Currently expanding into the US market, Gossard has signed with leading intimate apparel sales agency Easton International to help grow the brand throughout North America. The announcement follows a launch event held in New York over the summer to introduce Gossard to buyers, distributors and press. Elise Recour, General Manager of Gossard, said: “We are thrilled with the positive feedback since the launch so this is the next natural progression for us.”
“We’re excited about working with Easton and the creative ideas they have to promote the Gossard brand across America. We will be particularly focused on our best-selling Glossies, Gypsy and Superboost Lace ranges to begin with as they are a core offer and represent a new and unique product point within the US market,” she adds.
Luxury nightwear label Nui Ami is thrilled to announce the brand is now available at Caroline Randell, both online and in their Wimbledon boutique. Available at the shop are Nui Ami’s London chemises, robes and the Paris chemise, with more styles to be introduced for Spring 2016.
Nui Ami’s first collection, ‘Cities-Part 1’, was inspired by the world’s most alluring cities and the women who embody their spirit. The label’s modern approach to sizing (Nui Ami offers their signature chemises, camisoles and bralettes in nine cup sizes) has been very well received with the London range and Paris lace bralette quickly becoming top sellers.
Nubian Skin founder, Ade Hassan, was recently named Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. After only one year, Nubian Skin has grown impressively and is now stocked in Fenwick Bond Street, House of Fraser, ASOS and MyTights.com as well as multiple stockists in the USA, Portugal, Nigeria and Canada. Always having dreamt of being a fashion entrepreneur, Ade realised that there was something missing in the market – nude lingerie and hosiery for women of colour – so she decided to create Nubian Skin with the aim of redefining ‘nude’.
Boux Avenue have kicked off the festive season in style with a new Christmas campaign which includes a TV advert as well as branded taxis and buses. Redesigned to raise awareness for Boux Avenue and encapsulating a mix of luxury glamour and flirty humour, the new advert is shown in a combination of 30” and 10” during prime time TV on ITV, ITV2, E!, and E4.
Filed under: Retail Tagged: Boux AvenueImage may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
British lingerie and sleepwear brand, Gilda & Pearl has launched a limited edition sleepwear collection with iconic department store Harrods just in time for Christmas. The range is comprised of sleep and loungewear designs adapted from Gilda & Pearl’s popular Gina collection and also introduces the label’s first ever pyjama pant with matching camisole, kimono and slip, all hand-finished in the UK.
Founded in 2013 by Stephen and Madelaine Sheldon, Luxury Legs is an e-commerce which focuses solely on up market brands for women. The website stocks premium leggings, tights, jeans, hold-ups and more from brands such as Falke, La Perla, Wolford and Spanx, also offering a selection from niche designers including Erica M, Girardi, Pierre Mantoux and MaxMara.
With a combined experience of over 50 years in the premium legwear market, the husband and wife team took the plunge and put all their efforts on the e-commerce. “After dealing directly with customers for almost 20 years in our mono brand retail outlet in Mayfair, we decided to follow the digital revolution and invest 100% of our time on multi brands online,” says Stephen Sheldon, Managing Director of Luxury Legs.
The business based in North London prides itself on excellent customer service and attention to detail, offering orders by phone and also beautifully wrapping all products in organza pouches. “Luxury Legs is evolving to become the one stop shop for premium brands whether your lifestyle is socialising, business or lounging around in comfortable jeans and leggings. The business is growing currently at 40% annually,” adds Madelaine Sheldon, Luxury Legs Founder and Buyer.
Ultimo is on a mission to educate men with what women really want this Christmas. Following the results of a recent survey conducted by international leading blogs Huffington Post and AskMen, which revealed most men don’t even know how much a bra costs, the lingerie brand is hosting special ‘Wise Men’ shopping evenings to help men pick the perfect lingerie for their loved one.
The ‘Wise Men’ shopping experience will be held at Ultimo’s concessions on House of Fraser Oxford Street and Glasgow, with the first event happening tonight at House of Fraser Oxford Street from 5-8pm. In addition to shopping advice, all customers will receive a 20% discount on all full price purchases, a warming glass of festive Pogues whiskey with free miniatures to take away, and advice offered by renowned skincare brand Clinique.
L’Agent is delighted to announce the opening of their pop up store within Westfield London, which will run for six months. The shop is situated in The Village and reflects the brand’s youthful, tongue in cheek style, featuring pink walls with pink leopard print, bright vinyl accents, white displays and a pink leopard print rug, complimented by gold lamé curtains and polished brass fittings in the fitting rooms.
Launched in August 2013 as a wholesale lingerie line, L’Agent has swiftly grown to be a key player in the lingerie market, with this pop up shop set to be the first of a line of new stores opening from 2016. L’Agent recently debuted their first ever full swimwear collection, which will be shown in the Westfield London pop-up alongside seasonal and classics collections.
Located in the heart of the Presqu’île district in Lyon, France, the 700-square-foot Maison Lejaby boutique aims to bring to life the art of tailoring in a modern and luxurious shopping space, with a second store scheduled to open in Paris in 2016. Boasting the finest natural materials, bookshelves and steamer trunks, the label’s first standalone store highlights the Maison Lejaby heritage, expertise and skilled craftsmanship, also offering a made-to-measure service where customers can have items customised and even place requests for one-off pieces.
Jean d’Arthuys, President of Maison Lejaby said: “Maison Lejaby is entering a new phase. As it opens its first ever own-brand store in Lyon, Maison Lejaby is consolidating its regional roots, and offering its customers the ever-improving quality they expect from a brand with a reputation for creativity and the most exacting standards.”
Boux Avenue, part of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group, reported today a like for like increase in sales of 8.3% across its 28 UK stores (total UK sales to year end 28 March 2015 increased from £27million to £36.5million representing 35.5%). It is estimated by year end March 2016 sales will reach £45million. The group also has 10 stores overseas and this is likely to expand in both existing markets and to capture new territories.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Latest Boux Avenue store: Oxford Street
Growth at Ryman of 0.7% with an increased gross margin was not matched at Robert Dyas which saw sales decline by 2.5% but still with an increase in gross margin.
The success at Boux Avenue is bucking the trend with figures just released by BDO’s monthly High Street Sales Tracker (HSST) which recorded a massive 5.3% drop in year-on-year sales for December – the worst monthly results since December 2008. The fashion sector was particularly hard hit with like for like sales dropping by some -5.4% with homeware the only retail category to show significant improvement.
Many retailers reported that website sales had helped to boost flagging revenues with a 7.5% rise in non-store sales.
British lingerie brand Mimi Holliday is excited to announce the launch of a pop-up shop in partnership with iconic London department store Harrods. Launching today, the boutique covers an area of 75 square metres in Harrods’ prestigious Lingerie department and is a great opportunity for Mimi fans and Harrods’ shoppers to see the entire range, as well as some fabulous exclusive styles.
In addition to Mimi Holliday, the pop-up will also feature special pieces from big sister and demi-couture brand Damaris. Personal fittings and styling advice from Mimi Holliday specialists will also be available on the shop floor throughout the six-week period the boutique will be open.
The third generation take up the reins at Simone Pérèle… Mathieu Grodner and Stéphanie Pérèle take on the mantle of the French brand in the capacity of Managing Director and Director of Product evelopment respectively. In an exclusive interview, Mathieu Grodner revealed the new strategy that will develop the business and take the company to new heights.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
“Our strategic shift must benefit all of our partners.”
Founded by Mrs Simone Pérèle and her husband Wolf Grodner and subsequently run by their children Philippe Grodner and Catherine Pérèle, it is now the turn of the third generation to head up the family business. Both in their thirties, Mathieu has a background in finance and Stéphanie in fashion and the young heirs have been working in the company for a number of years. They’ve risen within the ranks, acquiring a good understanding of how the business works along the way, and are now well placed to take the reins of the iconic brand.
Mr. Grodner, the period of transition is generally one of the most delicate in a family business. Today, you have taken over responsibility and have announced a significant strategic shift…
This is in actual fact both a strategic and operational shift, and is all part and parcel of a five-year plan we have dubbed “Cap 2019”. It is the result of 18 months of analysis, which has allowed us to establish our main aims and priorities. I started out in the company 10 years ago and have worked in several departments undertaking different positions before starting with the sales team, and then eventually assuming the role of Managing Director. At the same time, my cousin Stéphanie Pérèle joined the product team and is now head of the department.
Will the company remain 100% a family business, or do you see yourself opening it up to the outside investment as a number of your competitors have done?
We are not planning on opening it up to external investors and it will remain 100% a family business.
Can you specify some of the details of your new business strategy?
The plan covers all aspects of the business; it particularly takes into account the necessity to evolve our distribution structure and to implement, according to each region, new complementary growth drivers.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.So, will you be opening concession stores?
Our aim is to make Simone Pérèle a stronger and even more attractive brand within the premium multibrand channels. Developing a new retail concept together with some of our partners in specific areas seems necessary in our aim to reinforce the presence of the brand. Our intention is to complement our current distribution in department stores and independent boutiques with a targetted presence in those city centres, where our historic distributors are less present than they used to be.
From an operational point of view we already have over 10 years of experience in concession retailling, which has taught us a lot in terms of distribution. We are approaching this task with a strong sense of commitment and determination.
As you just mentioned, Simone Pérèle has a strong presence on the international markets. Are you continuing your expansion and if so how?
The second generation have already been successful in the brand’s international development, which they started working on more than 30 years ago. Thus, the export turnover represents over 70% of our business. Today, our ambition is to pursue new developments focusing on areas with the highest potential for our brands.
Which are your key target markets?
As a French brand, we must definitely maintain our position in France. Other target markets include North America, Germany, the Middle East and Russia.
What about Asia?
We already have 15 corners in Taiwan and continental China. On the Asian markets the level of maturity is quite heterogeneous and it will take a lot of time and investment to fully establish ourselves. However, we do believe that this is an important area in the long term.
Do you have any specific projects for France?
The French market remains a top priority for us. This is why, for the last two years, we have been working to increase our market share.
How do you plan to proceed?
To lay the foundation for the middle and long term development of the group, we are working on a new retail concept which embodies the key characteristics of the brand. This concept will be tested from 2016 under different formats in department stores and boutiques. Our ambition is to develop it on an international scale with the support of our distributing partners.
We are also working on how to show consumers the value of our products in a clearer way. This means that we need to make our offering stand out on the shop floor. Simone Pérèle has built its reputation on the fit and style of its our products, we must now continue delivering these values to our customers. Furthermore, in 2014 we launched our first swim collection, which allowed us to affirm the brand’s fashion image. We are going to continue in this direction through directmarketing campaigns and a comprehensive digital strategy aimed at growing our market base.
Will you launch an online store?
This is not our sole end goal. We are developing a global digital strategy and an ambitious direct marketing policy. Our main objective is to connect with our historic distributors – department stores and independent boutiques – to leverage growth. This b2b platform will offer our clients an array of new services to attract more customers to the stores. The opening of an e-commerce site will be a subsequent step that will closely associate our independent retailing customers.
He’s the king of exuberance, mixing materials, and clashing colours. He draws on inspiration from folklore to redefine it with elegance and sophistication. Christian Lacroix spoke exclusively to Underlines at the launch of his new capsule collection with Aubade.
Mr. Lacroix, the first question we would like to ask you is: what is femininity to you?
It’s a mystery, an enigma, an embrace, the light that makes the world go round… it’s Yin and Yang. For me that covers the vast spectrum of relationships with women and it shouldn’t be restricted to the image of a cheeky young lady wearing lingerie, often associated with it.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Aubade Parisian Idylle by Christian Lacroix
Having worked so closely with women throughout your amazing career how would you describe the way they have changed over the years?
The first woman in my life was my mother Jeanette – she didn’t like that name. In Arles, she received a traditional education and was living simply before the war came and swept away all certainties. The war deeply changed women, the role they played in society, their relationship with men, even the way that they dressed… When the siren sounded my mother would make sure she wore blue, white and red, and her new shoes, too. That was her touching way of being defiant. She was as “earthy” as my wife was “ethereal”. She would say: “You have met the one you used to tell me about when you were a child”. And then came the 70’s: cultural, liberated, naturistic and… environmental. At that time, I was living in the ‘Fellinian’ Halles district of Paris and I still have in mind the image of the Aubade young lady unhooking her bra from the front; its rightness made a lasting impression on me… An import from America, the trend that followed was the conquering businesswoman, which was far removed from my sensibility. Then, came the time of AIDS and the consequential redefinition of the body, leading to the contradictory porno-chic trend.
In your opinion, what did women gain and what did they lose?
They didn’t lose anything. On the contrary, we have all gained a lot. Take for example gay rights, which was completely unthinkable back then.
As a creative and an aesthete, how do you see lingerie?
Lingerie is the foundation of the rest. It allows you to mould the body before you dress it, it is therefore essential to the shape. My haute-couture dresses were often built around corsets and strongly influenced by lingerie. I would have loved to create haute-couture lingerie. Sometimes I almost regret not being a woman! (he laughs).
Any particular memory?
I remember the very first time that I was with my mother in a small lingerie boutique in Provence, it had an evocative name: Red Corset or Venus’ Corset. It had padded curtains and a fabulous photo of Brigitte Bardot in bridalwear, she was so beautiful undoing her lace corset. My mother too, had many lace items
from the lovely trousseau made by the nuns of Arles.
In your opinion, what position does lingerie have in a woman’s wardrobe?
Its closeness with one’s intimate side is essential and immediately gives lingerie such a privileged status. We choose these items more carefully than our clothes.
What is the ultimate bad taste?
It doesn’t exist!
What image comes to mind when you think of “beautiful intimates”?
Sophia Loren in the arms of Marcello Mastroianni.
You have just designed a capsule collection with one of France’s most loved brands, can you tell us what inspired you?
With the theme of the collection being Versaille, I wanted to convey the style of courtly love and remain very close to the essence of Aubade.
In the creative process, what role does the fabric play?
This may surprise you, but this is not what I am most passionate about. For me, what counts most is the design, the volume, the shape.
Do you have a favourite fabric?
I have always liked satin, leather and faille* because they allow you to create volume in space, just like mousseline.
If you had to choose: look or feel?
Feel. Although I am a very tactile person, I also have a distinct sense of smell: a smell can bring me down, just as some well-known perfumes can make me feel sick.
It’s not just about making beautiful products, you must also sell them. How important are shops in the commercial success of a brand?
The coherence between a product and its setting is fundamental. I’ve always wanted my own store. It’s the place where close-knit bonds are formed.
Christian Lacroix has personally and boldly reinterpreted one of the most iconic Aubade lines. He has chosen to combine fishnet lace straps with floral prints to which he adds a lacing that finished with small pom poms in contrasting colours. The range features four bras, three panties, a corset and a nightie. They are available in two colours: Imperial Princess, which is a mixture of fuschia and slightly acidic pastel green; and Gardenia, which fuses sombre black and cherry hues.
*Synthetic or natural silk material, yarn-dyed weaved taffeta, a very fine grain that creates diagonal lines close to larger grains.
New online shop specialising in intimate apparel Knicker Locker is running a Valentine’s Day promotion from Monday 1st February until Sunday 14th February. Customers will be able to purchase the best-selling b.tempt’d B.Sultry collection with 20% off, as well as receiving a free lip gloss with the offer code BEMYVALENTINE20.
The beautiful B.Sultry collection is decorated with black Chantilly lace over a peach fabric base and topped off with pretty satin bows. The lightly padded balconette bra gives a natural up-lift and great shape, the thong and brief are both fashionable and comfortable and the set is complemented by a delicate suspender.
On the lead up to Christmas Passionata Lingerie ran a competition across the country to find the best window displays featuring the brand’s Christmas visuals. Pandora’s Box from Ormskirk is the deserving winner of this year’s competition and will receive a team dinner party for all off the staff, courtesy of Passionata.
“I can’t tell you how delighted and thrilled we all were to hear the good news that Pandora’s Box had won the Christmas Passionata window competition. The Passionata and Chantelle window kits provide us with the inspiration we need to be able to keep the look of our windows fresh and up to date. We received so many lovely compliments from our customers regarding the Passionata window display over the Christmas period, so many thanks once again from Jackie, Katie, Michelle, Linzi and Lauren at Pandora’s Box.” (Jackie, Pandora’s Box)
UK-based bra and shoe accessory manufacturer Perfection has secured a major new contract which will see the company supply John Lewis with 12 own label bra accessory products. This new partnership will add to the strong list of retailers such as Next, Debenhams, M&S, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, River Island, Evans and New Look for which Perfection supplies both Perfection branded and own label ranges.
Keith Mucklow, Co-Director at Perfection comments: “We have already had an exciting year expanding our own label production and to add such a highly reputable retailer such as John Lewis to the equation is a great achievement. The bra accessory product range forms a new direction for John Lewis and this is an exciting time for us as we continue to grow.”
Heidi Klum Intimates Campaign shot by Rankin (Liverpool St. Station, London)
Heidi Klum Intimates have launched a new advertising campaign running through to 14th February in strategic sites across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Intended to elevate de Heidi Klum Intimates brand in prestige, the campaign represents a substantial investment by the Bendon Group and will also run before Mother’s Day in March.
Rail digital 6-sheets, shopping mall digital 6 sheets and M-Vision sites throughout the UK are adorned with the stunning imagery, and the piece de resistance can be seen at Manchester Trafford Arch. To coincide with the campaign launch, House of Fraser Oxford Circus will be housing a Heidi Klum Intimates pop-up shop featuring an exclusive colourway of the popular Astrid lingerie set from Tuesday 2nd February.
French blogger Miss Pandora stars the latest Maison Close photoshoot
French luxury lingerie brand Maison Close has joined the list of brands distributed by Farfetch, after only three months since the opening of the label’s first brick and mortar shop in New York. Renowned by its careful selection of boutiques from all over the world and represented by prestigious ambassadors worldwide, Farfetch promises a unique shopping experience to fashion addicts by offering a curation of products sent straight to their doors from the original location.
Luxury online retailer Beautifully Undressed have collaborated with La Maison Nouvelle to produce their first exclusive collection, comprised of a capsule collection of three stunning lingerie sets named A’isha, Felicia Valentina and Midnight Seema. Designed using sumptuous laces, the finest silk satin and rose gold accents, each piece is classically styled with modern delicate detailing that embody the ‘joie de vivre’ of the Beautifully Undressed woman.
Beautifully Undressed founder, Annabelle Mu’Azu, comments: “We’re delighted to have produced our first own-label collection with Dutch lingerie atelier La Maison Nouvelle, founded by Maaike Nieuwenhuis. Her belief that women deserve unique tailored pieces of lingerie resonated with our desire to empower women through a passion for exquisitely hand made lingerie. Each piece in the collection is made with love in her atelier by her tailors in the Netherlands. This collection is irresistibly feminine with a sprinkling of attitude, it’s a celebration of women, lingerie and love.”
Ingatestone lingerie boutique Sixty Six has reopened under new management after being purchased by local entrepreneur Abigail Stacey, who already runs two other businesses in the village together with husband Phillip. Sixty Six Lingerie had been under the same ownership for 18 years (previously Laraine H Lingerie) and was completely renovated ahead of the reopening last February with a new colour scheme, new flooring and a more modern feel.
The boutique is the couple’s third venture in Ingatestone (Abigail’s Delicatessen was launched in 2009 and Abigail’s Lifestyle in 2011), and Abigail highlights the importance of knowing her customers in order to continue stocking exactly what they want. “We have had an amazing reaction and are so pleased with the results,” she adds, “we have already secured Wolford Tights and are excited to welcome new and old customers!”
