Bespoke lingerie now marries luxury with the increasing desire for personal needs and comfort.
As more women realise that there’s nothing quite like the pleasure that comes from feeling beautiful underneath your clothes, even when you’re the only one that knows, it’s no wonder that bespoke lingerie services are a huge business.
Women today are more vocal about their desire for tailoring comfortable luxury intimates, whether it is for the indulgent reason of owning a beautiful under garment or because they need to be specially fitted for health-related issues.
“We have seen a growing interest over the past year, and this may be because lingerie is deemed as an increasingly worthy investment,” shares Katy Payne, founder and director of UK-based lingerie brand Katherine Hamilton, where comfort, support and a luxurious experience are all equally paramount.
A bespoke fitting usually begins with trying on something from the brand’s core range of styles that it has spent years developing to ensure exceptional fit. “Once we’ve established a client’s right size and preferences, we introduce an array of colours, lace and embellishments that will make each creation unique,” says Payne.
Then it’s on to sourcing and production that can take anywhere between four and 10 weeks. This really depends on the complexity of a design, and to this end, some of the brand’s most indulgent designs have included Swarovski crystals and detachable beaded jewellery.
Prices start from £265 (S$464) for briefs, and can go up to over £40,000 for a full home wardrobe development, where the team flies out to meet the client.
Even in slightly more conservative Asia, the idea of tailored undergarments is catching on. Hong Kong-based bespoke lingerie specialist Exquisite Intimates, for instance, has been helping women fi nd the creations of their dreams since 2013.
Founder Priscilla Kwok uses her years of technical expertise from working for Victoria’s Secret and Bendon Lingerie to help women get the right fit in order to look stylish.
“The bespoke market has become increasingly popular because women these days have more information about the importance of wellfitted underwear,” shares Kwok.
Besides design, materials also play a big part in the bespoke process. Innovative fabrics, like the newly developed Evo yarn, offer more comfort and added functionality.
This soft, lightweight fabric, responsibly sourced from the castor oil plant, features antibacterial and moisture-managing properties.
In Singapore, home-grown lingerie brand Perk by Kate now does bespoke designs on top of its much-loved bralettes. In fact, its first physical store will include a full-fledged bespoke corner. Many clients, observes founder Kate Low, are brides with a strong idea of how they want their lingerie to look, and don’t mind paying more to get the designs of their dreams that aren’t available elsewhere in the country.
Comfort and confidence go hand-in-hand for many bespoke lingerie designers.
02 INSIDER FASHION
03 LACE IS FOREVER
