The Great Lace
Ragtrader gets intimate with Australian lingerie brands and retailers.
What are the key trends for spring/summer 2007?
Nocturnal Designs founders Sarah and Josephine Maniscalco
Vintage style lingerie that includes suspenders, high-waisted briefs and stockings. Additionally, the continued expansion of larger cup sizes and maternity lingerie
Gazal women's underwear divisional manager Athina Diniakos
Key trends this summer are bright vibrant colours and fun graphics. New key shapes such as the 'Y' front boy leg are going to be hot. Mix and match styles for summer ease are also key, with the combination of colour and contrast fabrications
Lovable divisional brand manager Dianne Taylor
Innovative fabrications and technologies that provide the ultimate in seam-free comfort are important in continuing to drive bra technology.
The summer colour palette is soft and harmonious with sophisticated neutrals including mink, melon and mahogany through to richer tones of crimson and azalea.
There is a strong blue/green trend for summer with fresh aqua, lagoon blues and a glamorous highlight of peacock blue
How has intimate apparel evolved over the past decade?
Nocturnal Designs founders Sarah and Josephine Maniscalco
Lingerie has been designed for outerwear - for example, the corset - or sexy enough to show off, which has enabled women to feel confident to wear it in this way. The revival of vintage clothing (especially burlesque) has seeped into intimate apparel and we're seeing some beautiful pieces such as suspenders, sexy hosiery and briefs that flatter the figure and enhance a woman's curves
Gazal women's underwear divisional manager Athina Diniakos
A decade ago, most styles were more embellished and ornate with embroidery being key and a greater use of synthetic fibres.
Many youthful brands have been introduced into the market- showing a movement to natural fabrics and comfort.
Smooth contoured bras and booster shapes continue to become increasingly more popular
Lovable divisional brand manager Dianne Taylor
The past decade has seen a rise in intimate technology with innovation and comfort leading the field. This evolution has been responsible for driving category advancements in smooth contoured bras, no-show and laser cut innovations. Intimates in this category are now important, everyday staples but I think we are now seeing a backlash against the super plain designs with the recent emergence of texture and metallic driving the fashion category.
There has been a strong crossover from outerwear to Lingerie which has brought forward a fresh style of intimates handwriting, best illustrated by the new "sass & bide for Lovable" collaboration which demonstrates the quirky, fresh sense of what lingerie should be and exploring how it should be worn in its latest realisation
How have consumer demands changed over the past decade?
Nocturnal Designs founders Sarah and Josephine Maniscalco
Consumers have demanded more options in all bra sizes - prettier, sexier, more supportive and more comfortable. Baby boomers want to be able to wear the same lingerie as the younger market - it doesn't matter what stage in life or what has happened to your body, women are everywhere are screaming out for prettier and sexier lingerie. Additionally, because breast cancer has become more prevalent in younger women, post mastectomy bras have evolved to suit the younger market
Gazal women's underwear divisional manager Athina Diniakos
Consumers are wanting more 'bang for their buck'.
Consumers are also looking for aspirational brands, brands that offer more that just quality and comfort, they want to be wearing underwear brands that have personality.
Consumer demands for larger sized bras are also increasing. Davenport addresses this gap in the market for a youthful larger size bra solution and offers: DD-E cups across both its fashion forward range and the UnderDAV's basic collection
Lovable divisional brand manager Dianne Taylor
The Consumer has become very sassy in terms of purchase; she expects certain service levels and quality of garments at great prices. The web has widened her choice of brands and retailers from which to shop so is important that we continue to supply her with great fitting affordable product that is world class with world class service.
The changing body shapes has meant more demand for shaping bodywear
What is the biggest issue currently facing the intimate apparel industry?
Nocturnal Designs founders Sarah and Josephine Maniscalco
From a boutique's point of view, the lack of people in the industry who can fit and size women for a bra
Gazal women's underwear divisional manager Athina Diniakos
The Australian intimates market is a very cluttered environment with so many brands competing for market share. Brands need to offer more than just their product to ensure cut through in this flooded environment. Davenport has addressed this by extending the offer with dedicated concept areas and sales staff in store, as well as ongoing PR and promotional activity
Lovable divisional brand manager Dianne Taylor
The Australian and New Zealand industry needs to stay in touch with the local consumer and her changing needs as there are plenty of overseas and Asian suppliers ready to sell products here, fit and quality are important but knowing who your consumer is and preempting her needs can only be done really well locally.
We have world class product here, I think that Australia and New Zealand will actually take more of the international stage in the coming years, this is already happening with many of our great brands already
What are some of the key innovations consumers can expect over the next decade?
Nocturnal Designs founders Sarah and Josephine Maniscalc
Lingerie becoming more daring and more risqué
Gazal women's underwear divisional manager Athina Diniakos
New and innovative fabrications will be one of the main areas that brands will concentrate on.
Functional new shaped bras will also continue to be key
Lovable divisional brand manager Dianne Taylor
Our design teams are working with fabric mills directly to ensure that the new fabrications will be bought to the Australian market. However technology is changing at such a great rate and the consumers thirst for newness continues to drive constant innovation - one can only imagine what we will be wearing in ten years time. Who would have though ten year ago that women would be wearing laser cut bras.