By HOLLY JACKSON
I was relatively new to the professional lingerie scene years ago when the Charlotte Bra by Parfait released. It was the first truly retro style bra I had seen in my size and I instantly fell in love with it. It was also one of my first lingerie samples, so the whole box showing up at my apartment door felt like a fairy godmother had gifted me with something I didn’t even know existed yet.
I’m older now and have changed both apartments and cities, but I still grinned when I saw the newest version of the Charlotte show up on my doorstep. It was like seeing an old friend that I’d lost touch with when I was younger, just in lingerie form. Wearing it around reminded me that the Charlotte is still unique in the industry: it’s retro, it looks huge in the box but great on and provides a lifted profile that is typical of British bras. It is also a great bra to have in your lingerie drawer.
While Parfait isn’t the buzziest brand in the industry, many of their offerings are a take on comfortable favorites that really work. They are also stealth staples in many boutiques: lots of my clients rave about their t-shirt bras and won’t replace them with anything else. In some ways the Charlotte is an outlier as their catalogue mostly focuses on staples and standards, with an emphasis on easy to love moulded cup bras with a dash of lace. In terms of fashion pieces, their Sandrine Plunge Longline and Romina Unlined bra are worth a look for boutiques looking for something different to carry. In fact, the Romina reminds me a lot of the old Claudette aesthetic – something that is sadly missed among full-figured and full-busted lingerie customers currently.
Mostly though, I’m recommending Parfait because the brand has become a industry classic. I liked the Charlotte in my early 20’s and I still like it now in my early 30’s, which is a hard trick to pull off. The brand is also consistent. While tweaks have been made to bra builds, the brand still feels like it did when it was first introduced. If you’re looking for something classic yet new, Parfait is a great brand to try out.
