Color trends shown at Interfiliere forum

Day 1 of the Salon International de la Lingerie show in Paris and there was a lot to see. This year I decided to cover it differently and made a point to walk the whole show, touch base with key vendors, shop the Interfiliere fabric forums, attend the Concepts Paris trend seminars and catch the runway show. I took a slew of photos and am in the process of hashing out the directives that emerge if one studies the big picture.

 Nina Lawrence and Lauren Alyssa Smith from De Montford University ~ Jos Berry, founder and director of Concepts Paris, the international trend forecasting and design service

I met some young designers who attend De Montford University in England, a well known source of design talent. I chatted with Jos Berry, renowned head of Concepts Paris, about the state of Lingerie development worldwide and I met with Francois Pommes of Creations Magazine to discuss new direction. The show was busy, the young designer area much larger than the past and the energy was high.  I will hold my product shots for a recap but here’s a few to wet your appetite.

Models wowed audiences with their beautifully designed lingerie at the Interfiliere in Paris, Saturday (video by Ruptly)

Maybe it’s because I wasn’t brain dead from jet lag today, but my intimate shopping experience produced a much better product reference than yesterday’s run through.  Personally, I think it’s because I went to Le Bon Marché, still in my opinion, the most cohesive presentation of Lingerie in Paris. The store, modern and sophisticated, is very “French”. Although they were very busy, particularly the Lingerie department, one never feels overwhelmed by the crowd.

Shorty pajama by Raphaella Reboud and swimsuit by Eres at Le Bon Marché in Paris

Sales are prevalent but do not interfere with the showcase of new arrivals. The assortment in foundations is fueled by the usual french brand infrastructure. Only Wacoal and Calvin have crossed over. However, the reason I love this store is the way they curate designers. Elise Aucouturier, Carine Gilson, La Fille d’O, Momoni, TCN, exclusive to Bon Marché sat beside Madame Aime, Raphaella Reboud, Fifi Chachnil, Roseanna, Asceno and Ysé.

Shopping at Le Bon Marché: Elise Aucouturier, Madame Aime & corset by Chantal Thomas

The more embedded Chantal Thomas and Eres were strong statements along side foreigners La Perla and Andres Sarda. Stella McCarthy looked amazing and Princesse Tam Tam is back with a vengeance.

La Perla and Princesse Tam Tam

The segue into legwear is seamless and the heart of the department is an ode to exquisite fragrances and cosmetics. When you shop this store, you are in a French lingerie boutique, replete with extraordinary service, which by the way is why I have so few photos. Photography is not allowed and sneaking is “trés difficile”.

I had a meeting which cut the shopping process short. But don’t worry, my dinner at the corner bistro kept the “french experience intact”.

Ellen checks out colorful, customized, fancy globe lights by la case de cousin paul – Paris, France

Maybe it was serendipity when I bumped in to Kay LeGrange, SVP of Sales for Hanky Panky on the plane to Paris last night. One discussion led to another and we ended up spending the day together shopping the stores while brainstorming merchandising inspiration.

As usual in January in Paris, everything was on sale and it took some rather facile digging to decipher any coherent story in the lingerie departments, but I did see one or two emerging ideas: blue and orange tones everywhere with a dollop of pink just for the fun of it. Translation, color matters in intimates and swim this season at retail. I would share the coral infusion but my camera insists on distorting the color and so its difficult to expose reality here.

One story that really lifted our jet lagged spirits though, was the vibrant rainbow that commanded the home furnishing floors, particularly at BHV, not the tourist mecca mantle that Galeries Lafayette claims as their purview, but a classy department store where the French actually shop.

Since inspiration comes from many venues, I still think this matters. Maybe it was running around with a keynote player from color maven Hanky Panky, but spring looks bright on the home front. I am guessing as Intimates begins to deliver, the same tale will be told.

Yesterday, I purchased a Coach Saddle bag, reminiscent of my first Coach bag, bought in 1970 for fifty very hard to part with dollars. Despite all the trendy fanfare infused into this brand’s styling today, their essentials collection remains true to its sports minded origins. It’s the contemporary design elements that leave the original concept intact but take its function to a whole new level.  I needed the bag for my trip to Paris. I am leaving tomorrow for my semiannual coverage of the Salon International de la Lingerie and this reminded me that I had better take mental note of the critical items I need to bring in order to keep my mission on track.  Of course there is a facile laptop, shoes worthy of marathon walking and for me, underwear that pledges maximum comfort and fortitude during long working days. Starting with the overnight flight and hours of shopping before I can check into my hotel, I need to know that my bra will endure 24 hours of G force support. That is why I am wearing my new Fantasie Eclipse underwire spacer balcony bra on the plane.  Based on the tried and true Rebecca t-shirt bra genetics, Eclipse has been updated with a sexier décolleté and re-engineered with a more generous wire allowing it to sit lower on the side bone.  This innovation solves a problem with top bulge for women size 30-40, C-G cups.  Just like my new handbag, re-tooled to accommodate modern necessities ( phone, tablet, kindle and more) my eclipse bra is as smooth and supportive as its older sister with just a few more pleasurable assets.

“Old Ideas Can Sometimes Use New Buildings. New Ideas Must Use Old Buildings.”
~Steven Johnson

.

We are very pleased to welcome Simone Pérѐle to our Lingerie Briefs Spotlight. This modern French brand has managed to maintain their sophisticated and sensual allure  while evolving their essential library of shapes to satisfy a North American market.  Known for their elegant styling and luxurious fit, this is lingerie that embodies quality, beauty and function at excellent value. We are proud to have them as our partners! READ MORE

.

I don’t think I have made a secret of my passion for horses and horseback riding. It is a found pleasure, a sport I discovered at the ripe young age of 54. I remember telling someone shortly after I began this journey that it wasn’t much exercise but it was a great mental distraction; therapy of sorts. That is probably because the first time I ever mounted a horse he refused to move. I was clueless. At the stable where I took lessons they were certain I would not last after the first few sessions. Well they did not know me. Here I am, 10 years later, pretty much an intermediate rider, perfectly capable of a fast and lasting cantor.  This is a far cry from yesteryear requiring endurance and physical effort way beyond a saunter around the countryside. One of the most repeated commands that I hear from my instructor is “Support”. He is referring to keeping myself centered to assure balance on my horse. This type of control is very empowering.

When I ride, I always wear a good sports bra and I have some go to brands that perform well.  So when Chantelle introduced their Hi-Impact Multi-Way Sports Bra (2941) recently, I was interested from a professional perspective but not seeking any change.  However, when I tried it yesterday, I was so impressed with the comfort and support this style provides; I changed my editorial calendar to write this blog. Not only does it render excellent control; it is engineered to position the breast tissue in a natural shape similar to an everyday bra. Sized to fit 30-42, C-H cups, and constructed in a breathable microfiber, it is anchored to the chest to assure absolute stability during intense movement.  The feeling of security and well-being it ensures is a luxury one would expect from the Chantelle brand. The pleasure is all mine.

“You Can Do Anything As Long As You Have
The Passion, The Drive, The Focus And The Support” ~Sabrina Bryan

.

Many years ago, when I first penned the moniker “Lingerie is the Poetry in A Woman’s Wardrobe”, I was preparing a presentation in which I intended to prove that femininity was an expression of a woman’s comfort inside her own skin.  I spoke of the private luxuries in which she indulges for personal pleasures.  Two of the most empowering, lingerie and perfume, could not be more symbiotic.  They are the first things a woman puts on each morning.

This week Hanky Panky made that liaison part of their ever growing presence with the launch of their proprietary fragrance, Hanky Panky Eau de Parfum.  Encapsulating the essence of the brand character, this is a perfume that speaks to a woman satisfied with her own body. A melange of floral and woodsy bouquets are blended together to create this flirty, fresh, yet quiet scent.  Yes, the top note speaks to Hanky Panky’s grasp of the modern woman and their excellent marketing IQ. But from the bottom note, this launch embraces my own merchandising mantra: The Product is Everything.

“Design Is Shrinking The Gap Between What A Product Does And Why It Exists.”
~Sahil Lavingia

.