As social media are replacing TV in our everyday life, I realize that I no longer need explicit publicity to discover new products. Instagram has become a huge magazine with tons of different subjects and recommendations. Every Instagram feed is slightly different and personalized. Frankly, mine looks like a messy fashion mag with a big touch of activism, a lot of mums to be, and more than occasionally, sponsored posts showing me the subject of my last google research.
Interestingly, the story feature gives us some insight into other people personalized feed, and I have discovered so many great artists and brands through it! Here are some of the brands I have discovered recently (but not only) through my IG journey…

Le petit trou

Polish brand Le petit trou isn’t new to me, however, I used to see if as a small bust lingerie brand and didn’t know they also did swimwear, loungewear, accessories and shoes.
I like the light and innocent but also “sexy” aesthetic of the brand. The patterns and embroidery are usually adorable. Think polka dots and frou-frou.
Although I am completely out of their XS-L bra size range, I would be happy to try their loungewear. It seems elegant and comfortable. I am under the impression that this brand isn’t making inclusivity a goal, but for those who can wear it, it must be lovely!

Bettie Fatale (now Mme Chouchou)

A Canadian brand I have yet to try… I really want to though! Bettie Fatale is a vintage-inspired independent lingerie brand with a passion for extra floral embroidery. They also happen to have a black widow type of vibe which I am a sucker for. I can’t believe I don’t own anything from their Madame collection. I think these are pieces I would cherish for a loooong time!

fitzpleisure

 

Fitzpleisure is an Australian independent label creating sweet and fun lingerie. I haven’t tried this brand, mostly because at first sight, it looks like a small-bust focused brand. However, I love that they are doing custom sizes for their plus size and full-busted customers. I really enjoy their happy aesthetic, it’s as cute as a box of candies.

shelly de titi

Shelly de Titi is a Japanese luxury lingerie brand. I only recently heard of them and I have been very surprised with their sizing system. The website is in Japanese so I might be missing a lot of information but so far it seems that they offer 3 ready to wear sizes: One size fits all, Small, and Medium. From what I understand, this brand is more about custom creation and everything is made by hand in their atelier.

They seem to be used to work directly with customers and try to create the lingerie of your dreams. I really like the way they create extra romantic designs and focus on being aesthetically pleasant. Now, the Japanese market doesn’t focus much on full-busted customers, so I would love to see if they’d be able to create these designs in sizes that are not readily available in other stores. Maybe one day!

nana underwear

Ukranian brand Nana underwear is well-known in the Instagram lingerie community for their Marie-Antoinette set ( right bottom side of the picture). This brand like many others in a one-woman operation and always aims for improvement. The sizing system is European and according to their size chart, I would be a 65H or 70G which seems to be similar to my Avocado lingerie size. I only wish they would go up to an H cup in the designs I like the mosts, such as the Marie-Antoinette and Chérie bra (featured in the gift box). These ones only go up to a C cup. I would say that this is the tragedy of Instagram independent designers, the sizing is often very limited while the designs are usually super lovely and have nothing to envy to what we’d find in regular stores.

MAE’S SUNDAY

Mae’s Sunday is a luxury loungewear Australian brand. The label aims to “embody a Sunday-kind of love, a collection of delicate, romantic and feminine pieces, for the perfect sensual or summery Sunday“. They also offer lace bralettes, briefs, and swimwear items, but seem to focus mostly on loungewear. I was surprised to discover their beaded bodysuits, which are probably the most expensive garments on their website (up to 3000$). The black bodysuit I featured however might be my favorite piece in their collection. I would love to see what their products look like in person, but they seem to be meant for indulgent lingerie aficionados.

Vivienne lingerie

Vivienne lingerie is a brand I discovered a while ago when they were still in the early process of introducing themselves to the world. I have loved seeing their evolution into the beautiful label they are now. When I just discovered them, the brand was selling simple bralettes and bodysuits (although very comfortable ones!). Now they seem to have found their aesthetic through adorable embroidery and 3D embroidered tulle. I love the texture and as I need to love the touch of clothing to be comfortable with them, so this is something I am sensitive to. The brand is relatively affordable and very reasonably priced! I can’t wait to place an order for one of these high-neck bralettes!

Helen Valk varavin

Helen Van Varavin is a luxury designer based in Estonia. In my opinion, their aesthetic is a dream and their craftsmanship is impressive. I bought a Medium silk crop top from their sample sale last year, and was so impressed with the quality and fit! The finishes were so beautiful, I can’t believe I got it for 40euros(+shipping). This year, they also had a sample sale, and I couldn’t help myself and bought something with my birthday money… I can’t wait for it to arrive. After missing out on a glorious set, I thought I’d need to save and buy it full price when that will be possible. I think her work is worth the price and these items are honestly perfections! I want it all!

nui ami

Based in the UK, Nui Ami is focusing on the concept of “slow-luxury”. Similar to slow-fashion, this concept means focusing on what’s important to give the best experience of the garment at every level, from the manufacturer to the customers. The brand takes pride in working with family own factories across Europe and wants every detail to be well-thought-out. I love that they offer cup-sized camisoles and bralette up to a 40F and also beautiful luxury prints.

However, one thing I know won’t please most people is the very limited size range from XS to M (up to a UK14 or US8 ) on some garments. I wonder the reason for this size range as this is rather unusual for loungewear companies. Some garments do go up to a size Large (UK 16 / US 10), and I don’t understand what would be the explanation for this choice. Let’s hope for some size expansion in the future!

Overall, I realize that most Instagram lingerie brands are far for being inclusive. Small brands usually struggle with having a wide range of products and prioritize having a strong identity in their designs and marketing. However, I noticed that some of them really try their best, while some might not see inclusivity as a priority. I usually prefer going for designers that are able to do custom work and feature a variety of models, to be honest. Nonetheless, I love discovering what’s going on in the lingerie sphere, and I hope the future will bring more inclusivity and creativity.

Let me know your thoughts!

xx Wen