By TINA WILSON

Seamless intimate apparel is the “lovechild” of hosiery and lingerie. It’s also the name of one of my favorite songs by the Supremes.  I’ve taken note over the years how powerful lingerie companies like Spanx and Commando have entered the hosiery market. Melding the technology of hosiery machines with the design detail of lingerie has become lucrative and without the yarns and technology developed by the hosiery industry shapewear would be all seams and discomfort.

In my early days while I shopped in Europe I was a hosiery junkie, buying Fogal and Wolford hosiery every time I touched down in London or Paris.  These two brands in particular were pioneers and introduced me to luxury for the legs.  I love Fogal for their colors, superb quality and the packaging, I’m a sucker for  beautiful design. I am making a beeline to Fogal’s new Bloomingdales 59^TH street NYC shop! I see a boon for smartly colored hose and leggings in the making!

Wolford was and is on the forefront of technology and price-wise not for the faint of heart. I was in Saks recently ogling their long seamless tube dress, oh to be 6ft tall, skinny and own it in every shade. Wolford is masterful in creating hosiery hybrids to be worn as clothing and accessories, I believe there is still unchartered territory here.

We live in a time of fashion hybrids…pants have skirts attached, camisoles have bras attached, sneakers are part sock, jackets are capes, robes are coverups, pajamas are evening-wear and your pantyhose is your “girdle”…one day your hat will be your glove! No silhouette is sacred, anything goes, it’s exciting and it’s frightening, but change we must, if we as an industry are to survive.

The machines that produced hosiery are the machines that birthed the machines that produce the endless sea of seamless dressing that is now everyday wear. Though these garments are commonplace , they are not boring.  American brands like Hue, and most recently Free People as well as the gazillion active wear brands are doing a fantastic job of creating leggings, slips, camisoles, and/or activewear using the Santoni technology.

There was a time not long ago when the hosiery market suffered greatly, many women stopped wearing hosiery and wearing pants became more commonplace at work. I also stopped wearing pantyhose and about 8 years ago started wearing leggings under my dresses, it made me feel more casual and allowed more shoe options. I still have a sock fetish but I want to be lured back to wearing hosiery and I look forward to the innovation some of these brands will put forth, seeing how hosiery brands evolve as our wardrobes become ever more casual is the big challenge…a challenge I believe our American brands and our European allies are up to!

By ALISON CONNOLLY

Putting together this post involved quite a few “I want that…I need that…how do I not have that?!” moments.  I had the pleasure of recently discovering the Barcelona-based brand La Costa del Algodón, which specializes in loungewear with a vintage-inspired twist.

Flowing fabrics with floral patterns defines this label that creates kaftans, robes and nightgowns that transition beautifully from inside the bedroom to out and about.  The lines between sleepwear and ready-to-wear are heavily blurred, as the founders Chipi Tornos and Isabel Pedemonte explain that “each woman decides when and where to wear our creations.”  The styles are bohemian, a bit beachy and entirely romantic.  You can see the heavy vintage influence in the designs, which results in a collection that transcends time.

It’s worth noting that this label is getting some wonderful media exposure this year, first with an appearance on Nicole Kidman’s character in Big Little Lies, and later this year you will see this brand on the silver screen in The Bookshop on Emily Mortimer’s character.  I will watch the movie based on that tidbit alone!

You can shop the most recent collections from La Costa del Algodón on their website, and in luxury boutiques worldwide (i.e. Jenette Bras in Los Angeles).

As Seen on Nicole Kidman in Big Little Lies (HBO)

By TINA WILSON

R-E-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y……say the word out loud. How does it make you feel?  It gives me goosebumps because it describes people who are fearless, radical, avant-garde, inspirational and on the forefront of a movement to make things better for all of us, whether it be political or creative.  I went to the Brooklyn Museum to see the Georgia O’Keefe exhibit, and happened upon another exhibit entitled “WE WANT A REVOLUTION”, about Black women artists in the 60’s and 70’s and it made me wonder if I’d ever been a part of a revolution or is my time yet to come.

Revolutionaries are often forgotten or never acknowledged for their contributions, but their impact is nonetheless felt. When we think of shapewear we think of Spanx, but few remember that it was Donna Karan that invented many of the attributes of controlling a woman’s body so tight as to conceal her unwanted flesh…….long before Spanx.  I know because I was there, and to see Donna slip her body into a 10” tube and show you that she can still breath and move is to see passion, obsession and genius at work.

Calvin Klein, a contemporary and a friend of Donna Karan, revolutionized gender based underwear. There are many imitators but it is undisputed that Calvin and his men’s and women’s underwear was and still is…a revolution.  You can debate all day long about whether his early ads with Brooke Shields and Mark Wahlberg or the infamous logo waistband was the genius behind the brand, but I can tell you I will never forget seeing those early photos pinned to his office wall, listening to him as he studied them and planned his empire.

Sometimes a revolution is an idea brought forth by a community of talent, such as the mission  statement behind the success of Wacoal and many of its still standing bras designed years ago….
-To create the highest quality best fitting garment for the American consumer.
-To provide a level of customer service to assure that the consumer gets the correct style and size.
-To market and sell this merchandise at regular price every day.

Many of iconic bras by Wacoal were conceptualized by Alan Fisher and his staff of designers, some of the most talented people in our industry. The Awareness and Body by Wacoal Collections in particular have defied time and are still going strong….. an effective revolution never ends.

A revolution can be started by a retail phenomenon like Victoria’s Secret or a star that wears her underwear on stage like Madonna or creating an iconic thong from lace like Hanky Panky does so masterfully. LaPerla has revolutionized extravagant beauty, and if you doubt me just stop by their store and view the 10K bra made of gold threads. Fashion Forms with Anne Deal at the helm has revolutionized how we hold up and shape our breasts without a bra. And let us not forget Commando.

Time will bear witness to whether online stars like Adore Me or ‘period panty’ innovators like THINX and Skin with their clean aesthetic will be remembered as revolutionary, I sincerely hope they do. I believe we are in urgent need of another revolution…..are you ready to participate or to start your own?

By ALISON CONNOLLY

Today’s Gallery features Botica Lingerie, where “nude is the color of the soul”.  Once you see their work, you will understand precisely what this means and how closely the brand abides by this credo.  You will also immediately see that this label represents erotica, the avant-garde and female sensuality.

This luxury label celebrates the ritual of wearing lingerie as “one of the most intimate and erotic delights of a woman”.  That is certainly the case when wearing sheer, second-skin intimates made from silk tulle.

This Madrid-based label is handmade by women and for women, and is designed by Mexican fashion designer Andrea Pimentel.

The collection featured here is called Powder and is inspired by the delights of the human touch, imagining the sensual ways a caress can be desired.

It appears that this debut collection was released a couple of years ago, but continues to be sold today (and the brand remains active on its NSFW Tumblr and Instagram).  Clearly this is a talented, artistically inclined designer, so it would be wonderful to see what new works are in development!  Most recently, you can find Andrea Pimentel modeling gorgeous silk scarves for the Madrid-based brand Suturno (definitely worth checking out, and you may recognize her from images you’ve seen on Pinterest!).

Andrea Pimentel modeling a SuTurno scarf (above & below)

http://boticabotica.tumblr.com
All photos by www.lourdescabrera.es
Scarves www.suturno.net

By TINA WILSON

By TINA WILSON

I get so revved up about the beach that I start packing long before the first summer weekend begins on Fire Island.  Sharing a beach house with numerous people requires a wee bit of discretion with regard to how much of yourself you let “hang out”, even among the dearest of friends.

Packing for the beach house is a dilemma as I must pack for the summer and leave whatever has been chosen in the house for the duration.  There are different moments at the beach as there are in the city and cooking, lounging, exercising, and socializing require well thought out undergarments. Ultimately beach life is about comfort for the body and soul, so shapewear as we know it is forbidden.

My predominant roles in the beach house are chef and instigator of political discourse. I love to prepare meals for large groups and go wild with the ingredients and experiment with salty, sweet and savory.  This summer my focus will be on composed salads like Fried Eggplant, Tomato & Peach Salad with Preserved Lemon or Fresh Corn Cakes with Crab Tomato Salad from Food52.  While cooking I like to wear something loose that allows the breeze to touch my skin, as it gets hot in the kitchen even when you aren’t using the oven. Underneath my thousand-year-old T-dress I might wear a bralet. Hanky Panky’s Retro style or b.tempt’d’s Lace Kiss Bandeau both come to mind to retain some semblance of dignity while moving about the kitchen; and along with said bralet, Hanky Panky’s infamous thong.  For the hotter mid-August days, even that might be too much and OnGossamer’s Mesh thong and a camisole like Fleur’ts Lace Shelf or OnGossamer’s Cabana Cotton Shelf Cami with a loose pair of shorts is about as bare as anyone should get while cooking…The other must have while cooking is music, I’m prone to being all over the place but a little Smiths mixed in with some Sade works for me…. and I have not gotten sick of the soundtrack to “Big Little Lives” yet!

We have a custom of going to watch the sunset at the town dock before dinner, all the locals come out with cocktails in plastic cups and we fraternize until the sun goes down and we oooohhhh and ahhhhh like we’ve never seen a sunset. This moment in time is your best shot at getting “dressed up” for the weekend, the lipstick comes out and so do the ta-tas.  “Show off” bras like Chantelle’s Merci Underwire Push Up or the be.inspired Underwire Push UP  by b.tempt’d look sexy coming or going respectively; particularly layered with a white shirt or low back tank.  Personally, an underwire is out of the question so Montelle’s Wire Free bra is the better option for me.  This is also where shapewear might appear if at all, and I choose a bike short, which works perfectly under a wispy skirt that might any minute get caught by the wind.  Something in a fun color that won’t look like or feel like shapewear such as Yummie’s Everyday Shaping Shortie is ideal.

In the mornings we must put in the exercise to offset the martini consumption that came the night before and a low impact sport bra for the brisk walks is a must.  Again it’s all about comfort and I have discovered the Evolution bra by Knixwear, it’s in the mail on its way to me and it had better live up to all its promises, in the meantime I will humor myself and pretend a more vigorous activity other than bike riding is a possibility and go for something a bit more supportive during low impact moments like b.tempt’d’s Active Underwire Sports Bra. The beach crowd is not the most athletic crowd but we do have our runners and for them I would suggest Curvy Couture’s Ultimate Fit High Impact.

Whatever I end up packing, be assured it will be a glorious summer filled with a little politics, a little sunning, a lot of wine and some mind blowing salads!