jade Little

We’re hoping to see a lot more of Jade, not least as we love her larger cup, strapless bra (above) she designed for the Berdita Lingerie competition. With graduate designs like these, we’re in no doubt Jade Little’s future will be more than rosy!

To see more of Jade’s collections go to Jadelittle.co.uk

Fleur T at Faire Frou Frou

Faire Frou Frou have just announced the arrival of the new Fleur T collection, and it’s another beauty! We adore the whole collection in dusky grey, which includes romantic boudoir pieces as well as structured ‘functional’ bras. With a touch of vintage, a hint of naughty and more than just a little elegance, the Keepsake collection is perfect as a special gift or for everyday wear.

Fleur T Collection Autumn/Winter 09

Sizing for the Keepsake Fleurtatious Bra at Faire Frou Frou goes up to a DD and prices for the collection start at $99 for the Keepsake thong.

For those in the UK, Fleur T is available at Fleur T’s online shop.

Get ready for another fabulous lingerie exhibition in Paris!

Mode City 2009

Starting on Friday, Paris will be hosting Mode City 2009 – for three days it’ll be lingerie and swimwear heaven in Halls 3 and 4 at the Expo Paris at Porte de Versailles. With the expected number of visitors to reach 25.000, Mode City will be running alongside other fashion shows, after linking up with the rest of the fashion trade shows in Paris two years ago.

Among the fabulous labels exhibiting are: Lounge Lover, Fred&Ginger, Ayten Gasson, Kiss Me Deadly, Melle Fred, Elise Aucouturier, Guia la Bruna, Undrest, Dietrich , Nicky-Noo, Sally Jones and Mama Maria swimwear, to name but a few! You can take a look at the full list of exhibitors here.

For further information about Mode City take a look at their website, where you can also find country specific contact details.

The Designer Lingerie Directory on Linkedin

Those in the lingerie industry look forward to exhibitions around the world so they can meet up with like-minded lingeristas – but what happens when we’re all back home and there’s no one to bounce ideas off or to let others know there’s a job going?

With this in mind, Kelly Isaac from the fabulous Modern Courtesan and her talented friend, Rakesh Patel, have got together to create the first Designer Lingerie Directory! With the hope of creating a place for everyone involved in the lingerie industry to come together to share ideas, post jobs and support each other, Kelly decided the networking tool, Linkedin, would be the perfect place for the directory (and we agree).

Modern Courtesan – Weekend In The Country

The Designer Lingerie Directory welcomes those in the industry and welcomes new discussions, as well as questions about any aspect about the lingerie industry. So why not take a look, sign in and open a new discussion right now!

We look forward to seeing you in the new Designer Lingerie Directory!

Enamore’s Pop-Up Boutiques

Next weekend will see the first of many Pop Up ‘Eco’ Boutiques: the well-known online boutique Enamore, where you can find fabulous eco lingerie, stunning dresses and gorgeous accessories, are going live! Along with a range of eco-friendly collections as well as unique pieces, there’s a promise of fantastic window displays, live models and creative demonstrations to kick off the Pop Up Boutiques.

If you’re a dab hand at sewing or you fancy giving it a try, the Boutique will also have vintage fabrics, buttons, end of roll laces and ribbons on offer. And if that’s not enough, Enamore are pleased to announce they will be stocking the Pants to Poverty underwear range, with both women’s and men’s ranges on offer.

If you’re in the UK and fancy popping along to the first of many Pop Up Boutiques, here’s where you’ll find it:

Walcot Woollies
104 Walcot St.
Bath, BA1 5BG

More Dates For Enamore Pop Up Boutiques

Dates for 2009:
September 5 & 6th
October 10 & 11th
November 7 & 8th

Christmas Shops:
December 5 & 6th
December 12 & 13th
December 16-24th

Betsy La Belle

It’s been a wee while since we last reported on a new online store, and we have to say we really miss seeing new online boutiques opening! So we’re happy to see that a lingerie boutique very close to Knickers HQ has now taken the plunge and gone online.

Betsy La Belle, the cute lingerie boutique in Glasgow, are now offering a well thought out selection of (mainly) retro-style lingerie. Alongside Bullet bras by What Katie Did, lingerie by Bien Fee Pour Toi and Kiss Me Deadly, we’re seeing retro-packaged beauty products like the Lavish Lara Powder Puff and cute ‘High Maintanance‘ emery boards.

Betsy La Belle isn’t your full-on glamorous online boutique, but we love its quaint wee ways and the pieces we see, so it’s thumbs up from us! It’s also worth noting that Betsy La Belle deliver worldwide – especially when you’ve spotted a vintage must have piece!

The Lingerie and Swimwear Collective

We are delighted to announce the launch of ‘The Lingerie and Swimwear Collective’!

Following the success of The Lingerie Collective at London Fashion Week in February this year, The Collective is returning this summer with more labels. From the 26th to 28th July 2009 a selection of the most luxurious lingerie and swimwear labels will be showcasing their collections at the fabulous Metropolitan Hotel in London. Among the stop-in-your-tracks lingerie and swimwear labels attending are:

Miss La La Presents
Damaris
Modern Courtesan
Ell and Cee
Fifi Chachnil
Mimi Holliday
Ayten Gasson
Made by Niki
Lascivious

And there are still more to come!

This is a dream come true for wholesale retailers as well as those who just love luxury lingerie and swimwear!

The exhibition will take place from July 26th to 29th between the hours of 10am – 5pm.
For more information or to make an appointment, email David Finlayson or drop him a line on +44 (0) 7825 439 338.

You can also take a look at The Lingerie Collective site, which will be updated next week to give you more information about the The Lingerie and Swimwear Collective.

After a little hiccup with modern technology we’re back in the land of lingerie, and what better way to celebrate than with three fabulous lingerie events…

Lighten Your Drawers – Get Rid Of Your Unwanted Lingerie, For a Good Cause!

Did you get carried away in the lingerie sales? Have those ‘must have’ underwear buys been cluttering up your drawers? Well here’s the chance to have a good spring clean and rid yourself of any impulse buys you knew wouldn’t fit you anyway:

Bordello, the gorgeous lingerie shop in Shoreditch, have teamed up with maternity lingerie label HOTMilk, in New Zealand, to gather all the underwear you don’t want, and send it to women in Zimbawe. Michele Scarr, of Bordello, is accepting your unwanted lingerie at her shop at 55 Gt Eastern Street, Shoreditch, until 31st May 2009.

The collected underwear will be sent on to Africa where women and young girls are in desperate need of underwear to help guard them against sexual assault. Strange as it may sound to us, women are less likely to be sexually assaulted if they are wearing underwear, as it gives them more prestige. So, gather those pieces you don’t need and take them along to Bordello, who we think are doing one hell of a fantastic job.

For more information about Knickers for Africa check out Bordello and Hotmilk.

Star In A Bra – Your Last Chance To Be In With a Chance

If you fancy yourself as a lingerie model like the lovely ladies above, don’t forget: the closing date for this year’s Star in a Bra competition is 22nd May 2009!
We can’t wait to see who the winner will be!

Check out Star in a Bra site for more information about the 2009 Competition.

Time For Tea? Enjoy A Seductive Afternoon With Modern Courtesan

If you think lingerie is all about low-lit boudoiresque evenings, think again!

Luxury lingerie label Modern Courtesan are hosting the first of a monthly, ladies-only, tea party seduction class to take place from 4pm to 6pm at the Met Bar, on Wednesday 27th May 2009. Along with a few uberhip cupcakes, you’ll have the chance to indulge in other dangerous delectables such as chilli and chocolate macaroons, all washed down with – a good old cuppa.

The perfectly seductive afternoon is to include a performance and an introduction to Striptease by burlesque pin-up Roxy Velvet, as well as special guest Madam Sera who will present ‘The Art of Seduction’ through interior design.

Teacups will be swapped for cocktail glasses to round off the afternoon during the Modern Courtesan’s Cocktail hour, featuring a ‘Seduction Boudoir’, where you’ll have the opportunity to increase your seductive lingerie collection.

Tickets to the event cost £50 – to purchase tickets and for more information, contact jo.james@como.bz or telephone +44 (0) 20 7447 1025

The New Boudoir Exhibition Berlin

Berlin, one of the hippest cities in Europe is to be host to a new lingerie exhibition. Undeterred by the current economic climate, business partners Mayouri Sengchanh and Dominique Cherpin have decided to run ‘Boudoir‘ alongside Berlin’s fashion week, at the beginning of July.

A frequent fashion and lingerie exhibition attendee, Sengchanh realised that in spite of exhibitions already existing in Germany, these were all uninspiring, big-lights-and-no-ambience venues. Sensibly Sengchanh is keeping things fairly compact, concentrating on getting the boudoir-styled venue just right and promising around thirty niche brands, including the fabulous German labels, Wundervoll and Blush!

If you’re interested in exhibiting at this year’s show, you need to get your skates on as registration has to be completed by 30th April 2009, and if you register before 25th April, you pay a whopping 600 Euros less!

Boudoir opens for the first time on the 1st July for two days in Berlin’s Delight studios, 37 Saarbrücker Strasse.

Marlies Dekkers at Neiman Marcus

Over the past few years Marlies Dekkers has enjoyed enormous success, and quite rightly so: distinct designs and prints make M|D lingerie instantly recognizable with fabric quality and fit second to none. It’s not surprising therefore that one of the best known department stores in the US, Neiman Marcus, have now snapped up M|D.

The Marlies Dekkers label will be sold in five Neiman Marcus Stores nationwide, alongside designer lingerie favourites such as La Perla, Simone Perele and Dolce & Gabbana. We know there will be huge excitement in the US as M|D not only consistently delivers fantastic quality but also go up to an F cup! Already stocking larger-cup brand Fantasie (who go up to a K cup), we’re delighted Neiman Marcus, who passed their 100th birthday a few years ago, are understanding the need for above D-cup bras. All we need to do now is to hope Marlies goes even larger!

The Harrogate Lingerie Exhibition 2009

Photography Nigel Bennett

In spite of the current economic climate, this season’s Harrogate lingerie exhibition was upbeat and full of lingerie happiness: We saw Valery, who with an incredible new collection were more than fulfilling their newly awarded title of Designer of the Year 2009; the fabulous Sally Jones collection, the newly launched Kiki by Kirsty Doyle as well as Nancy Dell’Olio’s beautifully decadent nightwear label, and the gorgeous new maternity label, Cake Lingerie.

Harrogate also saw daily shapewear fit seminars with Maidenform, the ‘newly revived’ classic shapewear label who are going down a storm with the likes of Lady Ga Ga!

The Highlight Of Harrogate: The Fabulous Catwalk Show!

Photography Nigel Bennett

The highlight of this season’s show had to be the catwalk show! We always love watching the models showing off gorgeous lingerie, but this time there was a marked difference from all the other shows we’ve seen: from the setting to the music to the perfect styling, this catwalk show was actually mesmerising.

The polished show was put together by Production Element, a company newly launched by two talented young men: Johnny Vukasovic and Andy Nurse. Together with the duo’s creative juices and the magnificent styling efforts of Fran Lee, we experienced a sparkling performance by the models who looked like they enjoyed every minute of the incredibly well-thought-out choreography.

Photography Nigel Bennett; and N Dattani for Sally Jones

Fluffy, animal print dressing gowns were given a ‘gangster’ type theme (main image, top) and Gossard’s lingerie a gorgeous, flamenco inspired dance! The De Montford’s graduates weren’t left out of the spectacular either: Hannah Weeks’ tuxedo piece was topped off with a bowler hat and umbrella – musical style, and Katie Turner’s gorgeous frilled piece got the sexy sailor look.

We’ve always loved going to Harrogate, but we’ve never been quite so impressed with the catwalk show as this year – we just hope we’ll be treated to the same luxury in the Summer!

Further Information
You can find further information about the Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition, including how to register as an exhibitor or visitor, here.

For further information about Production Element, please email Johnny Vukasovic and Andy Nurse – the Production Element site is due to be up and running at the end of the month.

We’re coming up to an exciting week in the British Lingerie world…

Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition Harrogate

Photography by Paul Glickman

The largest lingerie event in the UK, Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition, runs from the 22nd until 24th February: With glamorous new brands such as Kiki by Kirsty Doyle and Nancy Dell’Olio Nightwear; Estonian label Bon Bon and Australian maternity label, Cake Lingerie, this promises to be yet another successful show!

Retailers and those in the industry will be pleased to know that along with new brands, we’ll also see the gorgeous new Sally Jones and HotMilk collections as well as the return of brands such as Elle MacPherson (who are now going up to a G cup!), Fantasie and Calvin Klein. And, if you are keen to meet up with fellow retailers to chat and have a drink with the Harrogate team, why not pop along to the new networking event at the Old Swan Hotel from 8.00pm!

There will of course be the daily fashion shows and you’ll be treated to a special presentation by the lovely Nancy Dell’Ollio and celebrity stylist Faye Sawyer’s exclusive ‘B*Gorgeous Fashion Show’. If you’re in need of a bit of pampering while you’re in Harrogate, you also can take advantage of the half price professional beauty treatments on offer!

The Lingerie Buyer Graduate Collection

As always we’ll be treated to a glimpse of the graduate collection – we can’t wait to see more of De Montfort graduates Lizzie Local, Katie Turner & Jenny Gornall! To see the designs first hand visit Lingerie Buyer Stand C20.

For further information about the Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition, visit www.lingerie-show.com or phone +44 (0) 20 7973 4603.

The Lingerie Collective At London Fashion Week!

A brand new lingerie event is exhibiting at the London Fashion Week from the 20th to 24th February!

The ladies behind the brilliant brands: The Modern Courtesan, Lascivious, Bebaroque, Ell & Cee and Fred and Ginger, have got together to form ‘The Lingerie Collective‘!

Keen to promote and increase awareness of the smaller ‘directional’ designers, the talented designers are delighted to be bringing together their creative minds and taking part in one of the most high profile events in the fashion calendar.

On the 24th February, as a grand finale to their exhibition at the London Fashion Week, The Lingerie Collective have organised an event at Mint Leaf, London (organised by The Button Club) where all the brands showing as part of The Lingerie Collective will be on the catwalk!

The The Lingerie Collective will be at Stand U50 at the Exhibition, for further information please email
info@thelingeriecollective.co.uk

We’ve just launched Knickers Community, the ‘Knickersbook’ of the lingerie world where you can meet other lingerie enthusiasts and insiders!

Knickers Community is free to join, and once you’re a member you can create your own page, join groups, send messages, add events and even swap lingerie with fellow lingerie enthusiasts!

You can join as many groups as you like, each has its own discussion forum where you can talk with other members – we have groups for everything from corset lovers to bargain hunters to lingerie manufacturers.

If you’re a designer or retailer with a big event coming up, why not post it in the Events section? Tell us about your sample sales, trunk shows, in-store sales or anything else!

Why build a Knickers community?

We started this community to help lingerie lovers make connections. Knickers has always served as a place for people to make connections behind-the-scenes – we’ve introduced many designers to retailers and vice-versa, and we try to help match up people with brands we know they’ll love. This community will make that much easier, and will allow everyone from models to lingerie swappers to connect with each other.

We also started this community because we know that you, our readers, are absolutely brilliant and we wanted to hear more from you. We have no idea how the community will change and grow as our readers join in, but we do know that it will be a great place to gush over gorgeous lingerie!

Check out Knickers Community and join right now!

We can’t wait for the chatting to begin!

Mio Destino Win Drapers 2009 Best Marketing Initiative Etail Award!

The Luxury Lingerie boutique, Mio Destino, has won this year’s Drapers Best Marketing Initiative Etail Award! Fighting off competition from the likes of Warehouse and Oasis, Mio’s innovative and often tongue-in-cheek marketing campaigns have not only helped win them a prestigious award, but have helped increase their traffic and sales enormously – and considering our current economic climate that’s pretty impressive!

Mio Destino’s Commuter Skater Man – A Marketing Campaign To Make Us Smile

(Watch at YouTube)

Lingerie may be serious business but a touch of humour and a good dash of imagination never goes amiss, and Mio Destino have got it spot on: Their most recent ‘Commuter Skater Man’ campaign is (in our opinion) their best to date, with their Picture Me Pants for Valentine’s Day a close contender! We love a little cheekiness and we’re delighted Mio Destino are injecting a dose of fun into our lives – and if it wins them awards and gains more sales, even better!

Congratulations To Mio Destino!

We have just returned from this year’s Salon de la Lingerie in Paris – over the next few weeks, we will be reporting on some amazing new designers as well as existing favourites!

Valery Awarded Designer of the Year 2009

We would like to congratulate Valery for being awarded the prestigious ’2009 Designer of the Year’ at this year’s Salon de la Lingerie!

The Italian company, founded in 1978 by the Demichelis family, has graced us with 20 years of fabulous lingerie – all beautiful and stunningly designed. Their hard work paid off in 1995, when they were given the European Community award, the first Italian clothing business to receive this honour.

With three labels to their name – Prestige Valery, Valery and Rosapois – Valery appeal to a wide audience: from those who love luxury, seductive lingerie to those with a penchant for elegance and fashion. Distributed in over 40 countries, Valery continually work on improving their designs and the technology involved to give us the quality and luxuriousness we love to enjoy.

If you are keen to see more of Valery’s collections, they will be exhibiting at Harrogate Lingerie & Swimwear Exhibition from 22nd – 24th February 2009 at stand B1.

Just Arrived at Nancy Meyer: The Spring 2009 Malizia by La Perla Collection

While the sales are still in full force over on Katie’s Bargain’s Page , we’re already looking at the new collections arriving in! Nancy Meyer, who we can always rely on to stock stunning collections, have just announced the arrival of the Spring 2009 Malizia by La Perla collection.

Stunning as always, Malizia by La Perla retains all the luxury we have come to expect from this Italian label; it’s classically beautiful and has a sophisticated sexiness few other labels are able to get close to. As is so often the case, it’s the simplest designs that get us going; our favourite among this newly-arrived collection is the Anticipio Chemise: its simplicity, with the added touch of embroidery and sparkling crystals, is exquisite and perfect for those who love to get sexy without losing any hint of elegance.

Malizia by La Perla: Anticipio Collection

If you love the look of the Anticipio Chemise, we’re sure you’ll love the whole range, which includes the beautiful Anticipio Bra and Thong or Bikini Knickers – the range is available in Ivory and Grey and prices start at $59 for the Anticipio Thong.

You would think the incredible work that goes into designing lingerie would be enough, but for Dutch designer Marlies Dekkers, it doesn’t stop there; for her a big part of bringing out a collection is the story behind it. Meticulous about every detail, from the models she uses to the music, accessories, decoration and general ambiance, it’s no surprise that Dekkers creates the perfect lingerie experience time and time again. With even more attention to detail than usual, Marlies Dekkers’ latest lingerie experience is inspired by the tales of the Arabian Nights and the virgin Scheherazade who tricks the sultan into sparing her life.

This new Fall/Winter 08 collection sees Marlies’ wonderfully artistic mind go far deeper than ‘just designing lingerie’, with beautiful imagery and an individual ‘film’ dedicated to each range. We see the Adam and Eve range depicting Eve as a strong heroine complete with serpent and forbidden fruits, the lingerie in deep, dangerous colours; Red Desert, a beautiful mix of red, orange and chocolate – spicy, mysterious and deeply seductive; Hip Harem, unusually lacy for M|D, is a range of elegantly designed babydolls, tops and skirts with chic detailing and the romantic addition of ‘Maybe that’s the secret of being love’ embroidered on each piece.

Finally our favourite, and Marlies’ gift to herself: the Platinum Collection – a limited edition collection to celebrate 15 years of M|D. One of her finest collections to date, Platinum is exquisitely embroidered and scattered with tiny Swarovski crystals; a spot on, contemporary touch is the stunning black chain with flower corsage which cascades from a bra and thong. The superb Marlene Dietrich meets Cabaret imagery lends itself impeccably to the Platinum collection, which is surely the ultimate homage to the boudoir feminist.

The collection is currently available at Marlies Dekkers Stores priced from £13.50 to £145; sizing ranges from small to XXL and from an A-F cup. The Platinum collection set comes with a sheer corsage flower and M|D Christmas ornament.

Marlies Dekkers Stores are located in Antwerp, Rotterdam, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris, Bangkok, and a newly opened store in New York!

We know lingerie can improve our lives dramatically: it can improve our posture, it can increase our confidence, and it can spice up our relationships… but can it do even more than that?

Having found out at the age of 30 that her bone density was equal to that of an 85 year old, Juliette Caton was naturally concerned; she discovered that crystals are known for their ability to promote calcium absorption and cell renewal and after trying them out noted a 7% rise in her bone density. Delighted with the improvement, she set about finding a way to keep crystals close to her body at all times; after attempts at stuffing crystals in her underwear, which either meant strange-looking lumps appeared or they popped out at inopportune moments, Juliette came up with the idea of making lingerie complete with pockets to keep the crystals safely tucked in – and Crystalla Lingerie was born.

Hailing as the world’s first ever lingerie range designed to enhance the wearer’s well-being, Crystalla lingerie not only has the ability to carry crystals in its concealed pockets, the colours on offer are inspired by the vivid and vibrant shades of the very crystals the lingerie can carry – gone are baby pinks, blacks and whites, enter satin and lace in shimmering ‘Malachite‘ green and vibrant ‘Jasper‘ orange.

Does It Work?

As lingerie experts we know what looks good and we are certainly taken by Crystalla‘s designs and gorgeous colours, however we cannot profess to having crystal expertise; we do however love Juliette’s concept as we’re fans of anything that can naturally promote well-being, and we’re happy to keep an open mind for great-looking lingerie!

Crystalla bras are available up to a D cup and the range starts at £98.50 for the Jasper Set, including four free crystals (you can choose from ten different crystals) and free delivery and returns.

It’s plain to see that the gorgeous new online boutique, Maralisha, is serious about luxury; with labels such as Assia, Marlies Dekkers and Made by Niki it’s also clear they know their stuff! We love it when we see a newly launched site that has a well-thought-out range of labels, providing not just glamour but also well-fitting, well-made lingerie – it’s made us think: they’ve actually thought about both a woman’s needs and dreams. Along with sensibly glamorous lingerie, Maralisha also offer a range of more ‘frivolous’ labels for women who love to dress up and wow; Modern Courtesan’s stunning ‘play clothes’, French Can Can’s adorable long socks, as well as the seductive Nuits de Satin , are all available for those times when only seduction is called for!

Lingerie Modeling Opportunity For A Real Woman!

It’s no surprise that this thoughtful yet glamorous site would come up with the idea of a competition to search for the ‘Face of Maralisha’; although it is specified that the chosen woman must be suitable for their brand, we’re still loving the idea that ‘real’ women will have the opportunity to put themselves forward for this. So, while you’re doing some Christmas shopping, why not enter the competition at the same time – who knows, you could soon be celebrating with some hot pictures of yourself splashed all over this gorgeous new boutique!

Another Award For The Unstoppable Marlies Dekkers!

We thought Marlies Dekkers was unstoppable last year, however she has surpassed herself once more by winning the CILA Award for best Maternity Lingerie earlier this year and last night was given the Marie Claire Prix De La Mode Award for best fashion entrepreneur 2008. Marlies, who now has shops all over the world, is best known for her signature ‘strappy’ designs, quirky prints and beautifully-made lingerie and swimwear. We know Marlies will not stop here, and we can’t wait to see what amazing creations she’ll come up with next!
Congratulations to Marlies Dekkers on yet another incredible year!

Nancy Meyer’s New Look

With the launch of their new look website, Nancy Meyer have now introduced their fantastic Style Guide giving you the opportunity to see the season’s hottest looks; choose from Feminine Luxe for a soft, sexy look or Bold Beauties for the extrovert lingerie lover. Once you have picked out your favourite lingerie, you can enjoy the added benefit of scrutinising every detail of your chosen outfit with NM’s new ‘Quick Alternative View’ feature, before you decide to buy. Apart from Nancy Meyer’s incredible array of stunning lingerie on offer, we’re also loving the Designer Bio feature, which allows you to learn all about your favourite designer at the click of a button! With 30 years of trading under their belt Nancy Meyer is still going strong and it’s not surprising – with customer friendly service like this, they can’t fail to wrong!

A Facelift For Janet Reger

With lovely imagery and added products, Janet Reger’s online store has also undergone a facelift; a more user-friendly site, you are now led gently through their sophisticated Autumn/Winter collection full of chiffon, lace and silk, until you decide to investigate further. In addition to their lingerie collection, Janet Reger now offers glitzy timepieces to snazz up an evening in or out, and if you’re planning a weekend away how about a glamorous cosmetic bag – you can even get yourself some chic eyewear to complete the glam Reger look! Oh, and don’t forget, JR’s seduction range Naughty Janet is also available for those who love to play without compromising on sophistication..

Playful Promises have had a large quantity of their current Autumn Winter collection stock stolen; as you can imagine, they are devastated and are appealing to everyone to keep their eyes and ears open. If you spot any of Playful Promises’ stock or you are approached by anyone who is not directly linked to Playful Promises, please contact either Emma on
07974 253 428, or email us at thegirls@knickersblog.com.

For more information about the theft, including images of the stolen current collection, visit Kiss Me Deadly’s Diary.

Thank you for your support,

Alison & Danae x

Agent Provocateur’s ‘The Season of the Witch’

Having previously used high-profile celebrity models such as Kate Moss and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Agent Provocateur have now picked more celebrities for their newest collection. The launch of their long-awaited Autumn Campaign, ‘The Season of the Witch’, now sees Daisy Lowe, Paz de la Huerta and Peaches Geldof as temptresses seducing virgins in a scandalously saucy tale inspired by The Execution of Lady Jane Grey and The Massacre of the Innocents. AP’s modern-day take on the wonderful, yet gruesome, works of Delaroche and Rubens sees an abundance of saucily-clad models in beautifully shot scenes by Tim Bret Day.
If you dare to enter the witches’ castle, you will be taken on an eerie journey where you will be given the choice of different experiences; whether you choose to follow the virgin, or submit to slavery, you’ll find yourself being drawn into the juicy world of sexy witches in this rather stunning collection of short videos.
AP’s campaigns are always high profile, full of wicked innuendos, and tantalizingly sexy; The Season of the Witch, however, has captured our attention more than anything AP have done before, and, most importantly has tempted us to enter into the wicked world of lingerie shopping at Agent Provocateur – Our favourites is the sexy, animal print Iona Body £175

Fifi Chachnil at Topshop US

It’s not just us Brits who can enjoy the pleasures of Topshop online; now that Topshop US has finally launched, those of you in the US who have been desperate to get hold of the Fifi Chachnil lingerie we wrote about recently, can now shop to their hearts’ content!
The Fifi collection ranges from $24-$135 at Topshop US, and £12-£65 at Topshop UK.

Club Fife’s New Look Site

Club Fife are renowned for their softer than soft, modal boyshorts and thongs, made from reconstituted Beechwood chips. Club Fife have now got together with Elle photographer, Matt Lever, to bring us some utterly stunning images to update their site. While we love our glamorous lingerie, and the images to go with it, we’ve still got a soft spot for plain undies – especially when they look this good!

Special Membership Offer When You Sign Up To Club Fife

Sign up for Club Fife’s membership and you can enjoy two thongs for only $20, or $24 for two pairs of boyshorts; if you need any reassurance on fit and comfort before you buy, check out Danae’s review!
Shipping is free worldwide!

Vote for a new Lingerie Venture at Ideablob

Sarah Daniels, former publisher and editor of IAB magazine, has come up with a new idea, and it’s all about lingerie!
She states: “InnerBeautyOnline.com will be the first resource dedicated to product reviews of intimate apparel (ranging from bras to shapewear to hosiery and beyond). A panel of real women, in a wide range of sizes, will “road test” a variety of products and provide honest assessments and actual photos.”
Sarah has put her idea to Ideablob – where eligible individuals can submit their ideas and have a chance of winning $10,000; if you like the sound of Sarah’s idea, you support her by voting here!

The new diffusion line by the renowned Italian lingerie designer Guia La Bruna has finally arrived!

Guia Lab’s Galatea Chemise and Daphne Bra Set

The ‘fit for a Princess’ lingerie by Guia La Bruna has long been a favourite of ours; incredible cashmere-lined silk bras and knickers, floaty chemises and beautifully pretty printed silks have, in the past, turned us into jello by their sheer beauty. One of the highlights of the Paris tradeshow in February was learning that Guia had designed a diffusion line, and it wouldn’t be too long before those, who were previously unable to afford the luxury of La Bruna, would finally be able to.
With prices ranging from a much more affordable $64-$184 the new line, Guia Lab, offers the same exquisite design quality we see in Guia’s existing collections; inevitably there are differences between the two lines, however, with designs like Guia’s there are never compromises and her diffusion line is every bit as gorgeous as her luxury line.
Lille Boutique, one of the first online stores to stock Guia Lab, have just announced the arrival of the collection at their beautiful online boutique; it might take another few days before you can actually get your hands on the beautiful pieces, but we’re in no doubt when you do, you won’t regret it one little bit.

Having previously swooned at the relatively new label Miss La La Presents, we didn’t think it could get any better..

Velvet Goldmine Short Kimono and Suspender Skirt

When someone as glamorous as Fine Rees (owner of Miss LaLa’s Boudoir) designs lingerie, it’s inevitable that it will be as stunning as she is; when she brought out her debut collection last year we were so smitten, we really didn’t know what to do with ourselves! With a new collection launching in only a couple of weeks, we couldn’t wait to see and touch it at the trade show; we instantly fell in love with the luscious silk, extravagant velvet and gorgeous designs that not only look glamorous, but are incredibly well-made and very well fitting – which I saw with my very own eyes (thanks to a very lovely lady who enthusiastically showed me her Miss La La’s bra the moment I met her!)

Contemporary Retro Glamour

With retro designs in full swing at the moment, it’s hard to think anyone could bring anything new to the scene, but Miss La La Presents has something really quite unique. It is serious retro glamour with a contemporary twist, making it unusual and so extremely desirable we can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be able to choose a piece, regardless of their taste in lingerie. The detail given to the collection, like this ‘Be Lucky’ set, is incredible: the tuxedo ‘collar’, bow, diamonte,appliqué and detailed ruffle has been so well thought out and tastefully done, it’s almost a piece of art.

Something for Everyone

When we said we think everyone will find a piece in the collection they adore, it’s not that we think this is ‘safe’ lingerie by any means; it’s as if Fine has taken into account everything women adore and designed her collection around it, and it’s this that makes the label so utterly desirable – So yes, we’re still swooning!

The current Miss La La Presents‘ collection is available at Catriona Mackechnie and Fabulicious, as well as at Miss La La’s Boudoir.

After a week off, we’re back with some of the highlights of this year’s Harrogate trade show.

The Boutique Show

Fleur T (left) Ell & Cee (middle) Vanjo (right) Harrogate Lingerie Boutique Show 2008

The Boutique Show at Harrogate is one of our favourites; this year we were delighted to be given a sneaky peek at the beautiful new collections from Fleur T, Ell & Cee, Hot Milk, Ayten Gasson, Vanjo, Fred and Ginger, and the gorgeous newcomer Asolon – whose exciting debut collection includes bralettes, shorties and camisoles, all made of New Zealand Merino wool. We can’t wait to bring you more from all these designers in the coming weeks!

A Great Performance by the Models

Wolbar, Harrogate Tradeshow 2008

We must applaud the models this year who gave us a splendid performance, most notably while showing off Wolbar‘s new collection.

One Man Show!

Calvin Klein, Harrogate Tradeshow 2008

For some, the highlight of the show was the hot male model for Calvin Klein. The only male model in the catwalk show, he was greeted with shrieks and claps from the audience, who we think took more notice of the six pack than any of the lingerie featured!

We’ve just hit the rainy season in Edinburgh, which is unfortunate as we’re not sure we’ve seen enough sun yet to justify it. Never mind, we’re used to the rain in Scotland; without it, we wouldn’t have the lush, green trees and grasses we love so much. In spite of our (apparent) enthusiasm for the rain, we do like our lives to be lit up with some sunshine now and again, so we are delighted to have come across Undrest’s new Swimwear collection which has more than brightened up our day!

Malibu Grossgrain Monokini by Undrest

We love Undrest; the supremely soft Pima cotton and romantic ruffles coupled with traditional French lace makes it a joy to wear and gives you that sunny, Sunday morning feeling every time you put it on. Maria Navalez, creator of Undrest, is now adding Swimwear to her Collections, and has successfully managed to inject a bit of L.A sunshine into each and every piece. One of our absolute favourites among the gorgeous Undrest by the Sea Collection is the divine Malibu Monokini – it’s sexy, cute, and so full of Oh La La! we can’t imagine anyone being able to resist its charm. The cut-out is perfect for accentuating a gorgeous feminine waist, and the Brazilian style ‘bottoms’ will flatter without fail; our only upset is: we’ll have to wait for a while until it’s available!

Buzios Halter Bikini and Swing Cover Up

With a touch of Cleopatra glam, we just adore the Buzios Swing Cover Up; with a vintage crochet trim and clean, white cotton, this is surely the perfect way to cover up while sipping cocktails after a day in the sun. If you love the Cover Up as much as we do, check out the stunning, matching Buzios Halter Bikini, complete with the same crochet trim, and the additional tortoise shell detail – phew, we can feel the heat from here, even if we are a little rain-drenched!

You can view the Undrest by the Sea collection along with Undrest’s new Spring Summer 09 Collections at the NY Curve Expo from the 3rd to 5th of August at the:
Jacob Javits Centre
655 W. 34TH ST.
(BTWN. 11TH AVE AND WEST SIDE HIGHWAY)
NY, NY 10011

(don’t miss their runway show on the 4th August at 10 am!)

You can also catch the new collections at the LA Market from the 8th to 12th August at the:
Kris Mesner Showroom
110 E. 9TH ST.
SUITE A1033
LA, CA 90015

And, at the Mode City, Paris from the 6th to 8th of September in Porte de Versailles

If you make an appointment to see the collection in NY and Paris, you will even walk away with a complementary pair of panties, so hurry and Rsvp to sales@undrest.com for your appointment!