Why must innerwear be our best kept secret?

While women’s outerwear rules the marketing roost in India, unfortunately, one cannot say the same for innerwear. Newspaper and magazine advertising campaigns as well as TV commercials openly flaunt men’s underwear, and even have big stars like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar featuring in them, but women’s innerwear is relegated to tiny items tucked away somewhere. Except perhaps for women’s magazines. Modesty probably being the best policy as far as women’s innerwear is concerned, the fact is that this lack of publicity also results in lack of awareness. Which is not really good for the underwear business.

Unlike the west where innerwear and outerwear get equal weightage, in our country, it’s still our best kept secret. When I spoke with an innerwear retailer, he told me that clients spend the least amount of time when choosing underwear. They hurry through their purchases as they are still uncomfortable to discuss product issues openly. Also, in how many shops in India will you find men buying women’s underwear? Forget buying, they won’t even accompany their significant other into the store. Whereas on the other hand, you will find plenty of women picking up boxers and suchlike for their husbands, sons and lovers.

In such a scenario, is it any wonder then that India still does not have a top underwear brand for women? The ones that we do have the most boring colour palette — black, white and skin. Not only do Indian brands not experiment much, their quality and sizing also leave a lot to be desired. However, with the entry of international brands, things seem to be looking up. Instead of the old boring shades, now there are plenty of neons, printed or textured innerwear that can be seen in stores. Taking a cue from globalwear, Indian brands too have begun experimenting with colour.

Also, thanks to the anonymity that internet provides, online sales of underwear have really shot up. As a friend who works in an e-commerce site told me, sales are picking up so well that this is, in fact, being seen as the next big thing. Since they’re not face to face with a shopkeeper here, women feel free to explore products and check out the specifications at length, and only then make a purchase.

Another encouraging sign is to see some of our Indian designers foraying into swimwear and lingerie and putting it on the ramp, giving it a respect as an accessory rather than just a basic necessity. In fact, a lot of fashion students that I interacted with recently, told me they were contemplating entering the segment. Generation Y, clearly, is all set for a change. We are in the 21st century for god’s sake, so let’s no longer shy away from uttering the words “bra” and “panty” as if it’s some kind of a taboo. The more we use the words, the more our mental blocks will diminish.

(The writer is a Delhi-based fashion designer)

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‘High Street trend for curvy women’

Has fashion always been an interest to you from a young age? Did you have any kind of fashion background before Made in Preston?

No, not at all!

In fact I’d go as far as to say I had zero interest in fashion growing up and hated 
shopping!

Which is perhaps why I have such an affinity with the convenience of e-commerce and having what I need delivered to my door!

My background is initially in modelling and then I studied literature at university, but I saw a gap in the market that arose from a personal problem where I couldn’t find clothes to wear and figured other people must surely have the same difficulties of being quite busty, but not plus size.

Talk a little about the problems you faced with not being able to find clothes to suit you’re body shape. How important do you think it is dressing for your shape?

I first identified that there was an increasing demand for clothing over a D cup as I was leaving university, and looking to buy a shirt for a job 
interview.

Although usually a size 8, I needed to purchase a size 14 for my bust to fit in the 
garment. This led to an online search but the products that were out there were either expensive, or aimed at a much older audience (or both).

I wanted to find something that was on-trend and affordable, but it didn’t exist.

It is so important to wear clothes that fit – either squeezing into a top or dress that is too small looks unsightly, or buying three sizes bigger so that it drowns you is equally as unsuitable.

What is most important to you when designing lingerie and garments. What would you say is your signature design aesthetic?

The Made In Preston brand is a bit of glamour meets urban style.

Our roots are in the industrial docklands of Preston, and we aim to represent confident young women who want High Street fashion to fit their boobs.

Our designs are inspired by trends that are being seen on the catwalks and on the high street (as well as on celebrities) and then we adapt these trends into shapes and cuts that flatter the body shape of an ample bosomed girl!

Of course we also have to balance commercial viability.

Talk us through the 
manufacturing process from initial designs, choosing 
fabrics and construction.

Products are designed, based on styles inspired from the catwalk or seen in the media and a first sample is made.

After a couple of fitting tests and amendments, a final sample is photographed and uploaded to the website.

The garment is then manufactured in fairly small quantities, and put on sale.

Our process is super quick – usually between five and 10 days for a new garment to go from being an idea, to being a purchasable product.

Fabrics are purchased from our agents who visit us every couple of months, and then we create our new products based on the fabrics that we have at our disposal.

The construction is generated from ‘blocks’ (tried and tested core patterns) and then as a team we come up with styles and shapes that will appeal to our customer.

 

How do you ensure your designs are on-trend and 
current?

We know what the trends will be many months in 
advance, as the catwalk shows for each season (London 
Fashion Week, etc) are held about six months before the season begins.

Fashion magazines are very good at keeping up to date with new and emerging trends, and we are in a great position to react to these as they emerge!

What was the inspiration behind your new summer 
collection? Are we going to be seeing any more new pieces soon?

This summer there has been a lot of monochrome, yellow has been a key colour trend and pastels have also been huge this season.

Fashion in recent years has become fast and disposable, with new trends replacing old ones very quickly.

The rise of affordable fashion has led people to buy the new trends and quickly move on to the next one – so we have new pieces arriving all of the time with most new products being added on the Friday of each week, just in time for the weekend.

What plans have you got for Made in Preston in the future?

At the moment Made In Preston is available online only, but as part of our expansion plans, we are starting to wholesale our brand from 
August so you may start to see our products in your local lingerie or fashion boutiques and over the next year, maybe even on the high street, too!

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