Highlights from The Las Vegas International Lingerie Show Spring/Summer 2014

Disclosure: The Las Vegas International Lingerie Show is an advertiser on The Lingerie Addict. All opinions are my own.

After a season-long hiatus, I was really happy to be back at the Las Vegas International Lingerie Show this past September. The Las Vegas lingerie show is very different from the New York lingerie show. With more of a focus on "sexy," budget-friendly lines, much of the lingerie shown at ILS will eventually appear in your local adult novelty boutique around Christmas and Valentine's Day, and several pieces I saw will be privately labeled (that is, made by one company and sold with another company's tag) by a few major (as in, really major) lingerie retailers later on this year.

One of the things I've always liked about ILS is their size diversity. While many designer labels top out at my size (around a US 10/UK 14), at ILS, if you're not making at least a 3X, then you're just not competitive. Some of that I'm sure is due to the overwhelming abudance of simpler silhouettes at this lingerie tradeshow; it has to be easier to size up a chemise, babydoll, or robe than, say, a bra. And I'm sure some of it also has to do with the fact that many labels at ILS manufacture overseas; cheaper production costs allow a brand to spend money on other things... like expanding its size range. But I also believe part of it is just that brands at ILS are more corporate, more profit-driven, and a little less tied to notions of "good design" or an "ideal customer." These companies have recognized that plus size women want pretty lingerie too, and they've rushed in to fill the gap.

A noticeable absence at this year's ILS was Leg Avenue Lingerie. Ordinarily, they occupy a booth the size of a decent apartment, but this year they chose to forego this show and attend MAGIC instead. Considering how popular lingerie is becoming with mainstream fashion retailers (it's an easy space to dabble in, especially in this area of the market), I can understand their decision. However, now I'm wondering if Leg Avenue's shift towards the ready-to-wear market will herald a mass exodus of other brands from these kinds of specialty lingerie trade shows. After all, if the big stores are visiting MAGIC, isn't that where the lingerie brands should be too?

Tia Lyn

Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the show. Noted standouts include Dirty Dolls' new blush longline bra, Rago's new leopard print colorway, Hauty's delightfully naughty bodysuit, Coquette's lacy chemises, and Black Bow's sparkly holiday bras. What do you think of the upcoming season's preview from ILS?

Coquette

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