It goes without saying that independent designers face more challenges in the lingerie industry than the brands with massive corporations behind them. Some of these challenges will appear obvious even to people with no interest in lingerie (be that a matter of funding or public visibility). This series aims to peel back the curtains on some of the more hidden sides of the industry: this week I’m looking at why […]
As an intimates designer, I feel like I’ve heard every opinion about how much money we make. There are the parents of design students who wish their children would go into law instead of lingerie so they can actually support themselves. There are the people on Tumblr who talk about how indie designers must be rolling in the cash they make from their allegedly overpriced wares. There are the companies […]
The internet is a wonderful thing. There’s so much information available for free (or at least cheap!) that was impossible to find before. One of the great consequences of this is the growing trend in DIY. There’s a new wave of people trying their hand at making their own clothing with an inevitable foray into lingerie. I truly think any growth of creativity and craftsmanship is a wonderful thing. However, […]
This blog post contains images which are NSFW. There is a saying in the fashion industry that everything old is new again, and this is perhaps no more true than in the world of lingerie. The basic silhouette of the bra and panty has remained unchanged for decades, and a global, interconnected intimate apparel industry (run by only a handful of major companies) means less variation in both style […]
In last week’s review of Timeless Trends, I touched on the distinction between handmade and factory-produced corsets. Understandably, this drew some confusion. “Handmade” is not a regulated term and indeed sewn goods are created on machines manned by humans. So what defines a handmade piece? And what are the benefits to mass-manufacturing? How Do We Define “Handmade?” Each factory will have their own process for mass production. I’ve only worked […]
