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BUSINE S S INTELLIGENCE FOR LINGERIE & SWIMWE AR PROFE S SIONAL S

OCTOBER 2011 / VOL. 02 ISSUE 10


www.lingerieinsight.com

OPINION
BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
RAVENOUS
BELLE & DON

PREMIER
LEAGUE
Paul Robinson talks
about producing
lingerie for the UKs
top football clubs

NEW
PRODUCTS

LFW

MADE IN
THE UK
We reveal why British
manufacture is set for
a resurgence

RISE OF THE
FRANCHISE
Learn what the
franchise business
model can do for you

BREAST CANCER
AWARENESS MONTH
Find out which brands are
supporting the fight against
breast cancer

UK

WE BR
T H E S I N G YO U
EPT
2011 S E M B E R
H I G H L H OW
IGHTS

AWARDS
Lingerie Insight
introduces you to the
winners and finalists
of this years glittering
event at One Mayfair

47
FRONT

News Review
A round-up of this months lingerie and swimwear news.

First Stitch
We take a look at the work of LCF student Charini Suriyage.

10
11

Voice of the Industry


Christine Parish describes her quest to find non-wired bras.
Speakers Corner
UK Lingerie Awards winners give feedback on the night.

14

ON THE COVER
14

UK Lingerie Awards
Read our exclusive coverage of the 2011 UK Lingerie Awards.

26

Premier League
Paul Robinson speaks on intimate apparel and football.

30

Breast Cancer Awareness Month


Discover who is supporting the fight against breast cancer.

32

Made in the UK
LI reports on intimate apparel manufacturing in the UK.

36

London Fashion Week


We bring you news from the designers at last months LFW.

38

Ravenous Belle & Don


Learn about new designer collective Ravenous Belle & Don.

41

To ask or not to ask?


Being U co-founder Sadia Sisay speaks out about lingerie
options for women of colour during Black History Month.

42

Rise of the franchise


Shaw Stapely explains the key points that need to be
considered when exploring the franchise concept.

REGULARS
45
46

10

26

32

36

42

Object of Desire
The high end piece that has the industry talking this month.
Products Showcase
An inspirational selection of new lingerie and swimwear.
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

COMMENT

BUSINE S S INTELLIGENCE FOR LINGERIE & SWIMWE AR PROFE S SIONAL S

ITP PROMEDIA PUBLISHING

Congratulations to all the


winners and finalists of this
years inaugural UK Lingerie
Awards. I am sure everyone
who attended will agree it was a
night to remember and that the
level of talent and success of the
individuals who congregated
at One Mayfair for the occasion
was an incredibly positive sign
for the intimate apparel sector
moving forward.
In this issue, we are seeking to
recognise an additional area of the
industry, one which is rarely publicised.
Therefore, we ask the question, is
manufacturing dead in Britain? After
all, with the huge number of factories

and jobs moving abroad over the past


couple of decades, the future of British
intimate apparel production could
appear in doubt.
However, as we reveal in the October
edition, manufacturing in the country
is not only still very much alive but,
in some areas, growing. Companies
such as Gio Stockings and Courtaulds
are just a few of the traditional labels
that are still producing hosiery in the
country, primarily for their own brands.
But, there are also a growing
number of factories which offer a
manufacturing facility for brands
specialising in luxury design. These
include the likes of AJM Sewing and
Orbit Apparel, both of which are
experiencing a building demand for
their services from a bevy of British
independent directional labels.
Premier Lingerie, whose chief
executive we have interviewed in this
months issue, is also manufactured
in the UK by Vixen Lingerie which, in
addition to own label, offers CMT (Cut,
Make and Trim).
And, with the rising costs of labour
abroad making British manufacturing
even more attractive, we could be set
to see a comeback of the Made in the
UK label. I, for one, will be glad to see
it happen.
KAT SLOWE
EDITOR
kat.slowe@itp.com

OCTOBER COVER
Cover: By Caprice
Model wears: Morticia bodysuit
Photographer: Rachell Smith
Model: Caprice Bourret

16A Baldwins Gardens, London, EC1N 7RJ, UK


Tel: +44 (0) 20 31 764228
Fax: +44 (0) 20 31 764231
EDITORIAL
EDITOR Kat Slowe,
kat.slowe@itp.com
CONTRIBUTORS Joon Haque, Sadia Sisay, Shaw
Stapely
COMMERCIAL
SALES MANAGER Andrew Martyniuk,
andrew.martyniuk@itp.com
STUDIO
GROUP ART EDITOR Daniel Prescott,
daniel.prescott@itp.com
DESIGNED in conjunction with Quadrum
Solutions
www.quadrumltd.com
DIGITAL
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Hitendra Molleti, hitendra.molleti@itp.com
ONLINE PRODUCTION Ernesto Ceralde,
Rose Yorobe
PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
GROUP PRODUCTION
& DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR
Kyle Smith, kyle.smith@itp.com
DEPUTY PRODUCTION MANAGER
Matthew Grant, matthew.grant@itp.com
DATABASE MANAGEMENT Manju Sajeesh,
manju.sajeesh@itp.com
CIRCULATION
CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE
+971 4 286 8559
Web: www.lingerieinsight.com
Printed by: Wyndeham Grange
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BUSINE S S INTELLIGENCE FOR LINGERIE & SWIMWE AR PROFE S SIONAL S

Published by and copyright 2011


Promedia Ltd, incorporated and
registered in the British Virgin Islands
under company number 1559854.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

212223-012012

THE
FAMOUS
WORLD
OF INTIMATES

www.lingerie-paris.com

PARIS EXPO - PORTE DE VERSAILLES - HALL 1


Contact: T. +44 208 216 3100 - F. +44 208 447 1146 | enquiries@promosalons.co.uk

NEWS REVIEW / FRONT

THIS MONTH IN LINGERIE AND SWIMWEAR

NEWS IN BRIEF
NEWS IN QUOTE S
GR ADUATE FOCUS
VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY
SPE AKERS CORNER
CALENDAR
WEB HIGHLIGHTS

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11
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RACHELL SMITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAPRICES


SS12 LINGERIE AND SWIMWEAR COLLECTION S

achell Smith, a
former photographic
assistant at Rankin
Photography, has
collaborated with By Caprice to
produce the brands new SS12
imagery.
The photographer, who has reportedly shot for the likes of Elle,
Tatler and Vogue, shot the collection at a studio in Shoreditch. It is
her second ever campaign.
Shes just massive right now,
said By Caprice owner, designer
and model Caprice Bourret.

We see the shoots, especially


for lingerie, are becoming a bit
more risqu and overtly sexy.
RacheLl is quite a feminine, edgy
photographer, so this was quite
an exciting project for her... She is
really great, her and her 100,000
assistants... Her lighting is so
fantastic that we had very little
re-touching to do. We will definitely be using her again.
The new SS12 range comes out
in December in retailers such as
Next, Littlewoods, Very, ASOS,
Figleaves, Debenhams and 70

independents nationwide.
By Caprice has also taken on
a big, new mystery stockist, who
Bourret states will help raise the
companys profi le to an entirely
new level. The retailer is currently launching brands in its stores
and By Caprice will be the only
lingerie brand.
For AW11, By Caprice will
be expanding worldwide and
entering into the hosiery and
sleepwear sectors. Th is Valentines Day, it will also be launching a new campaign, featuring

a fresh face and body. Bourret is


currently looking into the next
little hot thing and is planning
to go for a big American name for
maximum exposure.
We will just do what we
did with Amy [Childs] and do
a Valentines campaign again,
she said. We are calling around
the agents and we are seeing
the availability, and how bloody
expensive they are... Im so bored
of doing it. You just have to keep
on working out four times a week
and eating like a rabbit.

FOR IMAGES OF THE SS12 COLLECTIONS AND DAILY BREAKING NEWS VISIT
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

FRONT / NEWS REVIEW

NEWS REVIEW
Wacoal lingerie brand b.temptd
launched on fi gleaves.com last
month.
The site is showcasing mainly
basic signature styles, with several fashion colours being added
later in the season.
The collection seeks to incorporate a winter inspired colour
palette and delicate lace details
with Wacoal signature fit and
quality.
Wacoal sales & marketing
manager Susan Bradley said: I
am very excited to be further
expanding the b.temptd brand
by launching it on fi gleaves.com,
which has already had much
success with our Wacoal brand.

Lime Door Brands , the


Australian company that manages Shane Warnes underwear
brand, Spinners, and is behind
burlesque star Dita Von Teeses
new lingerie line, has gone into
voluntary liquidation
The fi rm reportedly held a
creditors meeting last month,
but is yet to release a statement
regarding the future of the company.
Chief Executive Michele Hamdorf, a retail veteran of Target,
Myer and David Jones, told International Business Times that
the voluntary liquidation was
not a reflection on the companys performance but was a re-

sult of a disagreement between


Hamdorf and three unnamed
seed partners over growth and
international expansion plans.
She said: I put Lime Door
Brands into voluntary liquidation after an unresolved stalemate with my three key capital
partners... I have so much business to get on with and I needed
to break the nexus... Shanes
well aware of it - its nothing
to do with him or the Spinners
brand...
Warnes brand is sold in major retail outlets throughout
Australia and negotiations have
been ongoing about opening a
store in the UK.
More than four out of 10 new
employees taken on by the retail
sector in the last 12 months
have been aged between 16 and
21, new fi gures from the British
Retail Consortium (BRC) have
revealed.
A survey of BRC members
responsible for more than a million retail jobs has found 42%
of new starters were aged 21
or younger, which equates to
at least 13,500 jobs for this age
group.
Across the UK, retailing also
provides 42% of 16 to 17-yearolds in employment with a job.
Similarly, it provides 40% of employment for 18 to 19-year-olds
and 25% for 20 to 24-year-olds,
said the BRC.
Eternal Spirits has designed

a new collection, exclusive to


ASOS, which has just launched
on the site for Autumn/Winter.
Th is is the second collection
that Eternal Spirits has designed

for the online retailer.


The fi rst range was reportedly
so popular that, after multiple re
orders, ASOS chose to stock it as
a continuity line.
The new collection features a
Bettie sweetheart style corset,
available in a pleated black or
pleated soft gold duchess satin,
the Audrey in violet silk dupion
with ribbon front detail and the

Audrey in a black faux leather.


Baci Lingerie has signed a
deal with a new, exclusive South
African brand owner, who is set
to open at least 20 mono brand
stores over the next five years.
The step follows a spate of
recent deals in countries around
the world, including Holland,
Brazil, France, Spain, Mexico,
Budapest, the UAE, the Baltic
States and Belarus.
Baci Lingerie chief operating
officer Robert Rosen said: Once
Baci Lingerie South Africa was
introduced to the mono brand
store concept, they completely
fell in love and were eager to
move forward. Already Baci
Lingerie is scouting for the best
locations in South Africa to
house their 20 plus Baci Lingerie
mono brand stores.
If You Please has launched a
new, versatile collection of lingerie, which doubles or triples
as swimwear and evening wear.
Designer Amber Thomsons
new range of transitional body-

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

wear and lingerie comes in a


mix and match of high waist
and bandeau bikini styles, as
well as the signature Joni bodysuit with extra long fringing.
All products have been road
tested by the If You Please team
abroad and throughout the
festival season to ensure their
longevity. They are made from
Lycra and stretch lace, and come
in bright neon, and black and
white colourways.
Ormskirk retailer Pandoras Box
celebrated its 20th anniversary
in September with a special promotion weekend and exclusive
VIP evening.
The business began on a market stall two decades ago, before
quickly moving into the indoor
market in Ormskirk and, later,
Wheatsheaf Walk, where it is
today.
Day to day operations of the
shop have been taken on by ex
sisters-in-law Katie Givens and
Jackie Wood, but Givens parents
still work behind-the-scenes in
assisting the smooth running of
the store.
Givens said: We accredit
our success to differentiation of
service and products, a nose for
specific customer needs and a
friendly warm environment in
which to shop. I believe these
are the key factors for survival
in any retail outlet.
New lingerie brand being U has
been selected as a fi nalist in the
Start-up Business of the Year
category for the 2011 PRECIOUS
Awards.
The PRECIOUS Awards celebrate women of colour in business. Being U is a start-up company that offers lingerie which is
specially designed to cater for a
variety of different skin tones.
Co-founder Sadia Sisay said:
After years of research and development to create the perfect
product, we are so pleased being
U is being recognised for the
revolutionary brand it is.

NEWS REVIEW / FRONT

NEWS IN QUOTES

INNOVATIVE SHAPEWEAR

This positive development against the backdrop


of an economically challenging environment is
primarily the result of the targeted expansion of our
own sales outlets.
Wolford chief executive officer HOLGER DAHMEN talks about Wolfords
reduced loss for the first quarter. The company saw a sales increase
of six percent, driven partly by the expansion of the companys own
distribution network.

Due to increasing customer demand, we believe


the time is right for us to go fully transactional with
Charnos.co.uk.
Charnos design and marketing director MIRANDA FROST discusses the
launch of the brands new transactional website, which was unveiled
last month.

I am thrilled to offer our customers these ultimate


gift boxes, which will hopefully make searching for
the perfect gift a thing of the past.
Ayten Gasson creative director AYTEN MUSTAFA speaks about the
brand introducing a new series of boxed gift sets, this season.

Ive been trying to buy Lime Door Brands out - the


full equity of it - for the last six months, and we
basically reached a position where we couldnt agree
to agree and, given I want to move forward with full
ownership of the company. I made the decision to
put it into liquidation.
Lime Door Brands chief executive MICHELE HAMDORF explains why
the Australian company has gone into voluntary liquidation.

I must have been the youngest trained bra fitter


around. I remember always telling my friends in
school what bra size they should wear. We used to
do presentations at local schools and the WI and my
mum used to use me as a model.

BY

Pandoras Box partner KATIE GIVENS describes how she became

NATURANA Ltd. Partnership

interested in lingerie on the eve of the stores 20th anniversary event.

Licheld, Staffs. WS13 6RT


Tel 01543 414441 Fax 01543 441609
info@naturana.co.uk www.naturana.com

>> Something to say? Email info@lingerieinsight.com

17498+14390

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

FRONT / NEWS REVIEW

NEWS REVIEW

X Factor contestant Michelle


Barrett, who moved judge Tulisa Contostavlos to tears on
the show, last month, has been
revealed as a former model of
lingerie brand Ultimo .
Th is year, the blonde singer
won a place on the labels Real
Woman campaign and was featured on billboards throughout
the country.
Barrett, a mother of four, told
the Sunday Mirror: Posing in
just your pants is very full-on.
But on the day the shoot was
very professional and the photographers put me at ease really
quickly.
Barretts audition song, All
The Man I Need by Whitney
Houston, gained her a place in
Boot Camp, the next stage of the
ITV singing contest.
After the performance, Contostavlos said: You remind me
of my mum. It was brilliant.
Boux Avenue launched its
seventh UK store at the Metrocentre, Gateshead, on September 23, 2011.
Owned by Dragons Den star
Theo Paphitis, the new lingerie
label offers products such as

bras and frilly knicker, chemises


and teddies.
Fittings and expert advice are
available free of charge from the
stores, which feature drawers
that display lingerie in accordance to size and fitting rooms
with three different light settings
to emulate day, dusk and night.
Paphitis said: Boux Avenue
offers an amazing lingerie and
nightwear shopping experience
for women who are looking for
something truly special. Boux
Avenue provides outstanding
service and a superior fit that
is unrivalled in its approach. I
am delighted to be opening my
fi rst store in the North East at
the Metrocentre. The centre is a
perfect fit for the Boux Avenue
brand and I know the women of
Gateshead are going to love it!

FIRST STITCH

CELEBRATING EMERGING TALENT


Inspired by her love for experimenting with combinations of the
traditional and modern, Sri Lankan
born Charini Suriyage has already
made a mark for herself in the ethical fashion arena, her brand Charini
winning the first ever Ethical Fashion
Award for lingerie at the Sri Lanka
Design Festival in 2010.
Suriyage studied for her Bachelors
in Fashion Design at the University
of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, and is, at
present reading for her Masters in
Design Management at London College of Fashion. She has worked with
some of the best names in ethical
fashion, including Orsola de Castro,
Filippo Ricci, Elizabeth Laskar and
Claire Hamer.
>> Are you a student or recent graduate and want to be featured
in First Stitch? Email info@lingerieinsight.com

STORE ENVY

Ann Summers chief executive


Jacqueline Gold has apologised
after a joke tweet that she posted, last month, appeared to confi rm rumours that the Olympic
arena would be re-named the
Ann Summers Stadium.
She wrote her comments on
Twitter after a story appeared
in The Sun and the Daily Mail
asserting that West Ham United
chairman and Ann Summers
owner David Gold had told fans
the company was in the running
to be the stadium sponsor.
Gold commented: So rumours are the Olympic Stadium
might be called the Ann Summers Stadium. What do the
#westham fans think of that or
what would u prefer?

WHAT KATIE DID, 7970 MELROSE AVENUE, WEST


HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
What Katie Did opened a store

and its 120 stockists worldwide.

on Hollywoods famous Melrose

The company is now looking to

Avenue on September 8.

expand its operations in the US, in

Founded in 1999, What Katie Did

the wake of launching both retail

specialises in lingerie inspired by

and wholesale websites in the

the 4 0s and 50s. Until now, its lin-

country, last year.

gerie has been available through

Retail mail order will soon be

the brands website (www.whatka-

despatched from the brands LA

tiedid.com), its London boutique

stockroom.

>> Got a Store Envy suggestion? Email: info@lingerieinsight.com

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

FRONT / NEWS REVIEW

VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY

My story: a quest for


non-wired bras

CHRISTINE PARISH
Owner, softly softly

y name is Christine

selection. Sadly not. My choice was,

and I wear non-wired

shall we say... limited. I came away with

bras. There, my

a white tee shirt bra, only marginally

secret is out. Until

more attractive than my sports bras

three years ago I hadnt really given

and twice as uncomfortable. I cried on

wire-free bras a thought. Apart from

the way home and the bra went into

a couple of maternity bras when I

the charity bag that evening with the

was pregnant and breastfeeding, I

labels still attached.

dont think Id worn one since I was 15.

Not all women who have surgery

Then, in May 2008, I was diagnosed

for breast cancer want a pocketed

with breast cancer. As well as entering

bra. They just want a non-wired bra.

a world of hospital appointments,

And, it isnt an issue that just affects

chemotherapy, wigs, scans and

women who have had breast cancer.

surgery, I also found myself having to

There are also many other women

give the lingerie I bought some serious

who for one reason or another

consideration. Having a reconstruction

choose or need to wear non-wired

alongside a mastectomy meant that

bras. They shouldnt have to choose

I had to spend three months, day

between a mastectomy bra, a sports

and night, in a sports bra and then

bra, a maternity bra or something

the foreseeable future in non-wired

unattractive in white, black or nude.

bras. During my treatment, I most

I feel that there is sometimes an

looked forward to two things: the

assumption in the industry that

first was having hair long enough

women who wear non-wired put

to have a proper cut and the other

comfort before style. Cant they have

was buying fabulous new lingerie. Id

both? I was inspired to create my

lost a lot of confidence, as well as my

business so other women dont have

breast, and I thought that having new,

to do the extensive research that I

feminine lingerie would give me back

had to.

some of my sense of being a woman.

DB Apparel UK is supporting
retailers, this winter, by launching a price freeze on all product
lines.
The company, whose brands
include Wonderbra, Playtex and
Shock Absorber, has made the
decision to keep prices static
until Autumn/Winter 2012.
DBA general manager Paul
Devin said: Coming from a
sales background myself, I know
how important it is to support
the trade. As well as the twoseason price freeze, we are committing to a significant media
spend for a second year running,
with the aim of encouraging
more consumer footfall into
store to fi nd great product at
affordable prices.

X Factor judge Tulisa was


spotted wearing a bikini by Miss
Mandalay while on holiday in
Spain, last month.
The N Dubz singer wore the
luxury brands blue and white
Ahoy style on the beach, with

I would love to see some of the

That was before I went on my first

large lingerie brands designing two

post surgery bra-buying expedition.

or three wire-free bras each season in

How nave I was. I thought that

the same fabrics, patterns and colours

there would be rows of non-wired

as their wired counterparts, providing

bras, equally as beautiful as their wired

all women with a choice. One day,

equivalents, waiting for me to make a

perhaps.

10

NEWS REVIEW

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

images of her wading in the sea


receiving national coverage.
Tulisa has also reportedly
taken some of the brands pieces
to Greece for the fi nal stages of
X-Factor bootcamp.
Miss Mandalay founder Lorraine Morton said: We knew
she was a fan of our lingerie
and swimwear, so its great to
actually see images of her wearing our range It also really
re-enforces our brand position,
as Miss Mandalay has always
strived to bring well fitting
lingerie and swimwear to fashionistas of all shapes and sizes,
with a size range from 28 to 38,
B to H cup.

US retailer Victorias Secret is


opening four outlets in Russia,
this quarter.
The fi rst store launched on
September 30 in the Mega Shopping Centre at Tyoply Stan and
the second opened three days
later in Moscows Kapitoly shopping centre.
The third is set to launch in
early November in Mega Khimki.
A special concept will reportedly set the Russian stores apart
from their US counterparts.
The boss of high street clothing
retailer Next gave hope to members of the fashion industry last
month after he announced that
the cotton bubble had officially
burst.
Lord Simon Wolfson added
that retailers would soon also
be seeing an end to the perfect
storm of rising costs and higher
VAT, asserting that there would
be little to no infl ation in products prices in 2012.

NEWS REVIEW / FRONT

SPEAKERS CORNER

DIARY DATES
18-19th October, Arts Hotel, Barcelona. The second edition of
Anteprima Barcelona will take
place a month prior to the Mare
di Moda|Intimo di Moda event.
The exclusive meeting seeks to
put a selection of companies exhibiting in Cannes in touch with
the leading Iberian beachwear
manufacturers.
18-19th October, Shanghai Exhibi-

LYDIA LEONG
founder,
Jamu Australia

GARRY HOGARTH
chief executive,
Agent Provocateur

LEANNE BROOKE
founder,
Obey My Demand

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN A UK LINGERIE AWARD?

tion Center, Shanghai. I nterfiliere


Shanghai and Shanghai Mode
Lingerie are a meeting place for
major players, worldwide, in the
intimate apparel and swimwear
industry. The event features a
trends forum, fashion shows,
and trends conferences by international experts. It will also
host a Gala night, which will be
attended by 400 press, top buyers and key industry players.

My Dutch agent Dees rang at

We are thrilled to receive the

After all the excitement of the

5.30am my time and said, Lydia, we

UK Lingerie Award for Multiple

awards ceremony, it now feels quite

won and we both started crying.

Retailer of the Year. It is a great

surreal for Obey My Demand to have

Within days, we had an order from

recognition for the whole company,

won an award, especially when this

a potential client who previously

especially Sarah and her team for

year has already opened up so many

had emailed to say that, although

the great collections they have been

fantastic opportunities for me. The

she loved Jamu, she wouldnt be

producing, and has set our knickers

New Designer of the Year award

stocking the brand until next season.

aflutter! The gents in our boutiques

has highlighted and celebrated

We received positive comments,

also have to be thanked for their

the brands exciting success to

Festivals, Cannes. Mare di Moda

like the one from my Canadian

hard work. It`s been a great year

date. It has created awareness of

distributor, saying, we all know the

and we hope for many more .Thank

the brand amongst other lingerie

brand is exceptional. Now it has the

you so much to Lingerie Insight

professionals; therefore showing the

print/award to prove it. And, I was

for all the support throughout the

industry the brands potential for

approached to work on a unique

year and we would like to send our

future collections and creating high

project, which I cant yet talk about,

congratulations to all of the award

expectations of whats to come next

but which seems very exciting.

winners and nominees.

for Obey My Demand!

is a trade faire for lingerie and


beachwear, which is held in
Cannes. It offers the opportunity
for exhibitors and distributors
from across the globe to come
together and receive information on the latest fashions.

23rd-25th November, Palais de

23rd-25th September, Yiwu Inter-

NEWS FLASH

national Exhibition Centre, Zhejian, PR China. YIWU H&G 2011

LASCIVIOUS has teamed up with fellow


independent British label BELLE-ET-BONBON, this Christmas, to produce a collection
of limited edition knickers.
Featuring either a signature Lascivious print
or Belle-et-BonBon lace, the festive pieces are
finished with a delicate Enjoy heart-shaped
tag.
The asymmetric tie-sides come packaged
in a BonBon, or bauble, ready to hang on the
Christmas tree.
Belle-et-BonBon founder Geri Keord said:
Working with Chloe and Lascivious has been
really exciting for us... Chloes immense talent
for beautiful, graphic, sleek lingerie is pure
craftwork, and distinctly seductive with a
playful edge that we love at Belle-et-BonBon!

For more
news visit
www.lingerieinsight.com

is a professional exhibition specialising in hosiery and seamless underwear machinery. The


event is increasingly becoming a
must-go knitting exhibition for
both local and overseas knitting
manufacture.
15-17th January, TBC. The Lingerie Collective will be putting

on a show of mid to high end


lingerie brands, ranging from
UK high fashion labels through
to international iconic names.
The event, which will see brands
exhibit their AW12 collection,
will be expanding into a new,
larger venue for 2012.
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

11

FRONT / NEWS REVIEW

MOST READ ONLINE

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

EDITORS CHOICE

UK Lingerie Awards
celebrates the best of 2011
American Apparel model
search is butt of joke

GALLERY

COLLECTION

GALLERY: Winners of UK
Lingerie Awards 2011

Designer makes lingerie


from animal nipples

Shell Belle Couture SS12

PICS: Designer makes


lingerie from animal nipples

Rachel Freire presents her


Nippleocalypse collection at LFW.

Luxury brand Shell Belle Couture showcases


its new lingerie, swimwear and nightwear
range.

VIDEO

NEWS

Nichole de Carle
LFW party

Next claims cotton bubble


has burst

Dirty Sexy Things cast checks out Nichole


de Carles new SS12 lingerie range.

Boss of Next states that prices for the natural


fibre have started to decline.

10,000 in lingerie stolen


from Sadie The Bra Lady
Top Model star poses for
Kiss Me Deadly
GALLERY: Celebs attend the
UK Lingerie Awards
COLLECTION: Shell Belle
Couture 2012
Kardashian collection
launches today
Ann Summers pops up in
Selfridges

LINGERIE TWEETS

12

Looks like I wont be allowed access in the

Mirror-Talk: I really want to buy all the

mansion
beyond our room for Mondays
man
nsio
sion b

underwear that matches these bras, but

shoot. Must
Muss start scouting estates or

first I have to go home and talk to my

making
rich
m ing ric
mak
c friends.

ass.

@ToadLillie
@ToadL
adLii

@jenettebras

Hey
y SPAN
S
SPANX
P N fans! Today is the first day of

Looking at a certain lingerie brands size

fall...whats your favorite thing about the

chart...apparently a size L is a US size 8 w/

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

season?

a 29 waist and 39 hips. Thats just sad.

@SPANXinc

@lingerie_addict

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

WE BRING YOU THE


EXCLUSIVE SCOOP ON
THE UK LINGERIE AWARDS
2011, HOSTED BY LINGERIE
INSIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 7 AT
ONE MAYFAIR.

1
UK Lingerie Awards
guests raise their
glasses at the event
3
Violinists provide
entertainment at
One Mayfair
2
The UK Lingerie
Awards 2011 venue,
One Mayfair
4
UK Lingerie Awards
trophies

14

enior members of the UK


Lingerie industry came
together at the inaugural UK
Lingerie Awards last month
to recognise outstanding examples of
excellence over the past year.
Lingerie Insight magazine hosted the
event, which was sponsored by Speedo
Sculpture and the Melas Group, and
took place inside the plush confines of
One Mayfair. More than 250 lingerie
professionals attended the evening,
including several high profile celebrities
from the stage and screen.
Celebrity attendees included the likess
of Imogen Thomas, Michelle Mone,
Caprice, actress Louisa Lytton, The Macc
Twins, actress Zarah Abrahams, singer
Charlotte Abrahams and Dirty Sexy
Things Charlotte de Carle.
et
Despite the challenges that the market
has faced during the past 12 months,

competition for this years awards was as


n
fierce as ever across the 20 categories on
offer. The UK Lingerie Awards website
or
was visited by 11,870 unique visitors prior
to the awards and, prior to the judging,
received over 4500 votes. The final votingg
by the UK Lingerie Awards judges for
the finalists and winners was done in
secret. On the night of the awards, not
even the judges knew the result. In the
brand categories, the victors included Laa
n
Perla, Lascivious, Made By Niki, Maryan
d
Mehlhorn, Shock Absorber and Wolford
er,
Tights. Agent Provocateur, Rigby & Peller,
Selfridges and Figleaves claimed the
retail prizes, while La Senza scooped thee
ar
prize for Marketing Campaign of the Year
with Cup Size Choir.
In the much-anticipated New Brand
of the Year award, Obey My Demand
struck gold as designer Leanne Brooke
saw off strong competition to earn

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

victory in the category. Rounding off


the ceremony, Jill Kenton received the
Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf
of her mother, June Kenton, who was
given the accolade in honour of the 50
outstanding years that she has devoted
to the industry, both as proprietor of
Rigby & Peller and holder of the Royal
Warrant.
Lingerie Insight editor Kat Slowe said:
It takes an exceptional level of talent,
creativity, business expertise and hard
work to rise to the top of any industry.
The winners of the UK Lingerie Awards
have demonstrated all these attributes,
and more, over the past 12 months. I
would also like to extend my thanks
to the prestigious panel of judges, June
Kenton, Sharon Webb, Gillian Proctor,
Kelly Isaac, Claire Franks and Nichole
de Carle, for giving so generously of both
their expertise and time.

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

15

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

Independent Directional Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Designers that have
pushed the boundaries of contemporary
lingerie and are influencing the industry
beyond their traditional customer bases.

WINNER: LASCIVIOUS
Founded in 2004 by creative director
Chloe Hamblen, Lascivious has rapidly
transformed into the independent
directional brand of choice for many
celebrities and wealthy consumers.
With celebrities, such as Jessie J and Keri
Hilson, donning its pieces and its entry
into Harrods, this season, 2011 has been
an incredibly successful year for the
designer brand.
For AW11, the label will be designing
three limited edition pieces, which
will be handmade and embellished
with hundred of Swarovski crystals to
complement the department stores
Christmas theme.
The brand will also be stocked again
in Selfridges, where it launched in AW10
and for which it is also designing an

exclusive Christmas bodysuit.


Lascivious is currently stocked in 14
countries, including the UK, the US,
Australia, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

BORDELLE: Not long after the


companys inception in 2007, founder
Alexandra Popa paired up with free
lance designer Javier Suarez and the
two of them developed the Bordelle
bodywear brand. Bordelle collections
are characterized by body-con designs
and anchored in a closely guarded
proprietary technique that turns
customized satin elastic bandages into a
blend of lingerie and outerwear featuring
a luxury S&M sensuality.
NICHOLE DE CARLE: Founded by De
Montfort University graduate Nichole
de Carle, this independent directional
brand is inspired by iconic architectural
structures with bold curves and
graceful arches. It has been worn by the
likes of Nicole Scherzinger and Rosie
Huntington-Whiteley.

Independent Retailer of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Retailers, which are
independently owned, that demonstrate
exceptional levels of customer service,
a superior range of products and which
come up with innovative events and
marketing concepts to attract clients
into the store.

a collaboration with Tatler in August.


The same month, Rigby & Peller also
collaborated with swimwear brand
Maryan Mehlhorn and The World Land
Trust on a new environmental project.
In August 2011, the retailer sold an 87
percent majority stake for 8m to Van de
Velde, leaving the Kenton family with a
minority 13 percent holding.

WINNER: RIGBY & PELLER


Luxury retailer Rigby & Peller operates
six stores throughout the UK. It has
been operating for 50 years under the
ownership of June Kenton, who holds the
Royal Warrant for the Queen.
The retailer, renowned for its fittings,
stocks the widest range of intimate
apparel on the high street and was the
first to introduce the N cup back in
September 2010.
Initiatives that it has become
involved in over the past year include a
project with Mary Portas, in February,
to launch its first charitable outlet
through her Living & Giving shops and
16

FINALISTS
SADIE THE BRA LADY: This iconic
retailer operates four stores and has
received more awards than many
businesses have years. Its catchphrase
is: Most techniques are still based
upon 150 year old guidelines. Bras have
changed, womens expectations have
changed, women themselves have
changed. Sadies have simply had the
foresight to change with them.

THE LINGERIE COLLECTIVE: The


Lingerie Collective, founded by Modern
Courtesan and MC Lounge owner Kelly

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

Isaac, is a group of independent UK &


international lingerie designers with
a shared passion for exquisite lingerie,
hosiery & accessories. The mission is to
promote and support independent UK
and international lingerie brands.

Bridal Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Brands with
exceptional specialist collections for the
bridal market.

WINNER: MYLA
British lingerie brand Myla celebrated
its 10th anniversary at the end of last
year. Over the past decade, the concept
of designing luxury lingerie for modern
women has proved to be a winning
formula for the brand, which counts
Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Claudia
Schiffer and Lily Cole among its fans.
Today, Myla is one of the UKs leading
luxury lingerie brands with 12 boutiques
and concessions, most recently a new

boutique at Canary Wharf and a new


flagship store in the Village.
Myla entered into bridal lingerie last
year with its first capsule collection. The
range has since been extended and, for
SS12, Myla is introducing a new line,
incorporating handmade boned corsets,
multiway bras, plunge bras and basques.

FINALISTS
LA PERLA: See p.19
LISE CHARMEL: One of Frances
biggest luxury brands and present for
several years in the UK market, Lise
Charmel is now aiming to expand its
network with selective partners.

Best Marketing Campaign


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Marketing
campaigns that demonstrate a
high level of originality, attract
significant consumer attention and
effectively promote the brand or
retailers products.

WINNER: LA SENZA
(CUP SIZE CHOIR)
La Senzas Cup Size Choir video
received over 1.8 million hits on
You Tube in under two weeks.
The video, which launched on
December 1, was the brands first
ever interactive Christmas viral. It

featured a choir made up of seven


girls in lingerie with bra sizes from
A through to G, who each sang the
musical note of her cup size.

CURVY KATE (STAR IN A BRA):


The Star in a Bra competition
seeks DD+ women to model for
Curvy Kate. The winner is decided
through a public vote.

LASCIVIOUS (RANKIN
CAMPAIGN): Renowned fashion
photographer Rankin took a series
of photographs for luxury brand
Lascivious SS11 campaign.

Ethical Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: A brand that
demonstrated not only excellence
in lingerie design, but also a
commitment to sending an ethical
message, to corporate social
responsibility, and to fair and
proper treatment of all suppliers.

own daughters and wanted to offer


an alternative to the synthetic
moulded, underwired bras that
were being pushed towards
young girls. All bras are free from
underwiring and padding, and are
made in the UK by adults.

FINALISTS
G=9.8: A brand that designs sexy

WINNER: SWEETLING
LINGERIE

lingerie made of white pine trees.

Sisters-in-law Sophie and Maria


Law created Sweetling because
they said they couldnt find any
stylish, natural fabric bras for their

WHOMADEYOURPANTS?: A
worker co-op, specifically formed to
empower marginalised women.
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

17

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

Hosiery Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR: Hosiery brands that
demonstrates quality of materials, manufacture, marketing and design.
WINNER: WOLFORD TIGHTS
Wolfords year kicked off the year with a bang after Cheryl Cole was spotted
wearing its Sahara Bondage tights during her October 2010 performance on
X Factor.
Selfridges rapidly sold out of the hosiery after the event and other brands
and retailers rapidly developed their own versions of the popular style.
Since this occurred, Wolford has not been standing still, but has continued
to introduce innovative designs and styles to the sector, including an
expanded shaping range with new light, medium and strong categories.
In February, Jessie J wore a pair of Wolfords Nola Polka Dot Seam Tights to
the Brit Awards. Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham have also been spotted
out and about in the brands Satin Touch product.
Wolfords 2012 Spring/Summer collection is inspired by the theatrical
costume and stage designs of Leon Bakst, a legendary Russo-French painter
and designer.
Graphic patterns, lace and tiger skin markings are combined with a touch
of 20s style all based on a feminine silhouette.

FINALISTS
JONATHAN ASTON: Jonathan Aston, which was founded in Leicester in

Full Bust Brand of the Year

1965, produces classic sheers, funky fishnets, fabulous laces, bold stripes and
bright opaques. It is owned by the Melas Group and is a Gold Partner, and
Sponsor, of this years UK Lingerie Awards.

WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR: Brands


which combine great fit and style, and cater for bust
sizes upwards from DD cups.

PRETTY POLLY: Producing high quality hosiery since 1919, the brand is
synonymous with innovative marketing campaigns and has recently formed
collaborations with the likes of celebrity designer Henry Holland.

WINNER: CURVY KATE


Within its first six months of trading, fuller cup brand
Curvy Kate was stocked in over 100 stores in the UK.
The past year has seen the brand continue to grow
at an incredible rate. In February, 2011, the brand
reported 400 percent growth and it now has well over
500 stockists worldwide.
It recently added Sweden, Denmark and Finland to
its long list of international export markets, and took
its Star in a Bra model search to Australia.
The company has ambitious future plans, including
the development of its non-transactional website,
CRM system and social media strategy. It is currently
targeting further overseas markets, including Russia
and the USA, and will be introducing its first swimwear
collection for Spring/Summer 2012.

MISS MANDALAY: Luxury swimwear and lingerie


brand Miss Mandalay offers unique, directional, high
fashion styling for the DD+ bra sector.
GORGEOUS BY DEBENHAMS: Gorgeous by
Debenhams is the department stores own brand of
lingerie, which specialises in the fuller cup sizes, from a
D to an H cup.
18

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

Shapewear Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Brands that
exhibited innovation and genuine
style, along with the required sculpting
qualities.

Made By Niki entered Selfridges for


the fi rst time last June, with its String
collection and has since created an
exclusive Snow Queen set, including
a 3-tiered floor length skirt and high
waisted knickers, for the store.

WINNER: MADE BY NIKI


Independent directional brand Made
by Nikis innovative Knockout, Fresh
Foundations, Classics, Slinkies and
String collections have made it one of
the most talked about brands of 2011.
Celebrities who have worn the
brand include the like of Alexandra
Burke, Victoria Beckham, Daisy Lowe,
Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell
and KT Tunstall.

FINALISTS
FLEXEES BY MAIDENFORM:
Flexees by Maidenforms shapewear
collection combines slimming looks
and shapes with comfortable support.

SPANX: Created by Sara Blakely a


decade ago, Spanx is a leading figure
in the shapewear industry and a
favourite of Hollywood celebrities.

Mens Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Brands which
command loyalty from retailers and
customers alike for their design,
comfort, innovation and quality.

by a significant marketing
campaign and investment.
By the end of the year, CK One
is expected to represent about 10
percent of the brands total mens
underwear business.

WINNER: CALVIN KLEIN


Calvin Klein, Inc. is one of the
leading fashion design and
marketing studios in the world and,
when it comes to mens underwear,
it is the iconic brand.
This year, Calvin Klein also
launched CK One, the largest
launch in the companys history.
The CK One product was supported

FINALISTS
2(X)IST: Founded in 1991, 2(X)ist
combines fashion with contoured
shape and superior function.

EMPORIO ARMANI: Emporio


Armani, modelled by Rafael Nadal,
offers a range of mens underwear
sold the world over.

Lingerie Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Brands that over
the past 12 months have delivered
outstanding quality of design, fit,
manufacturing, creativity and
innovation.

WINNER: LA PERLA
Luxury lingerie brand La Perla has
enjoyed a very successful year. It
achieved a high level of global acclaim
for its SS11 collaboration with Jean
Paul Gaultier, Collection Createur,
which was worn in a series of fashion
magazines by the likes of Victoria

Beckham, Isabella Ferrari, Kate Moss


and Julianne Moore.
The collaboration has been
continued on to AW11, with the
addition of a new beachwear line.
La Perla has also partnered with
Swarovski Elements to create a new
Crystal Limited Edition for the season.

FINALISTS
CURVY KATE: See p.18
TRIUMPH: The brand celebrated
125 years in the business in 2011 with
Vintage, Essence and Shape Sensation.
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

19

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

Multiple Retailer of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Multiple retailers
who demonstrate superior
customer service, strong customer
loyalty, superior consumer
communication and which are
continuing to innovate and perform
to a high standard in difficult
market conditions.

WINNER: AGENT
PROVOCATEUR
Agent Provocateur is well
recognised for its luxuriously
naughty product offering and
outstanding service, but it is also
one of the few retailers in the
intimate apparel market which is
seeking to expand in the current
economic climate.
Agent Provocateur has
announced that it is planning to
double its number of stores around
the world over the next five years.
The lingerie company currently
has 55 stores, including its
franchise outlets, and will be
opening the new stores at an
average rate of around 11 a year.
Agent Provocateur will be
primarily concentrating on the
US, Chinese and Russian markets,
but it also opened its first store in

Amsterdam, Holland, this year.


The retailer is extending its
product offering to include bedding
for AW11.

FINALISTS
BRAVISSIMO: Sarah Tremellen set
up Bravissimo in 1995, following her

own frustrating experiences trying


to find pretty bras that fit her. The
company provides a wide choice of
lingerie and swimwear in DD-KK
cups, as well as clothing designed
especially for big busted women.

LA SENZA: See p.17

Most Innovative Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Designers who
have demonstrated exceptional
creativity and imagination in their
work this year and have truly pushed
the boundaries of contemporary
lingerie.

WINNER: ASTUKO KUDO


The Atsuko Kudo label was founded
a decade ago and five years later the
brand launched its own boutique in
London.
Since the launch, designer
Atsuko Kudo has revolutionised the
understanding of latex lingerie, taking
the material from the worlds sex
strips to the catwalks of its fashion
capitals.
20

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

The Japanese designer has created


outfits for celebrities such as Lady
Gaga, Beyonce, Kate Moss and
Jennifer Lopez.
The past year has taken the
business to a new level. Kudo made
her lingerie catwalk debut at Lingerie
New York in October 2010, in support
of Bar Foundations Microfi nance for
Women.
Kudo also collaborated with Mugler
for its controversial AW11 Paris show,
where Lady Gaga performed as a
model.

FINALISTS
LASCIVIOUS: See p.16
OBEY MY DEMAND: See p.22

Post Surgery Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR: Brands that create
specific collections to cater for the post surgery and mastectomy markets,
displaying a strong USP, comfort, fit, style and practical design.
WINNER: JAMU AUSTRALIA
Th is has been an incredibly successful year for Jamu Australia, which
recently launched its Kakadu Collection in the Netherlands, Canada and
Mexico, following a very positive reception of Jamu Australias designs in the
UK the year before.
The mastectomy swimwear brand was founded in 2006 by creative
director Lydia Leong. In 2010, it added a mastectomy lingerie collection to its
swimwear offering and, this year, unveiled its fi rst nightdress, made with an
ultra-gauge microfibre.
At Mode City in July, the brand exhibited a new swimwear collection,
which it named Flores after an island in Eastern Indonesia that attracts
divers for its vivid coral gardens. The new range offers sexy mastectomy
bikinis, stylish one-piece swim suits, as well as an asymmetrical shoulder
tankini in Indonesian inspired prints and colours.

Maternity Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR: Apparel
that is innovative, supportive, stylish and practical for
pre and post-natal mothers.
WINNER: CAKE LINGERIE
Founded by Tracey Montfort in 2008, Cake Lingerie
is an international designer brand, specialising in the
creation of maternity and nursing lingerie.
This year, Cake Lingerie has significantly expanded
its range. For SS11, it added Birthday Cake, a new line
where each of the products are named after treats.
Titles include Toffee, Dark Toffee, Turkish Delight,
Velvet Delight and Coconut Ice.
It also added Cheesecake and Blue Cheesecake for the
fuller-figured woman, and new seamless style Embrace
Me, to its growing range of maternity bras.
Cake Lingerie is currently stocked in over 300 high
end lingerie and maternity boutiques around the world.
Jamu also introduced a white and pink cross back Jesse bra, which can be
strapped to become a halterneck, to its lingerie range.

FINALISTS
ANITA CARE: Anita Care offers a wide range of comfort bras designed
especially for meeting the special needs and wishes of women who have
undergone breast surgery. All bras are made of soft, skin friendly material
and feature a slightly higher cut, stretch neckline and a wide, softly elastic
underband, which holds the breast form fi rmly in place.

ROYCE LINGERIE: Royce seeks to offer customers a wide selection of bras


for after mastectomy, helping to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
It used real-life model Kelly Short (of How To Look Good Naked fame) in a
recent campaign.

FINALISTS
HOTMILK: HOTmilk was founded in New Zealand
by Lisa Ebbing and Ange Crosbie, after Ebbing fell
pregnant with her first child and could not find any
bras that she wanted to wear. The brand aims to offer
sexy, fun and practical maternity lingerie for pre and
post natal mothers.

ROYCE MATERNITY: Royce Lingeries Comfort bra


collection is a range of wirefree bras to suit women of
all shapes and sizes. Once the baby is born, new mums
can choose their breastfeeding bras from the Royce
Nursing range which, again, are all totally wirefree and
feature easy and convenient drop cup clips.

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

21

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

New Designer of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Designers in the
formative phase of their business lives
who display design talent, show strong
business potential and are introducing a
fresh concept to the market

WINNER: OBEY MY DEMAND


Obey My Demand, created by De
Montfort University graduate Leanne
Brooke and supported by The Princes
trust, has been already stocked by the
likes of Wolf & Badger, Bordello, Coco de
Mer and The Lingerie Collective.
The brand was thrust into the public
limelight when its pieces were featured
in the music video Tiny Dancer by

DJ Ironik. Obey My Demand has


since been donned by a number of
celebrities, including Alesha Dixon for
her performance at the 2010 MOBOs
and Lady Gaga in her recent music video
Born This Way.

FINALISTS
NICOLE GILL: Nicole Gill Lingerie
specialises in lingerie and steel boned
corsets. All pieces are handmade by Gill
in the UK.

PAOLITA: Founder Anna Paola studied


with the late Alexander McQueen. The
brand has rapidly become a regular
fixture on the worlds fashion catwalks.

Sports Bra Brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Innovation, style,
support, comfort and efficacy of
product.

WINNER: SHOCK ABSORBER


Shock Absorber encompasses three
ranges: Core, Sports (Run, Ball
and Racket) and Swimwear (with
integrates sports bra support).
The Shock Absorber RUN bra was
the brands fi rst sports bra designed
specifically for runners and was the
result of 18 months of research and
design. The infi nity 8 support targets
the figure of eight pattern of bounce,

Swimwear brand of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE
LOOKING FOR: Swimwear brands
which display style, great fit, support,
quality and innovation.

Maryan Mehlhorns SS11 collection


was inspired by the ocean. It featured
new colours, such as Peacock, and
focussed on bikinis and sexy cuts.

WINNER: MARYAN
MEHLHORN

FINALISTS
MELISSA ODABASH: The brand

Having inherited a swimwear business


from her parents, Maryan Mehlhorn
launched her own eponymous brand
30 years ago with the determination to
combine function with fashion.
Now offering mix and match travel
items alongside beachwear, the company
has a broad international stockist base.

offers collections inspired by Italian


fashion. Obadash launched her flagship
store in Notting Hill in 2007

22

SEAFOLLY: Since 1975, Seafolly has


been at the epicentre of Australian
beach lifestyle and is now stocked in
boutiques around the globe.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

achieving up to 78 percent bounce


reduction.

FINALISTS
FREYA ACTIVE: Freya Active
features an innovative and ultra
supportive range of sports bras and
shorts. The collection offers a choice
of soft cup and wired sports bras up to
an H cup in an array of colours.

TRIUMPH SPORTS: Triumphs


Tri-Action series offers fi rm support,
seam free cups for extra comfort and
easily adjustable straps. Products
are suitable for high impact activity.

Online Retailer of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR:
Businesses that support independent lingerie brands,
offer excellent customer service, operate clean and easy
to use web sites and innovative digital marketing.

WINNER: FIGLEAVES
It has been a busy year for online lingerie and swimwear
retailer Figleaves, which receives visits from over 1.2
million customers, each month, and delivers from its
warehouse in the UK to over 100 countries.
The company, which is owned by N Brown, started off
the year with a bang after it was voted the top e-commerce
website over the Christmas season by eDigital and was
given special notice for its customer service.
It has since not rested on its laurels, but has introduced a
series of new initiatives, this year, including a massive tube
poster campaign, the launch of its Fashion Outlet on eBay
and participation in a race in aid of Cancer Research UK.
The management structure of the online retailer
changed in July on the departure of former chief
executive Julia Reynolds, with commercial director
Melanie Cottrell, operations manager Stephanie Chase
and product and brand director Sue Herrick stepping up
to cover the role.

COMMENTS
John Roskalns, Managing Director of the Melas Group, Gold
Partner and Sponsor of the UK Lingerie Awards: It was a great
night. We were delighted to be a sponsor and the organisation and
execution of the evening was first rate - well done Lingerie Insight!
Richard Ellis, Business Development Manager of
SpeedoSculpture, Gold Partner and Sponsor of the UK Lingerie
Awards: I can only mirror the comment by John Roskalns.
SpeedoSculpture were also delighted with the evening and were
also proud to be a sponsor of the inaugural event. It was great to
see the industry celebrate the successes of so many brands, and I
would like to congratulate the award winners. We look forward to
seeing everyone at next years event.
Claire Franks, Founder of Intimate Apparel Consultancy and a
UK Lingerie Awards judge: Great venue, great night and above all
amazing company!

FINALISTS
FOX & ROSE: Th is dynamic online boutique allows
designers to showcase their creations in an optimal
setting, using videos alongside comprehensive product
information and fit, and a vibrant trend-focused blog.

GLAMOROUS AMOROUS: Word of mouth has


established GlamorousAmorous.com as a superior site
for luxury lingerie online. It has a consistently strong
press reputation and features across the board.

Department Store of the Year


WHAT THE JUDGES WERE LOOKING FOR: Department stores that
work tirelessly to bring the most creative intimate apparel at the right price
point to their customers. The retailers in this category had to sell not just
their own lingerie lines, but also actively support the independent brands.
WINNER: SELFRIDGES
Selfridges stocks the likes of Dirty Pretty Th ings, Fred & Ginger, Made By
Niki, Marlies Dekkers, Beautiful Bottoms, Nichole de Carle, Lascivious,
Bordelle, Damaris, Mimi Holliday, Princesse tam.tam, B.Temptd, Wolford
Tights, Myla, Chantelle and Wacoal.
The retailer holds special events for many of its new launches, featuring
everything from live performance acts through to VIP previews.

FINALISTS
DEBENHAMS: With the second greatest share of the lingerie market after
M&S, the retailers offerings includes own brand Gorgeous, B by Ted Baker,
Wonderbra, Freya, Ultimo, Reger by Janet Reger, Triumph and Gossard.

JOHN LEWIS: This year, John Lewis has introduced brands including
Pistol Panties, Zoggs and Sweetling Lingerie. In December, 2010, John
Lewis announced its biggest ever trading week with sales of 121m.
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

23

UK LINGERIE AWARDS 2011 / REPORT

Lifetime Achievement Award


WINNER: JUNE KENTON
June Kenton is truly a legend of the lingerie industry. The
holder of the Royal Warrant to the Queen and proprietor
for 30 years of luxury lingerie retailer Rigby & Peller,
there are few - if any - people who can claim a similar
degree of expertise in the intimate apparel industry.
Kenton, a UK Lingerie Awards 2011 judge, receives the
award in the midst of handing over her Rigby & Peller
business to Belgian company Van De Velde, who bought
87 percent of the company in August, 2011, for a reported
10 million.
Making the situation more bittersweet, it is this
November that will mark Kentons 50 year anniversary in
the sector and the golden anniversary of her marriage to
husband, Harold.
This Lifetime Achievement Award is not the only
accolade that Kenton has received, this year. She was
awarded an Honorary Degree from Leeds Metropolitan
University in July in recognition of her life-long service
to the British intimate apparel industry.
And, while it is with regret that we see Kenton depart
from the sector to which she has contributed so much,
we are re-assured in the belief that she wont stop
participating in the industry for which she has displayed
such a lifelong passion.

BEST DRESSED: BECKY MOUNT

24

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

Celebrity Guests

1
Actress Louisa
Lytton, Radio 1
actress and model
Alana MacFarlane
and friend
2
By Caprice founder
Caprice and

Lingerie Insight
sales manager
Andrew Martyniuk
3
Nichole de Carle
and Dirty Sexy
Things Charlotte
de Carle
4
Louisa Lytton and
the Abraham sisters
5
Former Big Brother
star and model

Imogen Thomas

Venue
3

1
UK Lingerie Awards
2011 venue
2
Violinists perform
at the prestigious
event
3
Awards stage at
2

One Mayfair
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

25

FOOTBALL LINGERIE / INTERVIEW

Premier

LEAGUE
PREMIER LINGERIE CO-FOUNDER AND
DIRECTOR PAUL ROBINSON TALKS
EXCLUSIVELY TO LINGERIE INSIGHT ABOUT
HIS NEW COMPANY, WHICH DEVELOPS
LINGERIE FOR PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL
CLUBS, AND REVEALS HIS PLANS TO EXPAND
THE BUSINESS OVER THE COMING YEAR.

1
Top and shorts
in Newcastle
United colours and
featuring the clubs
logo

26

Like all good ideas, it happened


when we were in the pub having a pint before a football
match, says Premier Lingerie
co-founder and director Paul
Robinson. I just ran it past a good friend
of mine Jon Guy, who is the co-director
now and was in advertising and
marketing... By the time we got
to the match, we decided we
would form the company
and do some research.
Robinson, who had recently been made redundant
from his job as operations
manager at Wicked Lingerie in
Plymouth, threw himself into the
new project, a company which creates lingerie for Premier League football
clubs.
The appeal of the products was obvious after all, Katy Perry achieved
national coverage and sparked massive
debate in 2009 when she presented the
European MTV Awards, wearing a corset
with West Ham logos emblazoned across
the bust. But, the question of whether
there was a mass consumer market was
one that Robinson was determined to
address.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

INTERVIEW / FOOTBALL LINGERIE

He went into a shopping centre in


Wolverhampton, planted himself in
between Ann Summers and Marks &
Spencer, and proceeded to ask male
and female shopper of various ages, if
we could produce lingerie in your club
colours, would you buy it?
Luckily, the vast majority of them said
yeh, we think it is a reasonable idea,
Robinson says.
So, we took the sorry for the pun
ball and ran with it. We decided to make
a few samples up and approach Wolverhampton Wanderers to see if they would
be interested, and they were. Eventually,
we produced a range for them and it went
from there really.
According to the budding entrepreneur, female fans now make up
approximately 20 percent of clubs fan
base and the number is growing all the
time. During the early days of the business, Robinson travelled the country,
visiting club shops and collecting brochures. While doing so, he spotted that
there was a clear gap in the market for
womens football products.
There are not enough products for
them available to purchase - below five

2
Close up of
Newcastle United
bra with central
logo at the bust
3
Newcastle United

percent, Robinson says. It doesnt matter which club you go to,


that is the case even in the big clubs.
In March 2011, four months after signing Wolves, Premier
Lingerie exhibited at SMEX in Wembley, a show aimed at the
entirety of the UKs sporting bodies.
The companys concept reportedly received a significant
level of interest and post-event Robinson got busy contacting football clubs, eventually landing an appointment with
Newcastle United.
We did basically the same thing, he says, showed them a few
sample products in their colours, which was very easy. Black and
white. Lovely.

www.lingerieinsight.com // OCTOBER
OCTOBER 2011
2011 // LINGERIE
LINGERIE INSIGHT
INSIGHT
www.lingerieinsight.com

bra and shorts in


white
4
Newcastle United
bra and suspender
belt in black
5
Newcastle United
camisole and shorts
in white

27

FOOTBALL LINGERIE / INTERVIEW

6, 7 & 8
Chemise and
lingerie sets in black
and white from
Premier Lingeries
new range for
Newcastle United

28
28

The club, which has one of the biggest


female fan bases in the country, alongside
Chelsea, was quick to perceive the potential profits to be made and the plethora of
media attention that the lingerie would
attract. Products launched on the clubs
website last month and sales immediately
took off, with hundreds of items sold in
just the first week.
We are struggling to keep up a little bit to be honest, Robinson admits.
Sales were a lot bigger than what we
expected and it really took us by surprise, because it is still quite early in the
season, isnt it? The sales that are being
generated now are a little bit early for
Christmas... I would envisage that a lot
of Newcastle guys will be buying the
products for their girls for Christmas
and, indeed, for Valentines Day.
There are around 20 products currently
up on the site. The range includes boy
shorts, French knickers, cami tops, chemises, underwired bras, garters, thongs
and a six strap suspender belt.
Prices range from 5 for a pair of stockings through to 27 for a suspender belt.
Alll the
Al
th
he pr
p
oduc
od
u ts aare
uc
re m
a in Derby,
ad
products
made
En
ngl
glan
and.
an
d. Premier
Pre
r mi
mier
e L
er
i ge
in
geri
riee has tied in
ri
England.
Lingerie
with
h a ccompany
om
mpa
pany
ny ccalled
allle
alle
led
dN
with
Nylon Dreams
an
nd also
alsoo works
wor
orks
k hand
ks
han
a d in
n hand with
and
inti
in
tiima
mate
te aapparel
ppar
pp
arel
ar
e manufacturer
el
man
a u
intimate
Vixen
L ng
Li
nger
e ie
er
ie..
Lingerie.
IIt iss m
ore expensive,
ore
or
expe
ex
penssiv
pe
ivee Robinson
It
more
reve
re
veal
ve
als,
al
s, but
bu
ut I would
w ul
wo
u d rather
ratt give a bit
ra
reveals,
wor
orkk to tthe
h U
he
K ec
econ
onom
on
om and be able
of work
UK
economy
eep
ee
p an eeye
yee on
on things.
thin
th
ings
g . Itt can be a night-gs
to kkeep
maaree importing
imp
porti
ortiing products
pro
roducts w
mare
when it comes
qua
ualiliity
ty,, so
ssometimes.
m ti
me
time
mes.
too quality,
Onee ooff th
tthee re
rreasons
asons we call
as
c the comOne
pany
n Premier
Pre
remi
miieerr L
inge
in
geri
ge
r e is that
ri
th we are
pany
Lingerie
tryi
tr
yiingg to
ying
to produce
prrood
duc
u e a premier
prem
pr
mi product. I
trying
ama
m ze
zed
d that
that
a no
no one
o e got the name.
on
am amazed
That
as a bit
bit
i of
of luck.
l ck
lu
ck.
Th
at w
was
Robi
Ro
b ns
bi
nson
on is
is currently
c rr
cu
rren
ent in talks
en
Robinson
with ssome
omee v
om
ver
eryy bi
er
bigg na
with
very
names, whose
iden
id
enti
en
tiityy h
naabl
n
blee tto divulge. But,
identity
hee is u
unable
doe
oess reveal
reeve
veal
all that
th
haat Pr
P
he does
Premier Lingerie
now
o in
in a rrea
ealllly
ea
llly la
late
tee stage in the
is now
really
nego
ne
goti
go
t at
ti
atio
ioons
ns,, which
whic
wh
icch are
ar to do with
negotiations,
liice
cens
nsin
ns
iin
ng products
p od
pr
duccts
t with
witt the clubs.
licensing
So, yyou
ou m
ay b
sseeing
eee a few moree
So,
may
bee se
cllub
u s ha
avi
v ng oour
ur rrange
aan
n both in theirr
clubs
having
shop
sh
opss an
op
aand
nd
d online,
onliliinee, h
on
shops
hee adds.
And, Robinson
Rob
o in
inso
soon iss determined
And,
n t to
no
t place
pla
lace
ce a limit
limit
im
mit on
o his prodnot
ucts
uc
ts potential
ts
pote
po
teent
ntia
iall ma
ia
mark
rkk Though,
ucts
market.
the n
am
me su
ugg
gges
ess the lingerie
ass the
name
suggests,

is targeted towards the Premier League,


he has also been speaking to a series of
foreign clubs about stocking the range and
has identified, and contacted, the top six
teams in various leagues around Europe.
For the smaller clubs, who might be
unwilling or unable to buy very large
quantities, Premier Lingerie offers a more
affordable Kick Bag Deal, where the
teams can buy just ten items of each of
the products.
The more clubs we get on board with
this, the less stigma there is attached to it,
Robinson says. At the end of the day, it is
only underwear in club colours. And, we
just want to do as many clubs as possible,
so the ladies and girls that are there have
got something to buy from the club, instead of the pink t-shirts or various other
things they come up with. Thats what we
want to do - worldwide domination.
In line with this ambition, the company
has a series of new projects in the pipeline

for next year. These include launching


a new range of swimwear for SS12 and
potentially even designing a mens underwear line.
What has taken us by surprise, Robinson elaborates, is the fact that a lot of
guys have been contacting us and saying,
where are our boxer shorts? So, that is
something else that we are looking at
now...
The company may even be expanding
beyond the area of football altogether, after it was recently approached by a cricket
club to present some pieces. Though only
in the very early stages of a potential deal,
Premier is currently in the process of
sorting out a number of designs for them
to look at.
To be honest, my wife is sick to death
of seeing football lingerie, Robinson jokes.
When we set the company up, we were
aiming at the football market, obviously,
but we can do anything.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

THE LEADING TRADE FAIR


FOR INTIMATES & BEACHWEAR FABRICS

21I22I23 JANUARY 2012


PARIS EXPO - PORTE DE VERSAILLES - PAV. &
WWW.INTERFILIERE.COM
Contact: Tel : 020 8216 3102 / fleur@promosalons.co.uk

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH / PROJECTS

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH


WE REVIEW A SERIES OF INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEING LAUNCHED BY INTIMATE APPAREL COMPANIES IN
SUPPORT OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS, THIS OCTOBER.

LA SENZA
This October, Paloma Faith and La Senza have designed a unique
collection of vintage-inspired underwear and sleepwear to raise
funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Care. The exclusive
range aims to help support the 50,000 people diagnosed with
breast cancer every year in the UK.
A donation from every La Senza product purchased will go
towards Breast Cancer Care.
Paloma Faith said:Im really excited about my range of lingerie that Ive designed for Breast Cancer Care this year. Ive gone
for a luxurious 1940s style and I cant wait for you all to see it! Its
going to hit La Senza stores in October and every penny we raise
will be used to help people affected by breast cancer. My mum
had breast cancer so this is a cause I am very passionate about.
The Paloma Faith range will be available in La Senzas top 30
stores and online from the 1st October, 2011.

30

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

PROJECTS / BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

ROYCE LINGERIE

PAMELA MANN

erie
Wirefree bra manufacturer Royce Lingerie

Top hosiery brand Pamela Mann has launched a new initiative in

has pledged to donate funds to charity for

support of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.

ng
every Chloe mastectomy bra sold during

The brand is offering 12 new pink products as part of a be part

October.

of the cure collection.

In order to mark Breast Cancer

The Breast Cancer Awareness campaign was established in

Awareness Month, the company is

1988 and runs throughout October. As well as Pamela Mann, it is

er
contributing 1 to Against Breast Cancer

being supported by a wide range of businesses, including de-

for each Chloe bra sold through retail.

partment store Debenhams.

Royce Lingerie design director

Prices start at 9 for a pair of tights and for each sale Pamela

Jane Fleming said: As a supplier of

Mann will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Breast Can-

mastectomy bras, we work closely

cer Campaign.

with women who have had breast


AMOENA

cancer and subsequent surgery and


treatment. We are delighted to be

To help raise money for Breast Cancer Care, mastectomy-wear

working with our customers, raising

specialist Amoena has designed a versatile pink strappy vest top

funds for Against Breast Cancer.

which will be on sale during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in


October.

PINK RIBBON LINGERIE

Available for purchase now, 10 percent of the vests sale price

Pink Ribbon Lingerie donates 10 percent of sales to breast cancer charities all year

will be donated to Breast Cancer Care, which provides informa-

round. Customers can choose to donate to Breast Cancer Care, Against Breast Cancer

tion and support to any-

or the National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline. They can also receive 5 off their

one affected by breast

next purchase coupon code when joining the mailing list.

cancer.

The brands pink post-surgery products include a Lara t-shirt and jersey nightdress.

The hot pink strappy


vest has delicate diamante detailing on the back
and a built-in bra with
pockets for effective
support.
It is designed to
be worn on its own
or under garments to
complete an overall
look.

MARLIES DEKKERS
Dutch lingerie brand Marlies Dekkers has
as
gn.
created a new Pink Ribbon lingerie design.
oThe set comes in hot pink and incorporates the brands Delft Blue print. It also
features a charm shaped like a pink ribh.
bon, the symbol of Breast Cancer Month.
Part of the proceeds from the set will
go towards fighting breast cancer, a
cause for which designer Marlies
Dekkers has been a long standing
supporter.
DEBENHAMS
Debenhams has supported the Breast Cancer Campaign for the
past 10 years as a result of the department stores fundraising,
the charity has been able to fund 68 research projects across the
UK and Ireland.
Taking part for the 11th consecutive year, Debenhams will be offering lingerie sets, accessories and winter knits, with 25 percent
from every sale and 1 from every bra being donated to charity.

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

31

MADE IN THE UK / REPORT

MADE IN
OVER RECENT YEARS, THE MADE IN THE UK LABEL HAS BENEFITED
FROM AN INCREASED RARITY VALUE. BUT, AS THE COST OF
LABOUR ABROAD CONTINUES TO SOAR, WE TALK TO A FEW OF
THE REMAINING INTIMATE APPAREL MANUFACTURERS IN THE
COUNTRY TO DISCOVER WHETHER UK INDUSTRY COULD BE SET
TO STAGE A COMEBACK.

32

Ive been into womens


underwear all my working
career, says AJM Sewing
founder and owner James
Mellor. I started in Gossard
at 16 and worked my way up through
the ranks to be in charge of the
production floor. When they closed
that ten years ago to ship it all
abroad, I bought some machines
with my redundancy and started
from there.
Over the past decade, the
business has gone from
strength to strength, a
development that may have
seemed unlikely when
the intimate apparel
manufacturers of the
South Wales valleys
all closed or moved
abroad ten years
ago.
The South
Wales valleys were
predominantly
lingerie producing
valleys, Morris
elaborates. You had
all the big brands
here Gossard, Berlei
and Morris Cohen.
Going back ten years
ago, I would guess there
was something in the
region of 20,000 people
employed in the industry,

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

all producing lingerie. We are the last.


It has all been a bloody challenge.
The one thing we have been really in
luck with is the labour. Because of
the closure of the businesses, we have
always had a skill base that we could
take from.
AJM Sewing manufactures for
around ten to 15 customers. Clients
include the likes of Agent Provocateur,
Fleur of England, Lascivious, Bordelle,
Dirty Pretty Th ings, Made By Niki,
Ayten Gasson and Fred & Ginger. In
addition to lingerie, the company also
produces swimwear, furniture and
upholstery.
For many of the small to medium
sized brands, producing in the UK
makes a lot of sense. With minimum
orders, rising transportation rates
and the continuously increasing cost
of labour abroad, the appeal of UK
manufacture is growing year on year.
The outlay for them is a lot less,
Mellor says. Obviously, the margins
are not very good in the UK, but we are
surviving. The labour costs are going
up all around now, so we are becoming
more competitive.
It is never going to come around to
what it was, but I certainly think the
likes of companies that are our size
have got a good, strong foothold in the
market now. Because, by the time you
put the shipping costs on and your
fl ights over to Morocco, you might as
well make it here in the fi rst instance.

REPORT / MADE IN THE UK

And, we are only two hours away from


London. It is a train ride which costs
50 and, in two hours, if you have a
problem, we can sort it.
Mellor is currently seeking to
grow the business, which employs 42
members of staff. The goal is to double
the size of the business in the next five
years. The factorys cutters currently
hand mark everything in, but Mellor
aims to see that the system is all made
electronic within the next five to ten
years.
The machinery we have is all very
modern and all the attachments
for the machines, he explains, so
that allows us to give a good quality
garment. But, the cutting area is a
massive outlay for us.
AJ Sewing has already made a
significant investment in machinery.
The initial 25 machines, with which

the factory started in 2001, have


since grown to 125 and Mellors
commitment has defi nitely paid off.
Despite the prohibitive costs of new
machines (around 5000 each), the
company started to turn a significant
profit a year and a half ago. In March
2010, Mellor was even invited to
Buckingham Palace for a champagne
reception, celebrating the fashion
industry.
For a little boy from the valleys, it
was a very daunting experience, he
says, but, once I was there, it was an
honour. There were a hell of a lot of
big brand designers and very famous
people there all for the same reasons.
AJ Mellor may be the biggest
remaining intimate apparel
manufacturer in Britain, but it is not
the only one. Kelly Isaac, owner of
Modern Courtesan and MC Lounge,

and founder of The Lingerie Collective,


started Orbit Apparel four years
ago. She has since also seen a steady
demand for her manufacturing
services and is continually contacted
by up and coming designers interested
in learning more about what her
company can offer.
Orbit Apparel operates 20
machines, which can handle orders of
anything between 100 to 5000 units.
It works primarily with designers who
have at least two or three seasons
behind them.
I would love to expand, but there
is also that comfort level of it is really
nice where it is, Isaac says.
Isaac works with a number of high
profi le names, including Figleaves,
Harrods, Elle & Cee, Dirty Pretty
Th ings and Ayten Gasson.
When she went into the lingerie

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

1
Andrea Billard
striped body,
manufactured by
Garment Studio
2
The team at AJM
Sewing
3
Interior of AJM
Sewing factory in
South Wales
4&5
Sta at work at AJM
Sewing

33

MADE IN THE UK / REPORT

We could stand out, like we


do with our design, as the
development country for some of
the more directional products.

The Garment Sudio

industry, Isaac never intended to


open her own manufacturing unit,
but when she recognised the gap in
the market, she was quick to take
advantage of the opportunity.
Oh my God, how can I have a
factory? Isaac exclaims. That was
never intended. That was never in the
plan. I never meant for that to happen.
It happened and its amazing, and I
love it.
Part of Isaacs passion stems
from her belief in the importance
of UK design and manufacture. The
entrepreneur, who through her various
hats has a unique insight into the
luxury intimate apparel industry,
believes that the UK has the skills to
compete in the global market.
We have had clients that have
taken their production overseas
and it has been really quite a tragic
experience, and they have kind of done
an about turn and come back, she
reveals.
I think there are some amazing
manufacturing companies in Europe
who do specialise in lingerie. But, we

34

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

6
Giso stocking on
the catwalk
7
Ell & Cee, made at

could stand out, like we do with our


design, as the development country for
some of the more directional products.
I think that could be a case, because
there are companies out there who
would look at some of the stuff that
we do and say no, because they are too
complex.
Though Orbit Apparel is a
competitor of AJM, it operates on a
slightly different basis. It has less of a
technical focus and helps more in the
product development of its clients,
though Isaac is hoping to become
more technology driven in the future
as the company moves forward.
We are also a little bit more flexible
with our minimums, Isaac says.
AJM, because they are a bit more
established, they tend to be a bit more
for when you get a little bit further
down the road.
The Garment Studio is a
manufacturer that works even more
closely with its brands. The company
only works with up to a maximum of
50 units, but while the quantities that
it produces are limited, the number of

brands seeking its services is not.


We are just getting to the point
now where we are getting a little bit
too busy, founder Claire Harris says,
so we are looking at more staff , but
we are waiting for January. The order
book is almost full up until January
now.
Harris has been in the business
for 14 years and wants to use her
experience to help give something
back to the industry. The Garment
Studio does samples, sizing grades
and costings, as well as small run/no
minimums manufacture. It offers an
essential service for many designers
who are either just starting out or
looking to expand their business
without high levels of capital.
An awful lot of our clients were
fi nding that there were small orders
that they were receiving that they
were not able to fulfi l, Harris says.
Then, all of a sudden, I came into the
market and they are fi nding that they
can send me an order for ten knickers,
and they are now fulfi lling that order,
whereas before they were having to
say no, Im really sorry, but I cant do
this.
Not all designers choose to look to
others to manufacture their products.
There are some who seek to undertake
their own production. Brands such as
Bordelle, Eternal Spirits and Nichole
de Carle own their own machines and

REPORT / MADE IN THE UK

develop a large percentage of their


pieces on their own premises.
Nichole de Carle owns six machines
and employs four machinists in
Chelsea, London, who manufacture
fi fty percent of the brands overall
products. The pieces were originally
made entirely in the UK, but as the
business has grown, half of production
has moved to a factory in Romania.
Brand founder and creative director
Nichole de Carle says: The reason
we manufacture in-house is that my

background was initially in technical


design, so I have a lot of experience
of how to put a garment together.
Secondly, quality is a really important
part of our business and our brand.
Were providing employment in the
UK and offering opportunities in the
UK. I want to support that.
There are others, such as hosiery
brands Aristoc and Gio Stockings,
who follow this ethos on an even
grander scale. Gio Stockings makes all
its hosiery in a factory in Derbyshire

and is one of the last remaining UK


manufacturers of authentic fully
fashioned stockings. It uses Reading
machines from the 1940s and 1950s to
make the product and operates four
of the nine remaining engines in the
world.
Samuel Wilkinson currently runs
the company, which was founded
when his father bought the factory
from Aristoc at the tender age of 20.
The biggest challenge for Wilkinson is
that of maintenance.
Because they have been running
for fi fty or sixty years now, it is literally
maintainance of the machines and
getting hold of the parts to replace
the broken ones, he says. Everything
is limited, even down to the seaming
machines we use. You just cant get
hold of one for love or money.
To achieve the best efficiency on the
Reading knitting machines, they have
to be kept at a temperature of around
30 degrees and be kept running nonstop. It is no easy task, particularly
when failure could result in collapse of
the business.
These machines are almost
immovable, Wilkinson adds. There
was a company once who moved their
machines and it took them two years
to bring them back up to efficiency.
They are extremely temperamental.
And, because of the limited number of
units, they really cant be replicated on
the cheap in the modern world.
Wilkinson has one more machine
that he hopes to bring online within
the year and, with the increased
capacity, he plans to bring in new
stockists, either in the UK or abroad.
Like many others, he believes that UK
manufacturing will eventually see a
resurgence.
Everything is cyclical, Wilkinson
says. British manufacturing back in
the 19th century was the strongest
in the world... It will come round
again. We are a cheap country to
manufacture in, because the world
will raise its level of living costs and
equality of estate. So, one day, British
manufacturing will be back in Britain
on the same scale as it was.
I dont think I will be alive,
unfortunately, but I very much hope
that my company is.

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

8
Nichole de Carle
studio
9
A worker at AJM
sewing in Wales

35

LONDON FASHION WEEK / REVIEW

London

Week
We bring you the news from a selection of exhibitors at last months London Fashion Week,
based in Somerset House, London.
EXHIBITOR SNIPPETS

Somewhere Else exhibited


at London Fashion Week
with its latest collection
of adapted Speedo LZR
swimsuits, which were
donated by the company
after they were banned on
the sporting circuit.
There are not many there is a limited quantity, a
Somewhere Else spokesperson tells us. We have got
some stock. When it runs out, it runs out.
The extra material for the pieces comes from ocuts provided by Speedos factories.
The products are made in Italy by Rinascere, a
social co-operative that seeks to rehabilitate disadvantaged individuals and equip them to play a fulfilling and productive role in society. Somewhere Elses
ethos is that all manufacture should be ethically and
environmentally sustainable.
The brands range is sold via its store and YOOX.

Yes Master launched its new Black Label


collection at London Fashion Week in
September.
The new luxury line, which ranges
in price from 300 for a bra to 450
for a bodysuit, reportedly attracted a
high level of interest at the show.
Founder and creative director
Igor Pacemski told Lingerie Insight:
I have had orders, actually, which is
very good and very rare at London
Fashion Week. I have had orders in
the Black Label collection.
Press-wise, it has been mad. We
have received call-ins from Harpers,
Cosmopolitan, In Style, Harpers Italy,
Grazia, I mean everyone.
Pacemski added: The execution
stage was only three weeks... The
thought process behind it was five
years.

New ethical brand Charini launched at


Somerset House, last month.

The lingerie label, which was


exhibiting its SS12 collection, is
sourced and manufactured by
craft communities in Sri Lanka.
36

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

Founder and designer Charini


Suriyage said: I thought it would
be good to launch my own brand...
I am working with a community
that does handwoven cottons, so
I am trying to get them to upgrade
themselves to make handwoven
silks, because it is more marketable
and more expensive, so it is easier
to sell, as well.
The lace used in the products is
also handmade by another coastal
community, which was severely
aected by the tsunami in 2004.

REVIEW / LONDON FASHION WEEK

Paolita exhibited its new SS12 swimwear


collection at the show.
The range featured parrot feathers
and palm leaf prints, and included
bikinis, rope print tops embellished
with gingham frills and cherry
blossom & paisley bottoms.
The products gained interest
from some of the biggest names in
the fashion press, such as Harpers
Bazaar, Grazia and Elle.

Speaking on why she chose to


take part in the show, designer Anna
Paola said: I think it is a really nice
way of introducing your brand to the
fashion industry in the UK. I did it last
year and noticed that you get really
good contacts.
I love it and I love walking around
and seeing all this new talent.

Resort wear brand Key Leaf has


announced that it is looking to increase
its number of stockists in the UK.
The label exhibited at this years London Fashion Week, where it
showcased its SS12 Insects collection.
The Notting Hill based brand is stocked primarily in the US and the
Caribbean. It has only two stockists in the UK, Heidi Klein and Milletre.
Designer and co-founder Claudia Chaparro said: We normally exhibit
at the Miami Show and we are already in the US market and the Caribbean,
but we have very little exposure to the UK market, even though we are
based in London.
So, we thought, what would be the best exhibition to do? And, we
researched and this came up.

Marlies Dekkers
played a new
video at its London
Fashion Week
stand, this year,
showcasing its new
SS12 collection.

The new range is based on the Far


East and possesses a series of Asian
influences, such as bamboo and
birds, which are complemented by
bright pops of colour.
The brand is also set to introduce a
second piece of film in 2011 as part of
an ongoing project it has been carrying out with six stylists. Each stylist
received a Marlies Dekkers bra to
customise for a unique look.

Lingerie brand
Damaris
presented new
short film Packing
Heat, featuring
Liberty Ross, at
Somerset House,
last month.

PICK OF THE SHOW:


NIPPLEPCALYPSE BY
RACHEL FREIRE
Not for the faint of heart, this extreme design by Central
St.Martins graduate Rachel Freire is made from real
animal nipples. We expect to see it on the back of fashion
diva Lady Gaga in the near future.

Damaris SS12 collection was


the starting inspiration for the
video, which was directed by
Johnny Green and created in
association with online retailer
mywardrobe.com.
The luxury brands latest range
is about shape and sculpting the
body with bold block colours;
modern, vivid, seam-free silhouettes, super high cut legs and
deep plunging necklines for high
fashion, versatile dressing.
Quoting Franco-Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard, Johnny
Green said: All you need for a
movie is a gun and a girl.

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

37

RAVENOUS BELLE &


/ OPINION
DON / OPINION

S
U
O ON
N
E &D
V
RA LE
N
J OO NEW
R
O
T
OU
N,
ECT
D I R HT AB & D O
E
V
E
G
ATI
EL L
NS
N SI
CRE ERIE I OUS B ONDO
E
T
G
L
N
NET O LIN RAVE H ON
NO
T
T
E
G
S
N
I
V
I
K
M
L
MO
CT
MA UE TA
LLE L A S T
O
Q
C
D
E
ER
HA
NCH EET.
IGN
DES H LAU
S TR
IC
IAL
C
WH
R
E
MM
CO

L
E
B

1
View from outside
the Ravenous Belle
& Don store
2
Scarves by designer
Arlette Ess
3
Candy Baker
Hosiery design
4
Accessories by Ma
Mignonette
5
Movie projection
on interior wall

38

The Ravenous Belle & Don a


group of new blood designers
- launched with a private showcase in
September to an ecstatic crowd of
fashion and lifestyle press, buyers and
industry leaders. The showcase was
followed by a week long pop up artspace
and shop open to the public in Londons
inarguable creative centre, Shoreditch.
The concept was created by four
labels, Ma Mignonnette, Arlette Ess,
Candy Baker and Trevor & Susan,
spanning lingerie, accessories, objects
of desire, hosiery, fashion, jewellery
and homeware respectively. Were
all new designers, each with a
very distinct style, and we had the
vision of creating an amazing space
where people could view our pieces
and interact with each brand, as well
as being able to sell directly to the
public in an inspiring environment. It
was important to us that the space we
created complemented the uniqueness
of each label whilst not distracting from
our individual identites.
Living In London, weve all been
overexposed to too many pop up shops
that stock a hash of designers that dont
sit well with each other. Theyre often
presented together in an unappealing

way or they merge into each other. These


were all things we tried to steer clear
of as its such a discredit to all the hard
work each of those designers has put
in it must be very disappointing. If you
slave over every detail of design in your
product and marketing, its a shame to
then be let down at the point where
your product reaches
your potential
customer.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

OPINION / RAVENOUS BELLE & DON

Also for the customer, we wanted to


create a pleasurable experience where
they could feel at ease to browse the
products, but also engage with each
brand in a relaxed atmosphere. So, we
decided to host evening events such as DJ
nights and movie screenings, as well as
inviting people to look at the art or just
sit on the sofas for tea and biscuits during
the day. The designers also work on
the shopfloor, so are always on hand to
chat people through their products and
explain how materials or certain features
work, which customers have responded
really well too.
We carefully selected other designers
that we love and understood what we
were trying to create. We wanted to
assert an integral point of difference
from other designer groups; each
label we feature has its own tale to
tell, presenting a counterpoint
to interchangeable brands that
dont engage. We believe its
not enough for fashion
to just look nice;
people fall in love
with stories and
characters that
mean something to
them. Each label in the
group offers beauty in
layers: some charming,
some subversive,
some awe-inspiring.
Curiosities all.
We were

delighted with the labels that we


collaborated with on the launch and the
breadth of products we featured, ranging
from Mark Fasts cool body-con cut out
bodysuits, to Silja Manninens ethereal
silk and bondage rope dresses, or Emma
Franklins stunning gold and black
pearl jewellery to Christianna Ibikunles
gorgeous leather bags.
We were overwhelmed with the
positive feedback from both industry
and the public to the first Ravenous
pop up and were looking forward to
the next artspace that well be hosting
closer to Christmas. Were also planning
to take the concept to other countries,
presenting exciting creative hubs in cities
across the globe, offering beautifully
stylised spaces for people to drop
in, hang out and explore
each label. Each

space will also offer a range of art events


to showcase the diverse creativity each
country has to offer, from screenings
and exhibitions to live music and
performance art shows.
The way we engage with brands is
changing rapidly and were excited
to be exploring new ways to present
our collections to the public. Its an
interesting time and were thrilled to see
where this project takes us all.
For further details or to get in touch
about future collaborations, visit: www.
the-ravenous.com.

6
In
nternal ima ge of
th
he Ravenous B ellle
7

& D on shop
7
T he Bird
d s vissual
lii ght disspla
ay
8
Jew
welllery
y sh
howcasee
at Rav
venous B elle

www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

& D on

39

Did you know, Lingerie Insight magazine is delivered


free of charge to 5,000

qualified professionals in the

UK lingerie industry?

What
know
you
dont?
W h at do
d o tthey
hey k
n ow tthat
h at y
ou d
ont?

If you are involved in the UK lingerie industry,


you can get your own personal copy of Lingerie Insight
by subscribing online at www.lingerieinsight.com

For marketing opportunities, please contact:


ANDREW MARTYNIUK
T 07760 996205 E andrew.martyniuk@itp.com

OPINION / BLACK HISTORY MONTH

To ask, or
not to ask?
TO ASK, OR NOT TO ASK? QUESTIONS SADIA SISAY, FOUNDER OF NEW LINGERIE BRAND BEING U, AS SHE TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY DURING BLACK
HISTORY MONTH TO DISCUSS THE LACK OF CHOICE ON THE HIGH STREET
FOR WOMEN OF COLOUR.

few weeks ago, two

valued I feel to be asked to write in Lingerie

friends walked into a

Insight about lingerie that at launch has

well-known depart-

initially targeted women of colour.

ment store and both


asked for bras in

I feel so proud to be able to say that in


some small way, our brand will help some

nude skin tones. They were taken separately

stockists satisfy a need in a not insignifi-

to different changing rooms by two differ-

cant customer group.

ent fitters but were offered the same colour


bra an orangey type number.
So what, you might ask.
Well, both women are the extreme of skin

A need that is there, but not necessarily


articulated, for the simple fact that it would
be a waste of time.
So, as we at being U start telling your

tones, one black (quite dark) and one white

customers about our brand, imagine me

(very pale). The crucial point here is that

and my friends going shopping and head-

neither of the sales assistants even regis-

ing directly to your store, not stopping

tered this or thought anything of the offer-

anywhere else as we know that only in your

ing to both of these customers in response

store can we get our needs met.

to their request for nude lingerie.


Not surprisingly, what was offered suited
neither and the store lost two sales that day.
I think of this story every time I am told

We also want to help further by running


discounts for any orders taken in Black

History Month, as you celebrate it with us.

Bra and high

Th ank you.

waist brief with

by a stockist that their customers do not ask

decorative bow

for nude tones for dark skins.

detail

Th is situation reminds me of my years


2

of frustration of never fi nding the right


make-up to suit my colouring. 20 years ago

2
Nude set from core
cotton collection

there was one brand of make-up available to


women of colour in the UK one brand! My
friends and I would go shopping on Satur-

day, head into the department stores and

being U set from its

make a beeline for that one counter, never

spot range

stopping, or asking, at any other stores if


4

they did make-up for women of colour.

low and high waist

We knew nothing else was available. The

briefs in orange

years went by and our shopping experience


enhanced, as we then had two counters we
could go to, then three and so on. What I

now feel when shopping for make-up is valid

Nude set from core

and valued, before feeling broke after the

cotton collection

expense. I still sometimes buy products for


6

women of colour, just because... I can.

being U co-founder

So, in this month (October), that cele-

Sadia Sisay

brates black history, imagine how valid and


www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

41

FRANCHISING / ASK THE EXPERT

Rise of the
Franchise

WITH BIG NAME COMPANIES SUCH AS WOLFORD,


STRIP, BACI LINGERIE, BOUX AVENUE AND AGENT
PROVOCATEUR AMONG THOSE IN THE SECTOR SEEKING
TO EXPAND VIA FRANCHISING, NEXT YEAR, COULD
YOU BE MISSING OUT ON A TRICK? SHAW STAPELY,
ASSOCIATE AT LAW FIRM THOMAS EGGAR, EXPLAINS
THE KEY POINTS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN
2
EXPLORING THE FRANCHISE CONCEPT.

42

ith retailers being hit ever harder by the lack of


public spending,
they are looking
to find ways to reduce their bottom
line one way is through franchising
their brand. Chocolate retailer Thorntons, for example, announced this
year that it would be closing many of
its company-owned stores, however it
hopes to replace these with franchised
stores in an effort to reduce company
overheads and protect jobs.

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

Franchising can be a very effective


way of growing a successful business.
Instead of setting up and running new
outlets itself, the company finds independent franchisees that it helps to
set up their own businesses, using the
companys existing business as a blueprint for expansion.
The franchisees finance and manage
their businesses themselves but pay
the company feesfor the right to use
its business model,brand and for ongoing advice and support. This allows the
company to grow faster and give a bet-

ASK THE EXPERT / FRANCHISING

ter return on capital than if it owned


all the outlets itself. Some of the best
known companies in the country have
become household names through
franchising, including McDonalds,
Dominos Pizza, Molly Maid, Dyno-Rod,
Thorntons and Costa Coffee.
Franchising does not suit every
business, however, and a franchised
business needs to be profitable enough
to make money for both the franchisee
and the franchisor company. Further,
the company business needs to be one
that can be replicated in different locations by its franchisees. Businesses that
need high skills levels or professional
qualifications can be more difficult, but
not impossible, to franchise. The com3

The benefit of franchising is


developing the brand at a local
rather than national level. The
customer then receives a better,
localised service.
1

pany also needs to makes it worth the


franchisees while paying it, instead of
simply setting up their business independently. Usually this is a recognised
brand name, providing equipment or
supplies, or providing training and
marketing support.
BREAKING OUT THE BENEFITS
The benefits of franchising include using the franchisees capital to develop
a brand at a local rather than national
level. The customer then receives a
better and more localised service.
Growing a business can be difficult

and expensive,
requiring further
capital to fi nance
new outlets.
Management
also becomes
more difficult, particularly if the business is widely spread geographically.
Quicker expansion
Franchising can enable a single site
company to establish a national presence relatively quickly, achieving a
rate of network growth that would
be otherwise unattainable. Far fewer
resources are required to help open
a franchised outlet than a companyowned store, as the franchisee funds
the premises and fit-out, recruits and
trains the staff , and implements the
local marketing campaign.

Motivated management
Each franchise store will be under the
ownership of an individual with specialist local market knowledge who is
in essence their own boss. Their earnings depend upon the success of their
store, as opposed to a salaried manager
whose earnings are largely unrelated to
performance.

Agent Provocateurs
own store in
Rodeo Drive sets
the standard for
franchisees to follow
2
Increasing numbers
of businesses are
being attracted

Capital return
Whilst franchisees will pay an initial
investment to purchase a franchise,
which will cover the costs of recruitment, training and launch, the main
financial incentive will be the ongoing management service fee. This is a
percentage of the franchisees turnover,
paid to cover the costs of ongoing support, product research and development, national marketing campaigns,

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

to the potential
profitability of the
franchise model
3
Shaw Stapely of
Thomas Egger LLP
4
Baci Lingerie
franchise store

43

FRANCHISING / ASK THE EXPERT

The benefit of franchising is


developing the brand at a local
rather than national level. The
customer then receives a better,
localised service.

5
A Wolford store ,
which could soon
be emulated by
franchisees around
the world

44

plus to provide a fair reward for the use


of intellectual property and ongoing
efforts. Because there is less capital
employed, the companys profits are
generated on a much lower capital
investment.
By franchising, a company cuts overheads, reduces staffing and administration issues and can consequently focus
more time on developing the business.
Accelerated expansion of the business
network achieves higher economies
of scale earlier, stronger brand awareness, greater bargaining power with
suppliers and can enable a company
to gain an early lead on competitors
and establish a dominant position in
its market.

UNDERSTANDING THE LEGAL


IMPLICATIONS
Franchising can have its drawbacks.
In addition to developing and marketing the franchise, a franchisor must
ensure that it gets the right franchisees
and controls what they do to avoid any
reputational or brand damage.
It is important to put in place
relevant protections to prevent the
franchisors intellectual property being
infringed for example, by registering trademarks and the company
name. Once adequate protections
are in place, the company can benefit
from licensing its intellectual property,
plus it is easier to protect intellectual
property and prevent infringement if

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.com

it is registered and ownership can be


proven.
When franchising a business, the
franchisor will enter into a legal agreement with the franchisee. A clear, written contract is essential. This franchise
agreement will set out what rights and
obligations each party has, covering
key areas such as: the franchisees permitted territory and their rights within
it; their rights to use the franchisors
intellectual property; the restrictions
on their activities, both during and
after the term of the agreement; the
fees they will pay; the support they will
receive, both initially and during the
term; and what happens if either party
wants to bring the agreement to an
end or sell the business.
If retailers like Strip, Baci Lingerie,
Wolford and Agent Provocateur can
find store operators who are prepared
to invest the time and capital to become franchisees, such investments will
of course also bolster their bottom line,
in addition to maintaining high street
presence and customer goodwill.

SHOWCASE / OBJECT OF DESIRE

Object of

COLOUR OF SOUND BY AGUACLARA


Aguaclaras AW11 cruise collection is inspired by
the mystical Amazon and magical salt mines deep
in the heart of South America, from where the
brand originates.
Peruvian designer Liliana Villalobos seeks to
balance sophistication and daring with vibrant
hues, bold animal prints and shimmering
block colours, mixed with high quality fabrics
and hand finished embellishments. Each
piece is designed to accentuate the female
body and create sexy silhouettes.
This cover up, which is no exception,
is part of the brands Colour of Sound
collection. It is made from floor length silk
with sequin and beaded trim, and comes
with a matching bikini set.
RRP: 370
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

45

SHOWCASE / LINGERIE

RASPBERRY COLOURWAY BY

TEA FOR TWO BY HUIT

ANITA MATERNITY

For SS12, Huit is introducing a bridal collection named

Anita maternity is introducing a new

Tea for Two. The ivory collection offers a wide range

raspberry colourway to its collection

of styles, from a low cut strapless bra to a Magic Air, and

for SS12. The brands bras are seam-

finishes off the bridal look with a garter.

less, featuring pre-formed cups, a soft

RRP: brief, 28, bra, 55

underwire, wide or padded straps in

Contact: 0153 676 0282

the larger sizes and all-round breast

huit.com

support. The briefs are designed to


grow with the pregnancy and come
SS12 BY MINT SIREN

with a cotton gusset.


RRP: 37

Mint Sirens SS12 range was shot with four cameras in

Contact: Anita, 0208 446 7478

the heart of the Louisiana countryside. All items from

anita.com

Mint Sirens SS12 collection are made of a soft rib jersey


and contain organic cotton, milk protein and cashmere.
RRP: tank top, 91, briefs, 78, cuff, 52, dress, 245,
knickers, 65
Contact: 0793 085 7822
mintsiren.com

BLACK FLORE DOLCE VITA BY BACI LINGERIE


GERIE
These matching bra and briefs comes from Baci Lingeries Black Label Collection, the second range to be
nched
produced by the US brand. The collection was launched
in the UK last month in high street retailers such as Next
D.
and Littlewoods. Bra sizes range from 32A to 38DD.
RRP: bra, 16, briefs, 6
Contact: Baci Lingerie, 0120 286 8511
baci-lingerie.com

CELEBRITY BY PRINCESSE TAM TAM


An exclusive addition to the SS12 collection, Celebrity is available in gold lurex mesh with a metallic
finish. The style is designed to be worn either as
outerwear under a tuxedo, or as underwear with
an extra sparkle. It comes in sizes extra small, small
and medium, subject to availability.
RRP: bra, 56, brief, 42.
Contact: Lucy Osborne at Philippa Bradley
Agencies, 0207 499 4598.
princessetamtam.com

46

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

SWIMWEAR / SHOWCASE

AVALON BY ZOGGS
Avalon is part of Zoggs new cup sized
collection for ladies blessed with a fuller
bust. The Avalon bikini top comes in a
Japanese floral fan print with surplice
neckline and foam cups for shape and
support. It is available in black, jade and
purple print in Zoggs Elastomax fabric. It
can be mix and matched with the brands
BIRDS OF A FEATHER BY KOOEY

belted short or classic cut bikini bottom.


RRP: top, 30, short, 18, brief, 15

Inspired by the luminous colours and delicate

Contact: Zoggs, 0127 648 6517

details of Australias native birds, Kooeys 2012

zoggs.com

Birds of a Feather collection seeks to encompass


their mystic spirit and movement with sleek
styles and custom-designed prints.
Kooeys print designer Anne Hanning combines
contemporary style with a 70s vintage feel. The
collection includes bikinis, separates and a onepiece swimwear (pictured), as well as resort wear.
RRP: swimsuit, 100
Contact: Charlene Harmer, +6143 991 0793
kooey.com
POPPY BY SEAFOLLY
This Tea Rose Bustier DD Cup bikini from
Seafollys new D Cup+ collection was designed
to reflect the trend for lingerie inspired swimwear. It seeks to provide a stylish and chic
option for those with bigger busts.
RRP: top, 64, bottom, 42
Contact: Seafolly, 0845 408 0095
seafolly.com

VENICE SWIMBODY BY WOLFORD


Wolfords SS12 swimwear seeks to combine
superior style elements with figure-shaping
fabrics. Pieces are tailor-made for the
perfect figure effect. Opaquetransparent patterns aim to emphasise the female contours
and an expressive animal
print seeks to attract attention.
TRIBAL MIX BY MARYAN MEHLHORN

RRP: 330

The horn-coloured U-shaped decorative element in

Contact: Wolford,

this range allows for multiple front and back neckline

0207 529 3000

solutions, while an unusual colour combination of black

wolford.com

and tobacco emphasizes the ethnic spirit of the series.


Styles range from a soft cup bikini to a triangle with a
push-up effect and a new swimsuit (pictured).
RRP: 145
Contact: Sophie Pilcher, 0158 024 1111
maryanmehlhorn.com
www.lingerieinsight.com / OCTOBER 2011 / LINGERIE INSIGHT

47

EVENTS / SOCIAL LITE

Who was to be seen on the scene at the most glamorous events


in the world of lingerie and swimwear this month...
3

1
4

1
ard
James Goddard
receives the
mer
Male Swimmer
of the Year
Award at the
rds
Splash Awards

STA
from INVISTA
ing
marketing
ger
manager
can
Michele Duncan
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
By Caprice
launch party
7, 8, 9, 10
Nichole de
Carle pop up
party at Lingerie
Collective

48

LINGERIE INSIGHT / OCTOBER 2011 / www.lingerieinsight.co.uk

10

/ ISSUE 01
MARCH 2010
.com
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