Panache Sculptresse Is Here, So What's the Verdict?

Image via Figleaves

Sculptresse, the newest addition to the Panache family, has been the hot topic on Twitter and Facebook for several months now. Designed to compete with brands like Elomi, the Sculptresse line will provide new offerings to women in the D-J and 36-46 band category of the market. The offerings in this segment of the market are pretty slim, so I was excited to see another company coming out with new ideas. As much as I love the Elomi designs and fit, one can never have too much pretty lingerie. I'm also someone who loves Panache and wears a lot of their bras, but has struggled with their shape and wire design in the past. All of this made me extra eager to see what these new offerings would be like.

A quick note about sizing before we get started: I'm a 34HH in the Panache Tango and I had to sister size up to get into this collection. I ended up in a 36G in Sculptresse with the bras on the second hook. I received the Willow Full Cup Bra and the Bellise Balconette Bra in the Floral Print. These are the two most colorful/fun options in the collection, which tends to be where my tastes lie. If these bras look bright and crazy to you, be aware that the rest of the collection is more subdued. There are some great basic pastels and nudes, along with lots of useful t-shirt bras.

The Willow Full Cup Bra: 

Image via Figleaves

I picked the Willow bra based purely on color --- I've never turned down a raspberry bra in my life! In person this bra has an even deeper and richer color, which I absolutely adore. The Superbra line definitely a focus on colorful basics, so it's nice to see the Sculptresse line carrying on that tradition. This is a full cup bra, so it's great for higher cut clothing and creating a smooth line under things. When I first saw the catalogue I thought it would have black lace over the top part of the cups, but in reality it's a lace design that is printed onto the smooth fabric. I feel like this aspect of the Willow is really going to divide people. I'm a lace lover, so I wish there was an actual lace component. However, I know so many women who want prettier bras that are smooth all over. I suspect they'll go bananas over this feature.

The Bellise Bra: 

Image via Figleaves

This is a floral pattern that is going to look good on just about everyone. I love the lacy edges and the pops of orange and red throughout the pattern! The Bellise Bra is a balconette bra, but the coverage wasn't all that different from the full cup bra on me. These are definitely for women who prefer a more covered-up look, which means they aren't going to work under deep V-neck shirts or dresses.

The Fit:

Panache has redone lots of their bras with lower wires recently and I was glad to see the Sculptresse bras seem to be using the shorter versions. I used to have incredible pain when I wore the Tango or any of its variants, but due to the wire changes I own three. Neither of these bras poked or pinched me in the slightest, so they're definitely worth trying for those of you who struggled with the older styles.

One thing I did struggle with in both of these bras was having extra space at the bottom of the cups. I've had this problem with different versions of the Tango as well, so I think this is an instance where this bra isn't meant for my shape or breasts. I have reasonably dense breast tissue and I'm full on top, so I think if you had softer breast tissue or were fuller on the bottom these bras would be great.

The Verdict:

I think that the Sculptresse line is a great starting point for Panache and will appeal to lots of women who aren't addicted to plunge or half cup bras. I'd love to see Panache put out some plunge bras as part of this line in the future, as well as some bras that were slightly more ornate to make it work for a wider range of tastes. However, as an introductory basic line I think these bras are definitely worth exploring! I'm excited to keep an eye on the brand and will definitely be back to review the expanded offerings next season.

What do you think of the new Sculptresse offerings? Will you be picking any of them up?