By Moira Nelson
Last Friday was a traumatic day here in New York City. The shooting near the Empire State Building occurred in the unofficial Intimate Apparel district. Most lingerie brands and manufacturers have showrooms and offices within a block of New York’s most iconic skyscraper. I had stepped out of the Starbucks on the corner of 33rd & 5th only minutes before the first shots were fired. And several minutes after the shooting took place, we received word that our receptionist had been caught in the crossfire. Luckily, she only suffered a shot to the leg and is expected to make a full recovery. Inevitably, those closest to unexpected tragedies find themselves humbled and grateful while acutely aware of their own humanity and mortality….Ever reminded of those things that matter most. I implore each of you to take a moment of silence today….Simply say “thank you” with sincere humility. The reality is….we work with bras and panties…. We’re not saving lives. We may be saving sex lives…. But we’re not saving lives!
Here are your Intimate Insights for the last official week of Summer….. Happy Labor Day to all!
Last week, the world’s leading internet retailer for men’s underwear and women’s lingerie needs, Freshpair, celebrated the 10th Anniversary of National Underwear Day. Freshpair unveiled a one-of-a-kind “It’s Time for a Change” pop-up store in New York City. The pop-up store provided guests with an “experience” including free underwear from the event’s title sponsors—Calvin Klein, Wacoal, Leonisa, Emporio Armani, 2xist, C-IN2, Rated M, and others—as well as demonstrations of Freshpair’s signature At Home Bra Fitting and Men’s Underwear Club services, advice from style gurus, exclusive specials and giveaways, and a walk through “model alley” where models showed off the latest underwear looks. Check out Freshpair’s new look and unique services which were developed to provide a personalized customer experience at: www.freshpair.com. I had a personal bra fitting from Freshpair’s very own At Home Bra Fit Specialist, Bobbie. And, I walked away with a “fresh pair” of undies courtesy of the event’s title sponsor, Wacoal.
Fashion’s Night Out is scheduled for Thursday, September 6th. I will be spending the evening with Bethenny Frankel at Macy’s Herald Square. The Intimate Affair at Macy’s will feature the Skinnygirl Smoothers n’ Shapers Fashion Show. Bethenny says, “When I created Skinnygirl Smoothers n’ Shapers, I wanted a sensible solution without compromising fashion. I made sure that Skinnygirl Shapewear was made for real women. It’s the shapewear that you want people to see. That’s why, for Fashion’s Night Out, we’re celebrating with a fashion show that showcases women of all different shapes and sizes feeling confident and sexy in their Skinnygirl Shapewear.” After an online contest which ended last week, three lucky ladies have been chosen to walk in the Skinnygirl Solutions “Real Woman” Fashion Show. For a complete listing of Fashion’s Night Out events in cities around the world, go to www.fashionsnightout.com
The International Lingerie Show (ILS) runs September 10th through the 12th at the RIO in Las Vegas. The ILS trade show leans towards the sexy/adult side of our industry. For more information, go to: www.lvlingerieshow.com.
SAVE THE DATE: Luis and I are pleased to announce that The Lingerie Alliance will be hosting the official Nolcha Fashion Week Closing Party in collaboration with Label 55 on Thursday, September 13, 2012. Nolcha Fashion Week is an award-winning event for independent fashion designers to showcase their collections to a global audience of press, retailers, stylists and industry influencers. This edition of the event will run from September 10th – 13th, 2012 and will include runway presentations, an exclusive bloggers brunch, fashion lounge, after-parties, networking events, and an official fashion week closing party. Nolcha Fashion Week is officially listed with Mercedes-Benz as one of two recognized Fashion Weeks by the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Nolcha offers a range of cost effective options to increase designers’ recognition and develop their businesses. We are very pleased to be partnered with Nolcha Fashion Week as they share our passion for supporting independent brands. We hope you will join us for this Intimate Affair which will provide great networking for industry pros! If you are interested in attending, please email me directly at: moira@thelingeriealliance.com.
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