Qrucifix: Strappy Lingerie with a Sustainable Twist
Ellen Lewis
By ESTELLE PULESTON
British lingerie brand Qrucifix was founded in 2021 by Renata Kuti, as her answer to the industry’s unsustainable practices she’d witnessed first-hand while working in China.
Growing up with a passion for art and mesmerized by Victoria’s Secret fashion shows, Kuti had decided early on that she wanted to be a part of that glamorous world she saw on the television. And she made it, eventually landing a senior design role where she got to work on projects for major brands – among them, Victoria’s Secret.
But the reality was not as alluring as what she had pictured. “This enormous environmental damage was the eye opener to quit fast fashion”, she says, “so, I decided to bring on some change in a rather attractive form.”
Qrucifix is a bold, sexy lingerie brand defined by the use of sheer mesh and elaborate strapping, and which has been designed from a starting point of versatility. Kuti wanted to create a line that embraced diversity and freedom of expression, and part of that meant allowing customers to put their own spin on each look.
A handful of Qrucifix garments are specifically designed to be convertible, such as the Venus Convertible Body which can be worn mini-dress style or with the bottom edge transformed into two thigh straps, and the Isadora Convertible Body which can be worn as a bodysuit or garter basque.
For the most part though, the versatility simply comes from how you choose to style it. With everything available in the same three colors, there are endless ways to mix, match and layer Qrucifix pieces, and many of them also have O-rings that allow them to be adorned with optional jewelry attachments.
All of the lingerie is made from elastic and factory surplus mesh, both of which are dyed in-house. When Qrucifix first launched, this was all done with natural dyes, but Kuti found they were not necessarily the most sustainable option, requiring excessive amounts of water and energy and sometimes the use of metal-based mordants, plus creating inconsistent results which led to wastage. Now, she uses locally-made eco-pigment dyes in a lower-energy, lower-water process that’s free from heavy metals and other toxins.
Everything is cut and sewn on site as well, using a small-batch production process and with a limited number of orders accepted each week to ensure a quality over quantity approach to manufacturing. 18k gold-plated hardware adds a sense of luxury, and Swarovski or Preciosa crystal elements are chosen when a design needs sparkle.
Next, Kuti plans to add Chantilly lace to the collection, also sourced deadstock. She’s also busy working on the launch of a second line called Manniqa, which she describes as the ‘vibrant younger sister’ to Qrucifix and which will focus on sleek, double-layered Lyocell bamboo fabric and be available up to a 4XL.
The Qrucifix product range is available in sizes XS-XL as standard, or can be made to measure at no extra charge. Garments range from £35 to £395 (approximately $45-$510), with accessories such as the jewelry charms and garter sets priced between £21 and £185 (approximately $27-$240).