Page 18 - AVN Intimate Summer 2017

FEATURE
Confidence
Boosters
By Sherri L. Shaulis
separate looks and function. Designed to make its wearer feel sexy, lingerie offers
F or what seems like forever, lingerie and shapewear were crafted with distinctly
flowing, light and sheer fabrics and laces, ribbons and bows, seductive cuts and
cut-outs. Shapewear, on the other hand, traditionally went for function over
fashion. The color palette was restricted to beige, black and white, and the foundation
garments featured more elastic and sturdier stretch fabrics.
But this year, a number of lingerie manufacturers have thrown all the traditional
rules out the window, instead opting to create pieces that are not only soft and
beautiful but also designed to help cover any number of perceived flaws.
At the inaugural Altitude Intimates Show, which debuted in April in Las Vegas,
manufacturers who participated in the fashion show featured a number of basic
shapewear pieces that had been drastically updated with flair.
For retailers and customers it’s almost a dream come true. While there are some
companies, such as Coquette, that have long incorporated shapewear elements
in their designs, and others, including Rago and Hollywood Curves, that have
produced accessory pieces to help smooth curves or boost cleavage, it’s not
often that fashion and function meet, especially in pieces carried by most lingerie
boutiques.
Coquette, particularly in its collections for plus sizes, has for some time used
hidden panels to smooth curves, wider straps for better fit, longer skirts to cover
more, and other features. Heather Stockton, who handles public relations for
Coquette, said the company designs specifically for plus-size bodies, rather than just
creates “bigger” versions of existing fashions.
“There is a huge and growing demand for inclusively sized products, but with the
increase in market saturation with plus-sized lingerie has come an increase in products
that are not properly designed for the plus-size woman,” Stockton said. “A proper plus-
size design does not simply add 2 inches in length and 2 inches in width from the next
size down. These products require a different design altogether to offer the right fit, such
as added support, additional clasps, wider bra bands, longer seams to balance the front and
back of the garment, etc.
“Because the fashion industry has been so slow to respond to the increasing demand for
plus-size products, many plus-size customers still have no idea what makes something fit or
not fit them correctly and have no idea what to look for in a design for their size and shape,”
Stockton continued. “This is why it has been so important to Coquette to create designs that
offer an optimal fit for plus bodies, and why we continue to update our designs every collection
as we learn from customer feedback. We want all women, regardless of shape or size, to feel
comfortable, confident and beautiful in Coquette.”
The new trend in shapeware: hiding perceived flaws with flawless designs
The goal for Coquette, Stockton noted, is to create pieces that have
a certain je n’est c’est quoi element. It’s a balancing act, creating pieces
that help women feel sexy, inspired and confident on a number of levels,
whether it’s through fabric that hides a pooch in the belly, or underwires
that help to lift breasts.
“Women wear lingerie to look and feel sexy and confident,” she said.
“What you’re accentuating when you wear lingerie is NOT the clothing
itself, or even the body—it’s a feeling. A fantasy. And in our fantasies,
we always envision the sexiest and most confident versions of ourselves.
Using different design techniques, we can bring out the confidence and
sex appeal of every woman’s fantasies in real life, and make her feel like
the goddess she really is.”
18 | INTIMATE | SUMMER 2017
This year, Coquette created several items that look like shapewear
pieces worn by the generations before us, but with twists and tweaks
that give them a more modern and sexy look, Stockton said.
“This season’s collection was inspired by the age-old obsession with
curves,” she said. “This obsession can be seen across the history of the
fashion industry, and today it continues with the popularity of waist
trainers and shapewear. Whether or not we go to the gym, we can slip on
a pair of Spanx and instantly feel more toned and confident in whatever
we’re wearing. The same principle is found in the lingerie industry with
the demand for designs that provide immediate transformations.
“Since the shapewear trend has continued to gain momentum, we
have released our very first metal spiral-boned corsets in sizes Small