Kayleigh Peddie S/S 2015: Handmade Lingerie with Androgynous Appeal
Kayleigh Peddie's Spring/Summer offerings transform performance fabrics into strong silhouettes that have fantastic cross-over appeal. Mesh, fishnet, and stretch lace are crafted into sleek styles that put a new spin on everyday basics. Part un-fussy femininity, part tomboy charm, Kayleigh Peddie's new collection is the epitome of effortless style that appeals to a wide audience.
As with other androgynous-friendly independent labels, such as Hopeless Lingerie and Sophie Hines, Kayleigh Peddie's designs are all about celebrating your body as-is. There's no pushing up or squeezing in. Rather, these are pieces that skim the body and act like a second skin. The collection utilizes simple shaping and linear design elements to create looks that are well suited on a wide variety of body types and style preferences.
The collection also serves as a blank canvas of sorts, ready to take on the personality of the wearer. The pieces are photographed in various styles --- retro, avant garde, clean-lined, classic, and romantic. This is part of why Kayleigh Peddie's work is so appealing; it is all about the person wearing the lingerie, not the lingerie wearing the person.
The 'Ronette' range utilizes stretch lace in a deep slate grey colorway. The cut-out bra features two-part triangle cups that connect at the center with elastic and rings, creating a delightfully unexpected oval shape at the center. The full bra also features a vertically seamed cup with a lovely curve along the bust. The roll-on garter doesn't provide any shaping, but is a sassy vintage-inspired piece with six wide garter straps (loving how those seams extend to meet the garter straps).
There's a lot of black mesh in the collection, and while we see black mesh all of the time, it feels really fresh here. In the 'Ida' range this is largely due to the seaming details used as linear elements. Note the lines that run across the body from cup through bodice through hips and ending with garter straps.
Mesh is also layered to play with the idea of opacity, giving us peeks of skin while also providing coverage. This is especially evident in the bodysuit, where the upper bodice and gusset are fully lined, encouraging the eye to focus on the sheer midriff and the strapping detail across the chest. Those high-waist ouvert knickers have tons of personality, especially with the cheeky leaf motif across the front.
The collection is not without color. Red fishnet is layered atop beige mesh in the playfully graphic 'Joan' range. Black elastic provides contrasting pops of color, and serves to emphasize the triangle cutaway on the bralette and bodysuit. The high-waist thong has six detachable garter straps, making it easy to incorporate stockings into your wardrobe. The bodysuit has a graceful, deeply scooped back with a horizontal strap that adds visual interest.
The strongest pieces in the collection are those crafted of white mesh. The 'Estelle' range has a sense of the utilitarian that is really interesting. These are not your old (and boring!) white undies!
The slight transparency of the mesh, paired with the kind of wide elastic you'd see on briefs, has resulted in pieces that are unexpectedly fresh. Normally strappy lingerie comes across as a bit tired, but these bring life to the trend without looking like they're trying too hard.
The suspender belt has two straps in the front that mirror the double strap of the bra (look at how beautifully the double straps join in a ring on the back of the bra, creating a subtle curve). And while we've seen high-waist briefs with side cut-outs in the past, these create lovely curved lines along the hips. Lastly, the sheer bodysuit is part men's tank undershirt, part leotard. I especially like how the satin elastic belt smartly defines the waist and adds sheen.
The collection is sized from XS-XL (fitting a 28" bust and hip through a 47" bust and hip). Bras start at around $55, panties at $30, and bodysuits at $75. Items are handmade to order in Montreal by Kayleigh herself, so allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Make sure to also check out Kayleigh Peddie's super-fun swimwear range that has the same strong silhouettes and easy-breezy sensibility of her lingerie designs.
What do you think of Kayleigh Peddie's designs? Could you see yourself wearing any of these pieces. Do you see these as androgynous lingerie?
