A unique expertise

French Lingerie is rooted in a unique and rich cultural heritage and, above all, superior trade expertise. AUBADE, CHANTELLE & PASSIONATA, EMPREINTE, MAISON LEJABY, ANTIGEL, ANTINÉA, EPRISE, EPURE, LISE CHARMEL, LOU, LOUISA BRACQ, SIMONE PÉRÈLE & IMPLICITE are all endowed with a exceptionally robust creative know-how. They must consistently surprise the consumer, awaken desire, and spearhead trends while simultaneously creating new, seductive and comfortable lines that proactively meet women’s needs.

In this highly competitive world, all technical arenas must be perfectly mastered and fashion-forward. Research, innovation and foresight have always been - and will continue to be - the key to success in our Lingerie sector.

Designed in France

The design workshops of French Lingerie members are all based in France. In some cases, this goes back centuries: Aubade came into being through a company founded by Dr Bernard in 1875. Chantelle saw the light a year later. The origins of Barbara date back to 1926. Empreinte was born in 1946, Rosy in 1947 and Simone Pérèle in 1948!

All these brands have experienced periods of prosperity - euphoric times when lingerie had the wind in its sails. They have also known less glorious times, but all of them were able to adapt to globalization and market changes. One thing is certain: Their expertise is incomparable and that capital is priceless!

Mythical collections

Each brand launches at least two collections per year, each comprising at least ten different lines. Some have achieved mythical status: who could forget Miss Top or Liberty by Maison Lejaby, or Sunlight, Andora and Épure by Simone Pérèle? Or Miss Lou or the brand’s net models? To this day, people still talk about Aubade’s Bahia collection and Melody by Empreinte – seamless bras made of moulded lace with positioned flower motifs.

Best-sellers - the Agrafe Cœur (front-fastening bra) and the String minimum thong by Aubade, the Sole Mio or the Petal by Simone Pérèle, the Africa model by Chantelle - are all likely to reappear from one collection to the next. But brands must constantly INNOVATE. The consumer is unaware that it takes more than eighteen months to produce a new bra model. We rarely reveal what goes on ‘under’ the underwear!

The lingerie designer’s art

The lingerie designer’s art consists of designing and adjusting (with precision down to the millimeter) the twenty to thirty pieces that make up a bra. Everything would be a lot simpler if there weren’t a multitude of fabrics from so many different suppliers: lace from Calais, embroidery from St Gall, tulle, ribbons, grosgrains, fasteners, cotton, silk, and cutting-edge elastic fabric from five continents.

This causes unimaginable dyeing challenges: for each piece, color conformity must be visually checked with great care or else color-management is carried out with a spectrophotometer.

Seeking comfort

In addition to color, the elasticity and tension of each fabric must be closely monitored, since even the smallest component affects overall comfort for the consumer. We must remember that lingerie is in direct, constant contact with the skin.

All materials should therefore be dermatologically tested to ensure that they do not contain any allergenic or carcinogenic substances. In the past, the lingerie designer or corset-maker met face to face with the client. These days, there are many players involved in every phase of the life of lingerie from the very first concept of the product right through to the moment the consumer takes her lingerie out of the washing machine. The lingerie designer must consider everything in the course of implementing this complex logistical process.

Innovation

Our manufacturers are constantly searching for tomorrow’s materials to help their profession advance. The brand Barbara was one of the first to use the elastic lace that revolutionized bra straps. True to their tradition of innovation, Barbara launched the Spacer 3D in 2005 and then the "fusion" technology of Nude Perfect in 2011. 3D mesh, also used by Chantelle and Passionata, lets the skin breathe, while a new generation of thermo sensitive shells adapts to fit each breast. Rosy’s Powder line uses a tubular mesh that provides specific support zones but still has a cotton feel to it, while the infinitely soft microfiber is treated with invisible edges to give a "flat tummy" effect to the Shaping line, which is both retro and sexy. For Rosy Sensual, a fine technological lace was developed. Empreinte also has a range of seamless zone-shaping products. They are manufactured from a mesh that combines comfort and performance. Finally the Diva model, which came out in 2011, can mold the guipure to a great depth - an exploit unto itself!

Measuring up

Whatever the production type, the "fitting" must be perfect for every size and shape - and there are plenty of them! But overall, the goal remains the same: in haute couture, it’s all about satisfying the needs of individual women while respecting their differences and uniqueness.

Charming the world

And, of course, we have to charm! We must charm both French and foreign clients by adapting to their needs and tastes, whether those pertain to basic comfort or contemporary haute couture. We must also appeal to a range of carefully studied price points, offering less expensive collections for younger clients such as those offered by Passionata and Lise Charmel with their Antinéa and Antigel lines.

Likewise, we speak to the needs of full-busted women, as do Empreinte, Implicite or Lise Charmel’s Eprise, offering a range of products for full-busted women with cups that go up to an H. And across this entire gamut, we offer an expansive array of lush colors, impeccable quality, and unparalleled customer service.
Our brands also charm the world in their range of communications, from Aubade’s famous lessons in seduction to the glamour of Nathalie Seymour posing for Chantelle in front of Peter Lindbergh’s lens.

The desire springs

From Princesse tam.tam’s humorous ads, to Aubade’s famous lessons in seduction, through the glamour of Nathalie Seymour posing for Chantelle in front of Peter Lindbergh’s lens, communication has also changed a great deal. Nowadays, giving clear information is a necessary part of French Lingerie’s expertise. For that is the fountain from which desire springs…

Expertise