loungewear

As the global lingerie market continues to increase in value, new and potentially-major players are entering the industry, from SavageX to Zara to Amazon. So I got curious – could Amazon truly become a leading lingerie destination?

Winter is coming! Which means it’s time to begin the switch from our lightweight, floaty summer lounge pieces to our cosy winter ones. And few fabrics feel as luxuriously warm, soft and comfy – and look as glamorous – as velvet does.

Last Thursday, Zara made a bold entry into the lingerie industry with a 158-piece debut collection. While around a third of those have yet to be unveiled, the launch is titled “The Female Gaze” and so far seems to be a push-up free, padding-free product range that focusses on embracing comfort.

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?

This year I’m seeing a trend of silk slips that double as both loungewear and dresses you can wear out and about. So many slips this season are designed in gorgeous opaque colours and fun prints that they’re pratically begging to be shown off in public.

The Glycine long nightdress is made from 100% silk satin, which is cut on the bias (a fabric-intensive and therefore more expensive technique) for a better drape on the body. It’s trimmed with guipure, which is one of the primary reasons I chose this piece in particular.

Created by Karolina Kobets, JTM Noir Lingerie focusses primarily on satin robes, though they also offer nightgowns and pyjamas and have a small range of linen pieces. Some designs tend towards a fairly minimal look, but it’s the swishy, lace-trimmed garments where the brand’s decadent vision truly shines.

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?

Three years ago I wrote a post rounding up seven brands making some of the most stunning luxury robes available to buy online. And since many of us are set to spend the foreseeable future indoors, now seemed like a good time to do a follow-up post with seven more.

I don’t see any reason to wear business attire when you’re at home. I also however know that it can be hard to get into that “I’m working” frame of mind when everything, including your outfit, reminds you of a lazy weekend. If you relate to that, then here’s a compromise I’d like to suggest: sort-of-smart pyjamas.