Luciela: Colorful, Consciously-Made Lingerie from Europe
Ellen Lewis
By ESTELLE PULESTON
Founded by Lucienne Rutherford, Luciela is a self-described ‘eco luxe’ brand that’s based in Spain, manufactured in Portugal, and made using exclusively European-sourced sustainable materials.
Like so many other designers before her, Rutherford had the idea for Luciela when she wasn’t able to find what she wanted in stores. It wasn’t that they were lacking in beautiful designs, but so many of the briefs on offer featured elastic waistbands that would always dig in – her lingerie pet hate – and the laser-cut or lace-trimmed alternatives felt either too basic or too ubiquitous. There was a gap, she felt, for designs that were both sleek-fitting and stylish.
It took four years to research and develop the brand’s debut collection, which she did while continuing in her corporate career. Working in fashion was something entirely new to her, and it was only when she began to work on Luciela – diving into everything from print design to fabric sourcing for the first time – that she learned about the industry’s detrimental impact on the environment.
While Rutherford vowed to do better, beginning by carefully studying the sustainability credentials of everything she considered buying, “it made an overwhelming challenge almost impossible,” she says, “Five years ago the lingerie industry offered very few sustainable options, and the minimums were astronomical.” But she was determined. All of the fabrics she finally selected are OEKO-TEX certified, and every component is either recycled or biodegradable.
Her product range makes use of a Cradle-to-Cradle certified compostable elastane for example, and she says that Luciela was even the very first brand in Spain to invest in a new elastic edging made with a fully-biodegradable polyamide. “Recycled materials are the most common and most readily available,” she says, “but I do believe that biodegradable synthetics are the future.”
Additionally, in line with the growing trend for and demand for transparency from clothing companies, the Luciela website clearly breaks down both the exact composition and the country of origin for each individual component in every garment.
The brand offers a variety of chic triangle bralettes, lacy briefs, wirefree bodysuits and delicate, floaty nightwear in transparent fabrics. As per her original vision, all of the form-fitting pieces are designed to have a very sleek, no-dig fit – there are no tightly-cinched waistbands here!
What you will find are plenty of stylish backs, interesting color combinations and layering-ready pieces, giving the collection excellent lingerie as outerwear styling potential. It’s a sweetly feminine, floral-filled product range in a palette of pastels and jade green, all based around three prints: Wisteria, Poppy and Thistle.
In an effort to give Luciela an exclusive and signature look, all prints are designed in-house. Rutherford starts with a mood board, then collaborates with a print designer who works both digitally and in watercolor to help transform her concept into a fabric. The printing process itself is digital, ensuring much lower water consumption than traditional dyeing methods.
While she initially just wanted to create pretty, smooth-fitting underwear for herself, it turns out Rutherford really has a passion for entrepreneurship. So last year, she left behind her career in sales management to focus all of her efforts on Luciela, though there’s no wish to grow the brand into a household name. For this brand owner, success means building a slow fashion, boutique company that will always be able to deliver on exclusivity, quality, and most importantly, sustainability.
The debut Luciela collection is available in sizes XS to XL, and prices run from 50€-280€ or approximately $52-$289. If you’re not a fan of florals, it’s still one to watch; Rutherford notes that collection number two will be “quite different… a more unusual theme, although still colourful.”
