Global Appeal ~ Apilat Lingerie

August 27, 2017

By ALISON CONNOLLY

Our niche in this Gallery is representing luxury lingerie from designers around the world, and this week we present the Ukrainian brand Apilat. Founded as a wedding dress label in 2012 by sisters Galyna and Lyubov, it has since added bridal lingerie to its offerings in 2015. Consistent with most bridal lingerie designs, their works are sensual, traditional and romantic, but what sets them apart from the mainstream is their precise handwork and use of exceptional fabrics.

As you will see from the images below, Apilat’s use of lace and how it is paired with silk is striking. According to the website’s product descriptions, the designers use Chantilly lace, but their prices are considerably more reasonable compared to other lace-heavy luxury brands like I.D. Sarrieri (not … Read more

One Legging at A Time

August 20, 2017

By TINA WILSON

I ADORE LEGGINGS! They can be a dresses’ best friend or a t-shirt’s worst nightmare. When I first started wearing leggings way back in the day when hair was poufy and high; they came in one length, they had no tummy control, they couldn’t heat you up or cool you down and they had no pockets. The only holes in them were caused by your thighs rubbing together and they mostly came in Black. Leggings were supposedly not worn by the ‘fashionable’ crowd and mocking someone for wearing them outside of the gym was not uncommon.

Fast forward to today and you have a 500+ person wait list for Bandier’s Ultracor Star Legging. I must admit while I think they are fun, I am a bit baffled, … Read more

Wearable Art ~ MENG

August 14, 2017

By ALISON CONNOLLY

We are no stranger to the concept of luxury lingerie when it comes to our Gallery posts, and today’s feature on the U.K.-based brand MENG is no exception. MENG is a contemporary luxury lifestyle brand with a heavy emphasis on Asian-inspired prints and styles that are tailored to suit the sophisticated woman’s taste. If you are familiar with the label, which is sold at Selfridges, Neiman Marcus & Harrods (to name a few), then you know that its specialty is in kimono and pajama designs that are essentially wearable pieces of art. With that in mind, the brand is taking a slightly different approach to its SS18 collection. It’s focusing on a category between the worlds of loungewear and ready-to-wear by adapting its new shapes so that … Read more

The Hybridization of Design

August 6, 2017

By TINA WILSON

I believe by the turn of this century there will no longer be categories of clothing, no sportswear, no intimates, no outerwear, we will have 7 articles of clothing, period …I will be dust by then and it’s probably just as well but in the meantime I will happily prepare for the inevitable and so should any forward thinking designer or retailer of apparel.

hy•brid (ˈhaɪ brɪd) n.

1. the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, or species, esp. as produced
through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics.

2. a person produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions, etc.

3. anything derived from unlike sources, or composed of disparate or incongruous elements; composite.

My current fascination is the garment … Read more

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Bikini ~ Réard Swimwear

July 24, 2017

By ALISON CONNOLLY

Here’s a bit of swimwear design trivia for you: The bikini was invented in Paris by Louis Réard in 1946 following the end of World War II. At the time, this radical design was intended to reflect the new attitude of women who were feeling liberated and strong following the war. That brings us to another piece of swimwear trivia: The bikini was named after Bikini Atoll, the test site for the atomic bomb located in the South Pacific. Needless to say, the reaction to this two-piece design was explosive! In fact, it marked a definitive shift in the covered-up world of women’s fashions. It wasn’t long before Hollywood embraced this skin-baring style, and created icons out of the women who wore it (such as Brigitte Bardot, … Read more