A few weeks ago, I attended, for only the second time ever, the Las Vegas International Lingerie Show. One of the reasons I enjoy attending the Las Vegas show is because it offers such a radically different perspective on lingerie in comparision to the East Coast shows.
From a customer's point of view, the lingerie shown at ILS has an emphasis on accessibility --- in terms of size, price point, and the likelihood that a store near you is carrying these items. In addition, many of the brands which exhibit at ILS (like Leg Avenue and Shirley of Hollywood) are names I tried I myself when I was brand new to lingerie.
Unlike the Spring/Summer Las Vegas Lingerie show, which is all about Halloween, the Fall/Winter show focuses on the holidays and Valentine's Day. Though the turnout was smaller than I anticipated (who knew Halloween beat out Valentine's Day for the lingerie crowd?), I have to say I preferred the seasonal ranges I saw this last month over the ranges I saw earlier this year. Vivid jewel tones, sequins, and lace are all so pretty to me.
As far as other influences, there is still definitely still a burlesque vibe at ILS, though more Pussycat Dolls than Dita von Teese. Pasties are still very popular, as are ruffled panties, bustiers, and garter dresses. Almost every brand is making at least one corset (which I'm loosely defining here as a garment with a front metal busk and a lace-up back), but I don't know much about the quality. And finally, it was nice to see some independent designers at the show, including TLA columnist Laura of Lola Haze, whose new diffusion line I'll be featuring here next week.
With that said, here are a few of my standout favorites from the show. What do you think of the items below?