It’s time to gear up for the lingerie Mecca that is Valentine’s Day; the one holiday that transforms retail into a blubbering mess of cupids, hearts and promises of naughtiness in a bid to inspire a little bit of romance. The origin of this celebration is hazy and ended up taking off in a flurry of Hallmark cards and heart-shaped chocolates to become a major shopping event.
The market becomes swamped with big brands elbowing their way through smaller companies in order to compete for the shoppers’ attention, which made us think – why should we? It is rare that independent lingerie brands are in direct competition with each other, thanks to each having a unique style, so why not celebrate this!
Playful promises, What Katie Did
You will often hear the phrases “independent brands” or “boutique brands” being thrown around the lingerie world, but ultimately it may not be clear as to what they mean. While a boutique brand might give the impression of being a small home-grown brand, thanks to quirkiness and the size of stockists, they usually have a larger corporation supporting or operating behind the scenes. A true independent brand does not, although that doesn’t always mean it won’t have investors, just that it is usually run by a handful of people compared to the mega structure of mainstream brands.
Some of the most profitable indie lingerie brands have grown up on their own, gradually employing more people as they go. Some brands are one person companies that make their own products, market them and sell them successfully, often giving the impression that they have several pairs of hands. This usually means we are all lumped in together and assumed that we are competitors, when it couldn’t be further from the truth, as the high-street remains our biggest competition!
You are most probably here because you want something a little bit different, a tad naughtier and innovative than you can grab off the rack at Marks and Sparks. You support indie brands not because they are closer to home but because no matter what style the brand may fit into, their designs are always quirky and unique. We are not afraid to take risks and experiment with new trends, many of which are picked up by the mainstream once sales figures are proved. We listen to your thoughts, your sizing issues and your favourite pieces and we constantly work on improving, refining and creating to make our collections more suited to YOU. No matter how friendly the big brands may seem on their social media, your thoughts will probably never reach the decision makers, whereas you are often speaking directly to the designers at independent brands.
Miss Mandalay bra and brief, Velda Lauder corset, Playful Promises Garter Skirt, Kiss Me Deadly bra and pantygirdle, masks by Pearls and Swine, hosiery by Adrian and Cervin from Hepburn and Leigh
Unlike the big spenders we are in this game for the knickers – like you, we can’t get enough of them! Many a day is spent lusting after other brands’ lacy wonders and structured glories, so we thought what better way to encourage support for indie lingerie than to gather together for a big, sloppy Valentine’s love bomb!
Each day, one independent lingerie brand will be offering a giveaway or competition, while the other 9 brands will explain exactly what they adore about the featured brand, and which item they would love to receive as a Valentines gift! We even put together a sumptuous photoshoot for it, which you can see a preview of below!
Keep your eyes peeled and your twitter hashtags firmly set to #lingerielovebomb from the 30th of January until the 10th of February for freebies and blog posts galore in celebration of our favourite fellow lingeristas!
Brands joining the Love-In:
What Katie Did – faux vintage lingerie, corsetry and swim
Candy Baker - glamourous diamante embellished hosiery
Miss Mandalay - B-HH cups in trend-led bra sets and bikinis.
Kriss Soonik - edgy loungerie with signature motifs.
Kiss Me Deadly – femme fatale stocking and suspender sets
Fraulein Kink - Sensual accessories to inspire adventure, lust and sexual exploration.
Ayten Gasson – vintage inspired silk lingerie, nightwear and Giftwear trimmed with vintage Nottingham lace
Playful Promises - fun and flirty trend led lingerie, swimwear and Giftwear
Paolita – high end beachwear with that celebrate individuality and vitality
Velda Lauder Corsetiere - Couture and ready to wear corsetry and lingerie.
See the full set of images at our Facebook page!
Credits for the images:
Venue – Cirque Du Soir, Soho
Photographer – Anna Swiczeniuk
Models – Jessica Louise Abidde , Tessa Kuragi, Miranda Barrie
MUA – Cheyenne Raymond
Thank you to - Pearls and Swine, Natacha Marro, Hepburn and Leigh
Bodysuit by Kriss Soonik, Mask by Fraulein Kink, shoes by Natacha Marro
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 9:22AM 
Candy Baker hosiery and Natacha Marro shoes modelled by Jessica Louise Abidde. Photo by Anna Swiczeniuk