Over a one month period, voters of all shapes and sizes anonymously participated in the awards, which cover bras, panties and shapewear for women, and mens underwear including boxers and briefs.

Now in their fourth year, the Undie Awards are designed to celebrate all things lingerie. In addition to encouraging voters to nominate their preferred pair for greatness, the awards also seek to highlight staff picks via “select” winners in each category.

Voters in the awards were asked to “let (their) body type do the voting” by entering their age range and height and then characterizing their body type, based on – (for the women) – bra and panty sizes as well as bust, tummy and bottom type OR – (for the men) – chest and waist type as well as waist size.

The site featured drop-down menus which enabled voters to quickly select their favorite brand and style. Voters also had the option of writing-in their favorite underwear, if it was not listed.

“Participating in the Undie Awards provides women and men with real peer-to-peer information they can use to select the right fit and style, in tops and bottoms,” said Tomima Edmark, lingerie & undergarment expert. “The awards also introduce voters to brands they might be unfamiliar with, especially via the ‘select’ winner categories, which are determined by our staff as a way of highlighting smaller brands deserving of the spotlight.”

This year’s Favorite Overall Bra (Average Figure) is the Vanity Fair Body Sleeks Flexi Back Close, Racerback Bra 75263. This is the first time a racerback has won in this category! The winning bra features seamless microfiber cups that are invisible beneath clothing. It also features a unique and comfortable “cross-over” racerback design that provides support, moves with you, and looks great under racerback tops and tanks. Sizes range from 34B to 40D.

The Favorite Overall Bra (Full Figure) is the Goddess Keira Banded Underwire Bra 6090. Women chose this bra because it’s super comfortable and has a terrific fit. The Keira features sheer trim along the top of the cups and a V-plunge that provide a lighter look. The sewn-in side slings provide maximum lift and support while the restricted stretch straps offer a stay-put fit. Sizes range from 36DD to 46N.

The Favorite Overall Panty for 2010 is the Bali Skimp Skamp Brief Panty 2633. This women’s brief is popular because it offers amazing comfort and no visible panty lines. The silky-smooth nylon stretch fabric provides a body-hugging fit while the generous cut provides full coverage, front to back. The soft elastic at the waist and along the leg openings makes this panty extremely comfortable. Comes in sizes 5 to 9.

The Favorite Overall Shapewear for women is the Flexees Fat Free Dressing Tank Top 3266. Women love it because it slims, shapes and smoothes the body, yet doesn’t have to be covered or hidden. The stretch fabric appears as a traditional tank top while the soft, hidden microfiber liner secretly shapes the tummy. Comes in sizes small to 2XL.

The Undie Awards are sponsored by online retailer HerRoom.com. To encourage consumers to try out the winning items, both sites are offering all Undie Award winners at 20% off, beginning Tuesday, June 8th through June 10th at midnight.

For a comprehensive list of 2010 Undie Award winners, user reviews and celebrity underwear picks, please visit www.theundies.com.

There, voters will be asked to “let (their) own body type do the voting” by entering their age range and height and then characterizing their body type, based on – (for the women) – bra and panty sizes as well as bust, tummy and bottom type OR – (for the men) – chest, waist and leg type as well as waist size.

The site features drop-down menus which enable voters to quickly select their favorite underwear brand and style. Voters also have the option of writing-in their favorite underwear, if it’s not otherwise listed as an option.

Categories folks can vote on include: Favorite Average Bra, Favorite Full-Figure Bra and Favorite Panty for the ladies and Favorite Woven Boxer, Favorite Knit Boxer and Favorite T-Shirt for the men.

Now in their fourth year, the Undies are designed to celebrate all things lingerie, while also educating voters on how to best pick out underwear that is right for them. The Undies cover (among other things): bras, panties, thongs, G-strings and shapewear as well as boxers, briefs, t-shirts and men’s underwear. Next year’s awards will include women’s swimwear and men’s swimwear as additional categories.

“Participating in the Undie Awards provides women and men with real peer-to-peer information they can use to select the right fit and style, in tops and bottoms,” said Tomima Edmark, lingerie & undergarment expert. “What’s more, the awards introduce voters to brands they might be unfamiliar with, especially via the ‘select’ winner categories, which are determined by our staff as a way of highlighting smaller brands.”

Over a one-month period, voters can cast their ballots in this year’s awards. Winners will be announced in May via the awards’ website, www.theundies.com.

No purchase is necessary to participate in the awards (though voters do get an electronic coupon worth 10% off their next order at HerRoom.com or HisRoom.com!)

Michelle Mone with English celeb Jordan. Photo via Daily Record.

Mone was named an OBE for her services to businesses in the lingerie industry. “I’m absolutely thrilled, honored and delighted,” she told the Daily Record. “When I left school at 15 years old, I would never have dreamed that I would be recognized this way.”

Visit the Daily Record to check out a video of Mone discussing her reaction to the news!

Boudiche, a Scottish independent start up launched in 2005 with help from the Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT), were among 8 retailers shortlisted for the title, including Harrods, Debenhams, and Figleaves.com to win the respected award. Previous title holders include Marks and Spencer and La Senza.

Designer lingerie specialists Boudiche stock over 40 local Scottish home grown and international brands including La Perla, Mimi Holliday, Freya and Elle Macpherson Intimates from both of their Scottish boutiques and online boutique www.boudiche.com which has just been shortlisted for the Drapers Etail Awards in the Best Independent Etailer category.

Clare (left) & Fiona with the award

Founders Clare Thommen and Fiona McLean were down in London to collect the award and were ecstatic to have won.

“Being up against Harrods who have the most respected lingerie department in the UK and probably worldwide, we never thought as a young independent from Scotland we would actually win! It’s a huge credit to our team who have worked so hard to create what we have with Boudiche, and they should all be very proud. It’s a massive achievement for us all.”

Other Drapers 2009 winners include ASOS for E Tailer of the Year, H&M for Marketing Initiative of the year with their Matthew Williamson collaboration and Topshop BYC for Best New Store. Founder of New Look, Tom Singh received the Lifetime Achievement award.

“We would like to thank all of our international retailers, vendors and friends. We would not be where we are today, distributing Soak internationally, if it weren’t for your support. We look forward to continuing our growth and expansion in the lingerie industry and beyond. Through our products and brand, we not only present Soak Wash Inc. to the international scene, but also the contributions of the many other women led organizations with whom we collaborate.” says Sava. “We are grateful that the lingerie industry has embraced our products with such passion and enthusiasm since our launch a few short years ago. “

Earlier this year Sava also received an Entrepreneur of the Year Award, from the Toronto Business Development Centre.

Consumers can purchase Soak Wash at retailers worldwide.  Industry insiders, watch for new products launching early 2010 at Curve NY and LV.

If you would like to be part of the Award Winning Soak team, as a sales representative or international distributor, please contact us. Jacqueline@soakwash.com

Actress Hilary Swank with Winner James Nolan

As part of Triumph’s 2009 Inspiration Award, several international fashion design students presented their designs at a special catwalk show that kicked off this season’s Milan Fashion Week. Students from 28 countries and regions around the world participated in the contest, which required them to design pieces with creative interpretations of this year’s award motto: “Icons.”

James Nolan, a 20-year-old from Great Britain, walked away with the first place prize for his “Odette and Odile” icon piece. He won Euro 15,000 and a career-boosting limited edition of the winning piece. Nolan’s piece will be adapted and interpreted by Triumph’s design team, leading to a series production of the set, which will be sold at certain Triumph stores worldwide next year.

Coming in second place and winning the Euro 10,000 prize was Australian Katinka Poole’s “Harbour Mirage” design, which drew inspiration from the Sydney Opera House. Shani Elkin from Israel won the third place prize of Euro 5,000 with her “Jerusalem” design.

The jury—which included Academy Award winning actress Hilary Swank; editor-in-chief of Vogue Italy Franca Sozzani; Honk Kong’s international model Qi Qi; fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel; co-founder and creative director of fashion label Miss Sixty Wichy Hassan; and head of global sales and marketing at Triumph, Jan Rosenberg—judged all the entries based on the same criteria: innovation and creativity in interpreting the design motto, individuality, concept, aesthetics, quality in design and execution, and presentation.

“Success is the result of talent and hard work. I am thrilled to see how both come together in these passionate pieces by young fashion design students—they truly deserve a stage such as the Triumph Inspiration Award,” said Hilary Swank.

See the winning pieces below and what each designer had to say about their show-pieces.

Icon: Odette and Odile

1st Place Winner: James Nolan

“My main influence was the 1800’s crinoline. Body distortion fascinated me and it was my objective to make this dark subject beautiful. My icons needed to represent my ideas of manipulation, distortion and metamorphosis and the story of Swan Lake is perfect. The dance tells the tale of love and magic where a princess is turned into a swan by an evil magician.”

Icon: Sydney Opera House

2nd Place Winner: Katinka Poole

“Harbour Mirage offers a fresh interpretation of the groundbreaking design of Sydney’s iconic Opera House—an iconic architectural design that plays a key role in forming one of the most unique and dramatic city skylines in the world. It playfully strikes a balance between the bold and the sensual, iconic and glamorous and the audacious and seductive.”

Icon: Jerusalem

3rd Place Winner: Shani Elkin

“My lingerie is inspired by Jerusalem, a holy city for all religions and believers. This vision of common life is expressed by a unique calligraphy print of the letters in Hebrew and Arabic, dancing together as one.”

The Triumph Inspiration Award was founded in 2008 as a global design competition which challenges students from prestigious international design schools to create a conceptual show-piece set using an underwired bra and brief.

To see all participating designs, visit the Award website here.

And now, in a fantastic boost to her fledgling design career, she is looking forward to the moment when her winning design rolls off the production lines.

When it arrives in Triumph stores throughout Europe and Asia early in August, Midori’s intriguing design is destined to be the talk of the town.

Midori called her concept “Under Skin”. She says, “When women feel like crying, they tend to hide it. What this kind of delicate feeling and lingerie have in common is that both are only revealed to the important people in a woman’s life, those who are closest to her. I designed my lingerie to look like the face of a crying woman to illustrate this closeness and intimacy.”

The students participating in TIA08 were asked to interpret the theme “Female Fascination” and to create a unique showpiece including an under-wired bra and brief, that reflected the enchantment of women.

70 international design schools in 31 countries and regions took part in the competition which was judged by fashion experts including designers Viktor and Rolf; supermodel Helena Christensen; photographer Ellen von Unworth and creative director Sarah from Colette in Paris.

After winning the Triumph Inspiration Award 08, Midori met Triumph designers at the company’s design centre in Hong Kong. They discussed the developments that would transform her winning showpiece into a design that could go on sale commercially.

The result is remarkably faithful to the original. The stunning, multi-way, black padded bra (£50) sparkles with silver threads, diamanté and crystals and is trimmed with black satin and “eyelash” fringing.

The matching tanga (£25) is in nude stretch net appliquéd with radiating narrow black lines. The padded lips at the front are removable.

The set will arrive in Triumph stores in Cambridge, Cardiff, Leicester and Walton on Thames early in August. Bra sizes are 32 – 36 B & C and the brief is in S, M, L. Each item will have a special descriptive hang tag.

Meanwhile, students from top design schools all over the world are again busy creating designs for the Triumph Inspiration Award ’09. The theme this year is “Icons”.

James Nolan from Central Saint Martins will represent the UK at the grand final in Milan on September 23rd with his beautiful “swan” design inspired by the story of Odette and Odile. More news about the final on TLP soon!

Over a one-month period, voters of all shapes and sizes anonymously participated in the awards, which cover bras, panties and shapewear.

Now in their third year, the Undie Awards are designed to celebrate all things lingerie. In addition to encouraging voters to nominate their preferred pair for greatness, the awards also seek to educate consumers on how to best pick out underwear that is right for them.

To this end, voters in the awards were asked to “let (their) body type do the voting” by entering their age range and height and then characterizing their body type, based on – (for the women) – bra and panty sizes as well as bust, tummy and bottom type OR – (for the men) – chest, waist and leg type as well as waist size.

“Participating in the Undie Awards provides women and men with real peer-to-peer information they can use to select the right fit and style, in tops and bottoms,” said Tomima Edmark, lingerie & undergarment expert. “What’s more, the awards introduce voters to brands they might be unfamiliar with, especially via the ‘select’ winner categories, which are determined by our staff as a way of highlighting smaller brands.”

This year’s Overall Favorite Bra (Average Figure) is the Vanity Fair Body Sleeks Contour Stretch Bra 75-266. This bra is claiming highest honors for the second year in a row, due to its simple style, comfort and cleavage. One voter wrote, “hands down the most comfortable bra I’ve ever worn.” Sizes range from 32B to 42C.

The Overall Favorite Bra (Full Figure) is the Panache Superbra Tango II Underwire Balconnet Bra 3251. Women chose this stylish bra for its fit and comfort, not to mention its support. One voter wrote, “…love this bra. For my size it has THE BEST support!” Band sizes range from 30-44 and cup sizes from D-JJ.

The Overall Favorite Panty is the Olga Secret Hug Nylon Scoop Halfpant Panty 913, which features a “scoop” design with a center back seam that keeps the panties where they belong while providing natural definition. This brief wears well and is the perfect everyday panty for sizes 5-9.

For a comprehensive list of 2009 Undie Award winners, user reviews and celebrity underwear picks, please visit www.theundies.com. The Undie Awards are sponsored by online retailer HerRoom.com.

Boudiche were selected in the Retail category along with Bench, Lime Blue, Next, Superdry, Lush and Clarks Shoes. The results will be announced at a Black Tie Gala Ball on 16th April at The Midland Hotel in Manchester.

The Marketing industry were asked to choose brands in which they considered ‘cool’ across various sectors including Fashion, Leisure & Tourism, Food & Drink, Retail, Media & Digital and Manufacturing & Industrial. Readers of The Drum Magazine voted online for each category and Boudiche made the shortlist.

Other brands nominated in the ‘Cool Brand’ categories are ghd, Rockstar, Kshocolat and Paul Smith.

More info about other brands in the running etc – right here! More on Boudiche on boudiche.com!

We’ll let you know when The Undies winners are announced, but in the meantime you can go to TheUndies.com to cast your votes and earn a coupon code worth 10% off your next order. The man in your life can also vote on his favorites at the same website. Just a warning, I tried to do this in my Chrome browser and it didn’t work; I couldn’t get past the bra page. So if you use Chrome, you may want to try a different browser for this.