A couple of years ago, I wrote an article on black-owned lingerie brands and it became one of TLA’s most popular articles to-date. Despite what many business experts or industry authorities have to say about the importance of “neutral” or “colorblind” companies, it turns out many people want to support underrepresented or marginalized designers. This is especially when these brands respond to a need the larger intimate apparel industry has neglected for decades.
The visual story of lingerie is everything, and a brand’s lookbook is one of the single most effective ways of transmitting that story. From a lookbook, you can learn if a brand is contemporary or traditional, luxury or inexpensive, French-inspired or American-influenced. A good lookbook conveys a brand’s identity, and it’s no exaggeration to say it can make or break a label.
Nubian Skin’s 2014 debut was a watershed moment for the lingerie industry. After years of campaigns like “What’s Your Nude?” being ignored (if not outright mocked), here was a lingerie brand created by a woman of color for other people of color. And the response was explosive. Not only was Nubian Skin featured in O Magazine, Ebony, Self, and Allure (not to mention MTV, The Los Angeles Times, Elle, and […]
Ever since the initial launch of Nubian Skin, there’s been an increased level of coverage dedicated to brands making undergarments in shades of nude which look natural on a variety of skin tones. I’ve been very excited about the level of attention the issue and the brands have received, but disappointed that most of the write-ups haven’t included more options for bras in larger band sizes or mention of the fact that these lines don’t include larger sizes.
While in the UK for the Oxford Conference of Corsetry, I also managed to fit in a shoot with Tigz Rice Studios, who you may remember from What Katie Did’s recent Spring/Summer 2015 Lookbook. Tigz is a well-respected fashion and editorial photographer who’s worked with everyone from Benefit Cosmetics to Cosmopolitan Magazine. I was delighted to hear that she had time in her schedule to work with me as it’s […]
