Apilat’s Exquisite Boudoir Robes and Gowns: Sheer Elegance
By ESTELLE PULESTON
Based in Ukraine, Apilat is a luxury lingerie brand with a twist: its designs are heavily influenced by wedding dresses. Though its garments have gotten more colorful over time, rather than the mostly-ivory color palette of its beginnings, the general aesthetics of bridal fashion are still there, as well as its high-end construction techniques and attention to detail.
The brand was founded by sisters Galyna and Lubov Apilat, both graduates of Kiev National University of Technology and Design, whose first business venture together was to open a clothing atelier. By chance or fate, a few years into running it, a customer asked for a wedding dress and the experience of creating it was so fascinating and so enjoyable that in 2012, they launched their eponymous label and switched their focus purely to bridal.
But as much as they loved designing wedding dresses, there was one thing still leaving them unfulfilled. “We enjoyed working with lace, but whenever we added lining fabric at the end of the gown’s making, the dress seemed to lose its lightness,” says Lubov, “This led to the desire to create a collection of lace dresses without lining to preserve their transparency and airiness.”
The result was Apilat lingerie for wedding nights and honeymoons, a line of extravagant robes and long, slinky gowns that do, in fact, often resemble wedding dresses without a lining. There are pieces that look like big clouds of tulle, and others made in curve-hugging satin, but what they all have in common is an unmistakable sense of glamour. Dramatic sleeves, big feather cuffs and flowing trains are all recurrent design features, and I particularly enjoy the brand’s use of shimmer materials, whether it’s metallic silks (even more beautiful than regular silk!) or heavily-sequined fabrics.
It’s not just bridal attire that inspires the sisters. It’s also, in their words, the “vast and beautiful” world, with previous collections having been particularly inspired by – and photographed in – the romantic cities of Venice and Paris. Another was created as a homage to their beloved city of Kyiv, where the company has remained despite the war; they wrote on Instagram that, despite offers to move abroad, “we want to stay in our own country and be useful here.”
The idea for a more recent collection, Colors of Love, took hold during a visit to Spain’s iconic La Muralla Roja. Featuring designs in a palette of soft lilac and seafoam green tones, and with plenty of sparkle, it perfectly reflects the glistening sea and the architecture itself at this spectacularly-otherworldly location.
In the very latest collection, titled My Little Bird, Apilat has branched out from nightgowns and robes to launch its first ever pajama collection. Just as beautiful as the rest of their nightwear, it features styles and details such as flared hems, fully-sheer lace pants, lavish use of decorative tassels, and rows of silk-covered buttons.
Above all, Apilat aims to combine elegance and sophistication with practical comfort, for stunning, splurge-worthy pieces you will actually get plenty of wear from. As for how much of a splurge to expect, prices run from a bit under $500 through to almost $1,300. An Apilat piece is an investment for sure, but it’s one you’ll certainly cherish forever.
Apilat lingerie is available in sizes XS to XL as standard, with custom sizing also available. For an additional fee of 35€ (approx. $37), you can also have a name or date embroidered to make the piece that bit more special.
Contact information:
Website: https://apilatwedding.com/
Instagram: @apilat_lingerie_official
Email: apilatwedding@gmail.com
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