By John Festa
Huit & La Perla
I love balconette bras. There is no other bra style that can compare with its classic sexiness and shape enhancement. The literal translation of the word balconette is little balcony. Performers regularly joke about the theater’s balcony being the cheap seats, though there is nothing cheap about this extraordinary bra style.
Lou Paris & Chantelle
Occasionally referred to as a shelf … Read More
Last week my friend Marina, author of our Intimate Vision column, took me for a visit to the Dover market on Lexington and 30th street in NYC. Duplicating the existing concepts already in sync in London and Tokyo, this is the conceptual inspiration of Rei Kawakubo creative master of the Japanese brand Comme Des Garcons. Much discussion abounds about the eccentric content and the artful interiors that make this shopping … Read More
In late 2012, a close colleague of mine asked me to look at a new foundation’s brand, Curvy Couture™ being prepared for a 2013 market launch. It’s not easy to break through merchandising barriers when it comes to bras and panties. I was immediately impressed by the quality but recognized some clear merchandising voids. A cohesive presentation in extended sizes was not yet available and so, as I need to … Read More
Hanky Panky’s Roses and Pearls Cigarette Girl Chemise
Roses are red, pearls are white, and our newest print is sheer delight!… Read More
Chantelle’s Mouvance, Capri- a homage to contemporary architecture with ultra light lines celebrating feminine curves.… Read More
What I love about the NK iMode brand from the Canadian based Kenan group is their grasp on key item merchandising and product expansion. Once they hit a bull’s-eye, they know how to exploit it. The Morgan silk charmeuse chemise has been a best seller at retail since 2007. In fact I originally highlighted this style in Dec of 2011 and it is still going strong. Based on the stellar … Read More
By Ali Cudby
In preparation for the upcoming lingerie industry trade shows, Ellen Lewis and I have been discussing the art and science of buying for lingerie retail stores, and particularly specialty stores. In parts one and two of this lingerie buying series, we covered the basics of buying strategy and how open to buy works in a lingerie boutique. In this article, we will tackle the more complex area … Read More