Quick quiz. The sweet images above and below show:
- Previews from the R-rated DVD release of Bridesmaids: Director’s Cut;
- Another saucy attempt to cash in on Kate-Pippa fever;
- Sasha Baron Cohen‘s bodyguards at an Oscars after-party.
No, they’re really just the ad campaign for Agent Provocateur‘s new bridal lingerie range, following on the heels of the other soft-focus spring promotions from the sexy UK brand.
The bridal promo has the feel of a dream-like erotic fairy tale, and once again references the softcore porn visions of photographer David Hamilton (who has become AP’s guiding spirit this season.)
And if you think AP is deliberately toning down its pitch, you’re right: in fact, it’s hard to believe this is the same brand that launched its bridal range five years ago with a notorious campaign starring Kate Moss and featuring the memorable slogan, “Let Them Eat Kate“!
The retro-styling works for AP’s new bridal offerings, though, because the collection is filled with vintage touches and throwbacks to 1960s.
In the first image below, the model on the left is wearing the Honesty vintage corset, a silk taffeta beauty with a flirty skirted hem. And the inset photo (right) shows a detail from the 60s-inspired Teasle range — all ivory lace, marabou pom-poms and ribbon side-ties. Now we know what drove the men of that era mad.
There are six style ranges in AP’s new bridal collection, including a reworked version of its lacey Love line (bottom photo) and lace-and-satin retooling of its classic Sidonie line.
But we think the most popular look will be the new Snowberry line (shown on the right in the first photo below). It trumps traditional bridal white with a soft ice-blue tint, silver cord detailing and tiny organza bows. Super pretty, and something you’ll want to wear long after your wedding day.
Last year’s lingerie creations from the artistic New York label Unforeseen Circumstances were all about fabric — specifically, the airy linen netting that was used in many of designer Teo Griscom‘s pieces. Was there a more original idea in designer lingerie all year?
For 2012, Teo continues her intriguing explorations, although this time her focus is on color — specifically, the desert palette of umbers and bleached neutrals you can see in these images. (To get an authentic look for these pieces, the photos were shot in a bullring in San Miguel Allende, Mexico!)
But there’s more going on here than just on-trend, color-blocked styles.
Teo, who also works as a clothing designer and a color trends consultant, is a longtime fan of the modern artist/sculptor Cy Twombly, whose deceptively primitive scrawls often seemed like experiments in color dynamics and composition. Twombly is probably best known for his duotone ‘blackboard’ paintings, but he also spent decades playing with color combinations.
Teo’s appreciation for Twombly is reflected in her spring palette choices, and particularly in the print shown in the main photo above — a seemingly random pattern drawn on sand-washed silk that evokes the primal appeal of cave drawings. It goes without saying you won’t see anything else like it this year.
Twombly spent most of his career living in Italy, where he died last summer at age 83, right around the time that Teo Griscom was putting together her Twombly-inspired spring line.
“It was so strange he died just as I was working on that collection,” said Teo, who has included Twombly artworks and companion swatches on her online moodboard for some time. “I can only hope he saw it.”
Twombly’s child-like drawings were often maligned by critics who were too lazy to explore their complex symbolic subtext and mythological references. But they could provoke deep passions in his admirers — in one famous incident in 2007, a French artist who claimed to be overcome with emotion left a lipstick imprint on one of Twombly’s massive canvases when she kissed it in a gallery.
Teo’s posthumous tribute conveys a similar ardor, but without damaging the artist’s legacy! He would, no doubt, be touched by the gesture.
Unforeseen Circumstances is available in only a handful of boutiques that specialize in designer labels, such as Jumelle, Lille and Kapital Japan later this year.
The color images below show UC’s spring line; below that, the B&W shots and the color swatches are a preview of what’s coming for fall, including more of that cool silk linen.
Is Australia the new launching pad for international celebrity fashion brands? Burlesque superstar Dita Von Teese certainly hopes so.
The global style icon — who turns 40 this year! — debuted her latest signature lingerie collection in Oz earlier this month and it appears to be a hit.
In fact, several styles in the first delivery from the Von Follies label have already sold out on the website for Target Australia, which has exclusive distribution rights to the line.
That’s pretty impressive, given that Dita herself won’t publicly launch the Von Follies collection until she makes a much-hyped runway appearance at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival in two weeks. It’s open to the public, with tickets starting at $50.
And why Australia? Dita’s new project is a collaboration with the private label marketer Lime Door Brands, which also handled the recent launch of her dress line, Muse. The partners have always stated their intent to make Von Follies an international brand, though it’s unclear if Target will be the retail partner in other countries.
As for the collection itself, it’s an appealing combination of very French styling (lots of black eyelash lace), vintage silhouettes and modern stretch fabrics.
What will endear Dita to new lingerie customers, though, is the broad range of sizes in the collection, including some styles designed specifically for fuller figures. Smart move from a woman who once boasted a 16.5-inch waist!
Dita/Target plan to introduce new styles in March to coincide with her Melbourne show, followed by another release in April. The current assortment includes five looks: an animal print set, a black fishnet line, a black-blue stretch lace set, a nude-polka dot range, and a red-black combo for full figures.
Below are some additional promo images from Von Follies. And above we have Target’s promo commercial, featuring a pseudo-cancan soundtrack and a voiceover with an unconvincing quasi-French accent. I wonder if the Aussies will notice?
The Suite 214 editorial from the online magazine Future Frock offers a stylish look at some of the best spring lingerie offerings from leading boutique labels.
That’s the Whisper White underwire bodysuit from Ell & Cee‘s forthcoming spring collection, above. Other labels featured include Ayten Gasson, Wundervoll and Lascivious.
The series was photographed by Ewelina Stechnij and shot at London’s Rose and Crown.
It was styled by Future Frock‘s editor Alice Wilby, who started the magazine in 2009 to provide a focus for news related to fair-trade and sustainable designer fashion. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s very well done and worth visiting!
Here are some other images from Suite 214, with the products identified.
The lingerie industry owes a huge debt to Hollywood … and vice-versa.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. The movies (and, increasingly, television) showcase the latest creations from the designers, while lingerie brands continually turn to cinema icons for inspiration for new or nostalgic styles.
It’s almost impossible to catalog all the lingerie brands that have, at some point or other, offered a movie-inspired collection or a style that paid tribute to Marilyn, Bettie, Audrey, Sophia, Brigitte or any number of other screen goddesses.
Likewise, filmmakers have been lingering over lingerie in romantic scenes for almost a century, often making undergarments a revealing part of a film’s narrative. Who can forget Janet Leigh‘s bra in Psycho, or Scarlett Johannson‘s briefs in the opening scene of Lost In Translation — two name just two of hundreds of such iconic moments?
Old Hollywood, in particular, has provided a deep well of inspiration for today’s lingerie designers, many of whom look to films of the 50s, 40s and earlier for style cues as part of a modern-day revival in vintage looks. How far back do designers look? One label (Beach Bunny) last year came out with a swim collection based on Raquel Welch‘s outfits from the campy caveman saga 1,000,000 Years B.C.!
The past year showcased the enduring bond between Hollywood and lingerie, thanks mainly to the success of the Michelle Williams vehicle, My Week With Marilyn. Not only did the Oscar-nominated film reawaken a global obsession with Marilyn Monroe, it gave a tremendous boost to the UK retro label What Katie Did, which provided underpinnings for the film and whose now-legendary bullet bra is shown in the main photo above.
Before we settle in to watch the Academy Awards tonight, we put together this gallery to show some of the many ways in which lingerie brands acknowledge their debt to Hollywood and its glamorous stars. Enjoy!
GILDA & PEARL
The independent Scottish label is one of several to borrow its name from the title of the Rita Hayworth classic, Gilda. This piece, called Goddess, was inspired by Katharine Hepburn‘s character in The Philadelphia Story.
FRED & GINGER
This elegant London label named for the classic film couple channels 1950s Hollywood glamour in its seasonal collections. Cinematic references abound in its vintage styles and photoshoots.
AUBADE
The French luxury label occasionally singles out a screen star for special attention in its seasonal collections, as it did this winter with a Romy Schneider-inspired line. These images are from a new style range whose name says it all: Hollywood Pin-Up.
KISS ME DEADLY
The UK label has created numerous corsets, girdles, suspenders and other pieces that channel (and are sometimes named after) movie-star looks. These are two looks at KMD’s Van Doren bralet and Vargas longline panty girdle.
GOOD NIGHT GILDA
L.A. designer Whitney Galitz was inspired by the goddesses of Hollywood’s golden age, and created her designer label to recapture some of that style — but in larger cup sizes for bustier women.
BOUX AVENUE
The retail chain launched by ex-La Senza boss Theo Paphitis debuted last year with this retro-look Marilyn bra and girdle, though it now seems to be focusing on more contemporary styles.
LOLA HAZE
A unique indie label that combines both vintage and fashion-forward styling, Lola’s spring collection includes several nods to old Hollywood. Top photo shows the shimmering gold Ritz body, followed by the sheer Screen Goddess slip and thong.
D-MONDAINE
Looking to achieve Marilyn Monroe’s classic shape? The new Result Wear shaping collection from D-Mondaine offers these two pieces named after her — and which promise to help you get that figure.
NAKI
New York lingerie designer/stylist Kerri Quigley brought out the Naki swimwear line last year, featuring suits printed with classic images of (and quotes from) screen stars Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn.
TALLULAH LOVE
Another UK indie with a flair for glamour and romance, TL’s new Carousel Darling line was inspired by the designer’s favorite film, The Notebook.
SECRETS IN LACE
This excellent U.S. faux vintage e-tailer offers a Bettie Page signature collection, but otherwise doesn’t go overboard in promoting its obvious Hollywood lineage. Which is a shame, because SIL probably comes closer than any North American label to capturing the old Frederick’s-style Hollywood glamour. It does offer a Mad Men collection, though.
ALEXANDRA GRECCO
The NYC designer has a fondness for Tinseltown glamour, as seen in her Harlow silk tulle bolero (top) and elegant Cinema tea dress.
CHERRY BLOSSOM GIRL for ETAM
Another set inspired by the film Gilda, this beautiful black lace-and-silk range was one of three that the Parisian blogger created this spring based on her favorite movie characters.
HARLETTE
The super-luxe British couture label was made for Hollywood, and its sumptuous pieces have appeared in numerous films and TV shows. (They even had a gifting suite at the Academy Awards in 2010!) This is an early look at their new Double Trouble kimono and Swarovski-laden Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down lingerie set, which will likely show up on some lucky young starlet soon.
