We know that you are inspired by vintage couture gowns.  How do you take that inspiration and translate it into your designs?

Oh, to sashay around in evening gowns! I was definitely born in the wrong era. I am smitten with the over-the-top decadence of vintage couture, particularly of the 30s and 40s, and how they transform the wearer into femme fatales. While many of these gowns are quite simple, it is the exquisite tailoring and attention to detail that make all the difference. I look to incorporate these techniques into my work, such as pin-tucking, narrow rolled hems, fastidious top stitching, and french seams.

Also, I love how vintage gowns often have one knock-out feature, providing a dramatic silhouette. I translate this unexpected impact into my work, such as ruching on the cheeky backside of panties topped with a large sash. The emphasis is all about feeling empowered through glamour, and also enjoying the feminine and playful side of donning such fancies.

What materials are your favorites to use?

I work exclusively with silk. The sheen and color saturation of silk charmeuse is just gorgeous and provides a luxuriousness that is unparalleled. Future collections, though, will include more silk chiffon as I’m interested in how it both has body yet hugs the figure. Also, I’m able to play with different textures with chiffon and enjoy how the transparency offers yet another design element.

Do you have a favorite piece in your current collection?

My favorite, at the moment, is the Tie One On garter belt. I love the flirtatious bows and the feeling of being all wrapped up like the perfect present.

What’s been your greatest success since launching?

I have been incredibly fortunate to attract the attention of some wonderful people in the industry. These bloggers and boutique owners have been so very kind in championing my little fledgling label. I am especially proud to work with Faire Frou Frou and Bella Bella Boutique who were early supporters when I first launched last spring.

Your greatest challenge?

Up to this point I’ve been a one-woman show, designing and producing each piece individually by hand. I am working on a production and merchandising strategy before releasing subsequent collections so that I can confidently grow and sustain my
label. And I’m relocating to Seattle during this period as well. Things are inordinately busy right now but I feel so privileged to have attained the successes I have in the last few months that I am thoroughly energized and up for the challenge!

What effect has social networking had on your business?

Social networking has made all the difference for me in launching my label. Not only has it provided a platform to promote Toad Lillie, it has been an amazing way to connect with other designers, to be part of this growing community of impassioned talent.

Where do you see your business headed in the next year?

In the next year I plan on exhibiting at the lingerie shows here in the U.S. which will hopefully provide Toad Lillie with more exposure. My goal is to secure a few key stockists here in the U.S. and perhaps internationally as well.

The next five?

In five years I’d like to see Toad Lillie with an international clientele, also branching out from boudoir bra and panty sets into luxe lounge wear pieces and bridal.

Thank you, Laurie!  We appreciate your candor and look forward to seeing Toad Lillie’s continued expansion.  If you want to stay up to date on Toad Lillie, don’t forget to Like on Facebook and Follow on Twitter!

Here’s a fun video featuring the photographs:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ruffles! Bows! Satin! Lace! Ruching! Ribbon! Tulle! Flowers! Silk! Feathers! Looking at these photos make me feel like a kid in a candy shop. It’s all just fun!

Toad Lillie is the creation of Laurie Shapiro, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute’s Fiber program. Toad Lillie is inspired by couture fashion, hollywood glamour, and vintage gowns. Every Toad Lillie piece is made to measure and sewn by hand. You can purchase Toad Lillie at the brand’s etsy page or on the Faire Frou Frou website.

The Jolie collection was based on a design from the 40s. The peachy set includes a longline bra, suspender belt, and brief.

The Vargas girdle dress is one of Kiss Me Deadly’s best sellers, so they made it in a light peach tone for the spring and summer. Also called a corsolette, it incorporates an underwired lace bra and six suspender tabs.

The super sexy DeVille collection includes a black satin multiway bra, deep brief, and suspender skirt. The suspenders on the skirt are even detachable in case you wish to wear it as outerwear.

Delacroix includes a pure silk camisole, french knicker, brief, soft cup bra, and suspender belt. It is available in a deep blue or frothy peach. This collection is extremely limited, with only 100 of each piece being made.

The longline Jezebel panty was a favorite this past winter, so Kiss Me Deadly brought it back with a tafetta non stretch center panel and red taffeta bow.

Stay cool in summer months in the comfortable and chic Sophie bloomer boyshorts, available in both red and black. Lulu and Lush’s best-selling black satin frilly knickers have been redesigned for the Fleur set, this time with optional suspender clips and matching soft-cup halter-neck bra, which is soft and luxurious on the skin yet structured to support up to an E cup.

Show off your shapewear in the fabulous new Rouge and Dolly girdles, in stretch satin and powermesh to smooth and sculpt whilst still looking good enough to eat, putting an end to the thought that a smooth tummy and bottom means sacrificing gorgeous lingerie in favour of massive Bridget Jones pants.

More information and pictures can be found online, at the FairyGothMother Blog!

During the 45-minute scheduled event, Bryant will define knickers, drawers, bloomers, splits and chemises and explain why women wore them in previous centuries. Additionally, she will be presenting gorgeous, vintage lingerie pieces to the crowd. Some of the items include her own recreation of an 18^th century corset that laces in the back, pocket hoops (what women wore at the hip to push fabric outward), a 20^th century cami and bloomer combo and a matching bra and knickers set.

Were any of our readers lucky enough to get a ticket? Let us know in the comments if you get the chance to attend!

These three pieces of lingerie are part of the “‘A Peek at Women’s Underwear” program. At the museum’s Bikman’s Ladies Shop exhibit, Jennifer Jameson, front, holds matching knickers and bra, Nancy Bryant has a 1950s-era petticoat and Tami Sneddon shows off bloomers and a camisole. (Mark Ylen/Democrat-Herald)

Photo: Democrat Herald

]]> http://www.the-lingerie-post.com/2010/04/museum-presents-a-peek-at-womens-underwear/feed/ 0 http://www.the-lingerie-post.com/2010/03/qa-with-tallulah-love-lingerie/ http://www.the-lingerie-post.com/2010/03/qa-with-tallulah-love-lingerie/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:45:12 +0000 Bruna http://www.the-lingerie-post.com/?p=13620 Dear lovely TLP readers, I’m happy to bring you information on a brand that we haven’t talked about here before called Tallulah Love. I recently caught up with Tallulah Love’s managing director Michelle Taylor, who has had input in every stage of the production process, including designing! Taylor says their enthusiasm and “passion to create beautiful lingerie with vintage styling” has been one of the key factors behind their launch.

See some of the brand’s beautiful styles below followed by our Q&A!

The Lingerie Post: What is the collection’s theme?

Michelle Taylor: The theme of the collection is Vintage Doll. Very romantic, feminine, yet contemporary with accents of vintage detailing. Colour features strongly in the collection. Our Garden of Delights Bra has secured many orders for a/w 2010 and the Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly range is proving a welcome change for many buyers.

One of our most popular range so far is our Bluebird range, which many bridal stores, as well as independent boutiques and department stores, are very interested in, and we are actually getting requests from brides asking if they can pre-order the set through our Web site.

TLP: Who is your target consumer?

MT: Age early 20′s up to 50. The target customer for Tallulah Love is a lady who likes high quality, fine fabrics and vintage styling. She appreciates items that are elegant, yet different.

TLP: Where is it stocked? Is it in the U.S.?

MT: At the moment, it is stocked in luxury boutiques in the UK, Fenwick of Newcastle, Lulu and Lush of London, Elizabeth Wells of York and Olivia Beau. However, we have orders for the summer for boutiques in the Netherlands, Milan, Spain and interest from stores in the U.S. (New York), Russia, Mexico and Japan. (Since Michelle and I were in contact, Tallulah Love has secured a new selling point at Lucile of Machester and has also gained a Spanish distributor.)

TLP: What is the price range?

MT: Prices range from £18 (approximately $27) to £200 ($302). Bras retail at £80 ($121), and very detailed knickers at £45 ($68). The most luxurious item is our showstopping Vintage Lace corset, which stole the show in Paris!

TLP: What is the silhouette offering?

MT: The silhouette is very figure enhancing. Balconette bras play a big role, as do lace back briefs. We have also introduced a very fashion forward petticoat, as well as the most adorable bloomer and cami nightwear set.

TLP: What fabrics did you use?

MT: I used silk and the most intricate chantilly laces from Desseiles, France.

Photos: Tallulah Love

Morgana Femme Couture now has an exciting group of antique-inspired corsets! There are  two versions of a 1904 ribbon lattice corset – the first image below (style MF1308) is a traditional version, but the second (style MF1312) is unique to MFC.

MFC now also has a modernized version of the 1907 Edwardian S Curve Corset (style MF1330). The pattern and boning have been updated for the modern woman, to eliminate the pain associated with wearing authentic straight front stays. The Edwardian S Curve Corset has hip gussets and is best worn as a long line. Be sure not to confuse this with the “Edwardian shaped bottom” corsets you may see from MFC and other labels.

This corset (style MF 1332) is also one of the Edwardian S Curve Corsets.

This crimson waspie/waist cincher (style MF1306) features hand-sewn beaded black sequined lace. This waspie is 6″ on each side, and can also be enhanced with Swarovski crystals. Matching nipple pasties and a sequined fascinator are also available.

Finally, this teal corset (style MF 1331) looks gorgeous with matching shirred garter straps, pasties, and fascinator (and look at that waist!).

You can find all of the above styles (and more!) on MorganaFemmeCouture.com.

Now, get this: when Secrets In Lace started in 1948, they carried this bra and it served quite popular as they sold it to thousands of customers over the years. But 20 years ago, the original manufacturer discontinued the style, calling it “too old fashioned.” Can you believe it? I think this bra is downright stunning! Thankfully, Secrets In Lace did too and they have updated the pattern to bring the style back. It is available in both lace and satin varieties to coordinate with SIL’s existing color groups (so you can mix and match this bra with other SIL garter belts and panties that you like or may already own). The bra is available in red, pink, silver, and green satin, and white lace. It comes in sizes 32 C,D,DD and 34-40 B,C,D,DD.

Taking inspiration from vintage romanticism and moonlit seduction, Ma Mignonnette celebrates an old-world love for opulence and elegant craftsmanship. Pieces are hand-finished in England from materials that both look and feel exquisite: sensuous silks are adorned with ribbons, lace and Swarovski crystals. Collections rise from spellbound tales of enthralled lovers and midnight witchery. Packages are wrapped with a hand-written love spell and crystal charm to inspire boudoir magic. The Show Pony range is the first reveal from the launch collection ‘Nights at the Circus’, which will follow later in the year.

Ma Mignonnette lingerie enhances the body’s contours, just as undergarments from yesteryear were intended. Bras are sculpted to reveal busts at their fullest, whilst knickers sit low and are cut to make the bottom appear as pert as possible. Additionally, pieces have been crafted to be stepped in and shimmied out of with perfect grace (using discreet fasteners), whether there is an audience in the boudoir or not.

The Show Pony range tells the tale of a delicious coquette teasing to be unwrapped. Based on the dazzling girl on the pony paraded round the circus ring, she is a starlet who revels in her own beauty. The range is made of dusky pink veils adorned with intricate trimming, revealing ballerina pink hearts and ruffles.

Joon Haque, Ma Mignonnette Founder, comments: “This is a challenging time to launch a high-end brand, but people have been forced to become more discerning about the quality of products they indulge in. If women are going to treat themselves, they want the ultimate luxury and something to make them feel ravishing, which is exactly what Ma Mignonnette delivers. Our lingerie has been made for women to fall in love with themselves and this sentiment is behind everything we do. We’re looking forward to launching the rest of our first collection later in the year, as well as the events and projects we have planned for the future.”

More info and shopping on mamignonnette.com!