Video: The Lingerie Collective Spring/Summer ’11, Part I

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!