indie lingerie brands

Many designers are open to creating custom pieces, made specifically with your body in mind for little to no extra cost. This sounds too good to be true, right? Well, sometimes, it’s an amazing deal, and sometimes it means the product won’t be as great as you imagined.

I am delighted to be delving into my local Barcelona lingerie scene today by introducing you to another fabulous indie lingerie brand: ai!culotte by Paula Botana. This ethically-produced, slow-fashion label creates underwear which comes in vibrant colour schemes and uses fun and unexpected combinations of prints.

Even in a pandemic, creativity can thrive, and one of my favourite things to come out of 2020 was the newly-launched lingerie label Elena di Cuori which debuted online in June. It’s a luxury line centered around two things: sensual and sophisticated design, and “traditional, Made in Italy craftsmanship”.

Alice Acreman Silks isn’t the type of brand I usually feature on the blog; it’s not a lingerie label, but rather a fashion and furnishings one whose designer just happened to turn one of her signature printed silks into a cami set. And isn’t the result just delightful?

I particularly enjoy the colour scheme here, which feels both playful and luxurious. Ruched lilac satin wraps around the neck and ribcage, connected by a multitude of draped, metallic cords that cover (well, partially cover!) the upper chest and bust.

Astrological-inspired lingerie continues to be a trend, and Love & Swans’ latest set takes the theme to a luxurious new level. Named Cygnus, the set is made from midnight-blue mesh that is lavishly embellished with a celestial array of stars and clustered constellations.

Have you ever been so excited to receive a parcel that instead of tearing into it the moment it arrived, you actually waited a day or two, because you wanted to savour the anticipation of knowing you were about to unwrap something truly special? That’s how I felt when my Love & Swans package arrived.

Launched in Russia in 2000 and now based in Czechia, PS-Ling focusses on creating a very unusual product – T-front bodywear. Neither a full gusset nor totally crotchless design, they instead use a narrow string that runs from the front to back.

I’ve been following Primrose & Pixie for years now, ever since I first discovered this “lingerie and sleepwear for modern daydreamers”. The designer behind the brand, Sarah Richards, creates beautiful, unapologetically-girly lingerie inspired by nature, fairy tales, magic and Gothic styling.

I first featured Apilat on the blog in my 2017 round-up of brands making incredible robes, and they’ve only gotten better since. Couture techniques and luxury fabrics are central to their design process, and how could they not be when this label got its start designing wedding dresses?