Last month, we were at a industry event for the lingerie, swimwear and intimate apparel industry. It was a great place to do business as usual but the thing that struck us was how underwear and intimate apparel as a clothing item is being redefined into a statement accessory.
Underwear is no longer an item that disappears when you put on pants. It is stylish to offer a glimpse of your underwear from your pants. Underwear are tattooed. Underwear has attitude. Underwear is a conversation piece during those intimate moments. 'Package Underwear' was popular at the show (not because they come packaged in the carton). There was 'rounderwear' for flat butts and 'Conewear' for flat busts. Basically, marketers were trying out ways to charge $40 for a piece of clothing that costs 40c to make (no kidding...you can make 5 panties from a yard of lace).
Jokes apart, we saw the most fresh ideas in one place on how to turn underwear into a fashion accessory and a style statement. There were fresh prints, new cuts, bold colors, technical fabrics and amazing personalities (of the underwear) in full display at the show. Hanes booth with their 4 pack boxers for $8.99 still got some traffic but the buzz was at these young booths trying to sign up retailers into their new idea of an underwear.
Nvie Designs will start carrying some of these new brands in the coming months for those of you who want the conversation to go on when the lights go out.
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