french lingerie

When I think of French lingerie designs, delicate feminine pieces usually come to mind: Chantilly lace, wispy tulle, and elegant embroidery. Impudique by Catanzaro definitely has these components, but there’s also an added edge of daring cut-outs and strap details, and wet-look swatches mixed with lighter textiles.

The world is filled with cookie-cutter lingerie boutiques. As much as I love bra shopping, it does get somewhat less exciting when every boutique I walk into is carrying the same selection of products. That’s why I was so intrigued to learn about Les Rituelles.

A couple of summers ago, Chantelle sent me this bra set for an Instagram collaboration. Since then, it’s become one of my most regularly-worn sets – so much so, that I decided I would really be doing you all a disservice if I didn’t properly review it.

Femme Aubade is made from a combination of jacquard satin and sheer, geometric Leavers lace that incorporates a hint of metallic thread. Right away, this set looked luxurious. Everywhere you look, there’s a beautiful little detail – the little gold buttons, the delicately scalloped cup edges, the straps…

LIVY is a brand I came across very recently, and which instantly caught my eye. Based in France, it was founded last year by Lisa Chavy, Head of Design at high-street lingerie brand Undiz and a previous lingerie designer for luxury brands such as Dior and Cacharel.

It’s hard to be an American with a lingerie addiction. I’ve often lamentedhow the limited number of lingerie storefronts in America means we face the perils of online shopping more often than not. So when I found out I’d be living in Paris for six months, I was elated to shop in one of the lingerie capitals of the world.

I’m delighted to be involved with Esty’s lingerie blog and feel excited to present my new column ‘A World of Lingerie’. What will I write about? With such a rich…