Simple life secret: There’s a huge connection between self-esteem, body image, and lingerie – and we’re not just saying that because we’re in the biz. When we feel good about our bodies – when we exalt and support them irrespective of their size and shape – we’re on the road to self-esteem. We finally harness the power of being and feeling good enough.

Self-esteem is emotional and physical, and rooted in the experiences we have growing up: the way we perceive ourselves, the way we perceive the world and, more tricky, the way we think the world perceives us. This reality/perception dynamic is set in motion from when we’re just girls as we compare ourselves to others, raise the bar to crazy heights and distance ourselves from our true selves.

Key word here: “self.” And that’s where lingerie comes into the picture. Lingerie is intimate, personal, private. It’s the closest thing we get to being naked and the first thing we put on in the morning. More importantly, it’s designed to support a fundamental part of our bodies. When we invest in lingerie that is both beautiful and supportive, we’re investing in self-esteem - but don’t just take our word for it.

We selected a handful of American women in Paris to experience that connection first-hand with some of our wildly talented creative directors and designers. Here’s what they had to say: