Soreil: Romantic Handmade Lingerie from Colombia
By ESTELLE PULESTON
You may recognize Soreil from its Barbie-inspired Pink & Fabulous collection last year, which was ingeniously marketed via miniature versions of each design modelled on Barbie dolls. Or you may know it from its wonderfully romantic photo shoots, inspired by fine art and shot against lusciously opulent backdrops. Or maybe you don’t yet know this independent Colombian brand at all – in which case you should!
Founded by fashion and textile design graduate Jackie Sasson in 2015, Soreil takes its name from Sasson’s number one muse, Agnès Sorel. Born in 1422 and known as the Lady of Beauty, Sorel was the first officially recognized mistress of a French king, and a daring fashion trendsetter of her time who scandalously ushered in low-cut court gowns and emphasized that on-display cleavage with a diamond neckline (a gemstone that was at the time banned for women and non-royals).
I first came across the brand via its equally cleavage-flaunting Heroin bra, a design with dramatically cut-away cups that leave only a wide peak of velvet-covered underwire at the center. More recently, the brand has released a collection titled Divine Feminine. More romantic than racy, this one’s awash with delicate laces, satin ribbons, rosebud details, and a color palette of rosy pinks, grays and metallic shimmer.
For Sasson, inspiration all begins with the materials. She starts each new collection with an extensive fabric search – prioritizing quality, texture and of course, beauty – and slowly pulls together a visual family of colors and textures, only then deciding on a concept that will define the silhouettes and overall aesthetic.
Although there are influences of current and recent trends in her work (stays-style corsetry, colorful embroideries and elastic strapping on some earlier pieces, the entire Barbie-themed collection of last year…), what really drives her isn’t following the latest trends, but creating romantic, daring pieces that inspire self-confidence whether they’re seen or not.
Asked what drew her to lingerie design specifically, Sasson told me that it’s the way it “connects with our most intimate side… Although there are also trends in silhouettes, textures, and colors in lingerie, the fact that it’s something we initially share with ourselves means that the choice and experience are more about how we feel than how we are perceived externally.”
Soreil puts out a new collection twice per year, as well as a few additional product launches between the two seasons. Everything is produced by a small team of women in the brand’s atelier in Bogotá, Colombia, a workshop that it was for many year’s Sasson’s dream to open. Now that she’s achieved that goal, she has her sights set on an international expansion as the next step in growing her brand.
Soreil garments (including bras) are available in sizes XS to XXL, covering 30A to 40B/38C, and pieces in the new Divine Feminine collection are priced from $39 to $197.
Contact information:
Website: https://soreil-lingerie.com/
Instagram: @soreil_lingerie
Email: soreil.lingerie@gmail.com
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So lovely!