Luxury Lingerie Review: Rosamosario Silk & Lace Palazzo Pants
Disclosure: I purchased these trousers with my own money. All opinions are my own.
Luxury is a term thrown around so liberally in the fashion industry, it’s almost lost its meaning. The term can be applied to everything from mass-manufactured synthetic satin to hand-finished silk. One could easily argue it’s fast becoming obsolete. Luxury's original meaning of excess and attention to detail cannot easily be applied to most contemporary lingerie brands. Simply put, there are but a few actually practicing what they preach.
About the Brand and Purchase Details:
I associate Rosamosario with utterly lavish and opulent design. It’s one of the few brands I wouldn’t hesitate to describe as couture (joining the ranks of Carine Gilson), with lashings of exquisite French lace appliqué and metres and metres of flowing silk. Therefore, there's no surprise it's frequently featured in TLA's most luxurious gift guides.
Rosamosario has a level of decadence in its creations rarely reached by other designers. Voluminous silhouettes and real fur trims are not uncommon. Although the latter is not to many people's taste, it can’t be argued that real fur has long been a hallmark of luxury clothing.
Of course, it goes without saying this level of luxury comes with a hefty price tag. Rosamosario is brand usually well outside my lingerie budget. Only when I spotted one of their pieces at over 90% off was I was able to take the plunge and try the product. This eBay bargain took the form of a pair of their signature Palazzo pants in a navy/ivory stripe silk with gold lace appliqué.
Although this exact design is no longer available, you can still purchase from the similar ‘Amori’ range in the Rosamosario online shop. Retailing at 570 euros (approximately $600), the pants are available in sizes XXS-XXL and made to measure. The range also includes coordinates such as camisoles, teddies, robes and French knickers. Styles are made to order in the Rosamosario Italian atelier.
Fabric, Construction and Fit:
The silk used for these trousers is of a wonderful weight: soft and flowing without being sheer. They have a soft lustre rather than a satin finish. The lace is a French Leavers lace with gold threads on a pale brown tulle background. The construction of this piece is beautifully executed with French seams on the silk. All raw fabric edges are cleanly enclosed. I'm impressed with how the lace has been applied to the trouser legs. The lace pattern is delicately cut out and neatly appliquéd with a small zigzag stitch to attach it to the silk.
More impressive though is the method with which the lace has been seamed to itself. Rather than simply following the straight seam the silk uses, the lace design has been carefully cut around and appliquéd to itself. It’s a little tricky to explain this construction method in layman terms, but suffice to say it demonstrates incredible skill. Most noteworthy, this is the sort of expensive attention to detail you would usually see in either couture or high-end bridal wear. It's not something I've encountered in lingerie before.
I purchased a size M and usually wear a UK size 10-12 (US size 6-8). The trousers are a palazzo style with extremely wide legs and a high rise. On my body they sit on my natural waist comfortably, though the elasticated waist offers a lot of stretch and could easily fit sizes larger than me.
The trousers are designed to have a very loose and flowing fit, skimming the body rather than adhering to it. Although the elasticated waist offers more than enough stretch for ease of dressing, there’s also a row of Swarovski crystal buttons and loops at the centre back. At 5’7”, the hem of the trouser legs skims the ground with a little room to spare.
Unfortunately, one of the problems with the use of lace in this design is that hemming this garment would prove problematic for anyone with shorter legs. The hem uses the lace scallop, so you would lose some of the prettiest design detail by cutting down on the length. If you have particularly long or short legs, I suspect a custom fit would be the best route to take.
The design didn't particularly grab my attention initially. The colour combination and stripes aren’t necessarily something I’d pick for myself in ordinary circumstances. Instead, this purchase was more about the opportunity to actually try this brand for myself at a price I could afford! After so much time lusting after Rosamosario's creations in online photos, it was a chance to see if the product could live up to the hype.
Thankfully, when the garment actually arrived in the flesh, I fell in love. The construction and materials are both beautiful, but the actual experience of wearing the trousers grabbed me most.
Last Thoughts:
There’s something incredibly decadent about being swathed in so many metres of beautifully flowing silk and sheer lace: so utterly impractical, yet so undeniably glamorous. Suffice to say, I’ve spent many hours wearing these at home, purely for the purpose of swishing them around.
Rosamosario's trousers are the sort of piece that would work equally well in the boudoir or worn as elegant evening wear with a beautiful camisole. I just wish I had more opportunity to style such a piece in my life! Unfortunately, it’s unlikely my life circumstances will change anytime soon and allow me to budget for more Rosamosario pieces, but I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on this brand in the sales.
How do you define luxury lingerie? And would you be willing to buy something this luxurious?
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