Anatomy of a Heart

The decor at Lounge Lover, where we had some drinks a few weeks ago - fits so well with our AW12 collection!

It seemed quite fitting that when the PP team went out for a drink we were sat right next to the amazing old anatomy posters, seen above! Why? Our current collection for AW12 is called "Anatomy of a Heart", inspired by the colours and shapes inside the human body. 

The collection was first born after Emma took a trip to the Wellcome Collection and the Hunterian Museum; whose halls are lined with anatomical, zoological and pathological specimens. We all know love and passion is a key theme in lingerie, but it was time to delve a little deeper - literally!

Anatomical drawings inspired the rich reds, purples and blues featured in the collection. While you may find all this rather squeamish, it is interesting to remember that the study of anatomy is one of the most historically rich sciences, and without it... well, can you imagine?!

The Love set is inspired by muscles and tendons, with our classic hand-stitched detail re-created in a deep pulsating red. 

True Love and Juliette, colours of blood after and before oxygenation.

One of the prints that didn't make it into production

Seeing Red: Is red still seen as the sexiest colour for lingerie?

Love - Playful Promises AW12

Type in "red lingerie" to google and you are instantly bombarded with every kind of shade you can imagine, in a whole host of designs. From sex-shop style frilly teddies to sumptuously expensive treats, red has often been cited as the sexiest colour for lingerie.

It's not hard to see why - red is the colour of passion and danger, of energy and confidence. Some cultures honor the colour as a symbol of good fortune, celebration and purity. What do you think when you see red lingerie?

I'd love to know when the first trend of red undergarments first began. Strangely, in my searches I couldn't find any information on such an interesting subject! Was it during the Edwardian era, when synthetic dyes made intense colour possible? Or, could it be a little less savory in it's origins?

From as early as the 15th century, clothing worn by prostitutes had to be distinguishable from that of other women, mainly because society shunned their lifestyle choice. Often a harlot had a yellow stripe on her clothing, but more commonly the stripe was red. Of course there is nothing to say what colour their underwear was, but perhaps this taboo naughtiness kickstarted the ongoing trend. Not that wearing red lingerie means you wish to be a prostitute, of course, but it may have given the colour red that extra touch of kink!

A prostitute in New Orleans in 1912 by E.J.Bellocq

In this era, where lingerie has moved from 'strictly bedroom' to 'fashion statement', the underwear as outerwear trend still in full swing, I wonder if red lingerie has been replaced as the colour of choice when looking to seduce?

When we asked our followers on Facebook and Twitter which colours made them feel sexiest, they answered with pinks, cream, blue, purple, green, ever-present black and even neon pinks and yellows! Only two people mentioned red, with one specifically preferring dark wine red to the flashier tones of the 90s.

These can be seen, too, in the forthcoming trends (but which comes first, the trend or the fashionista?), with Spring Summer 2012 seeing a whole host of pastels and earthy browns, lemon yellow and teal, dusty purple and lilac.

Moving those colours through into Autumn Winter 2012, the colour tones become deeper, with rich and vibrant jewel tones, ruby and a stronger teal, contrasted against rich blacks. This is all thanks to one of the most prominent trends of the season, which is all about the body and the raw energy emerging from it. Red lingerie is back with a new lease of life, in darker, luscious tones combined with ultramarine and blush. Think hearts and veins and sinuous muscle! Kinda gross, but that's how we like it, which is why we named our AW12 collection "Anatomy of a Heart"!

Juliette - Playful Promises AW12