Lingerie’s Quiet New Rebellion

Feminism and lingerie have not always been the
best of bedfellows, but one label is seeking to let love bloom
between women and their intimates, discovers Divya Bala.

New Zealand’s Lonely Lingerie label was born
when designer Helene Morris and her contemporaries were unable to
find modern lingerie suited to their fashion-forward sensibilities.
“There was no lingerie label that spoke to us and our customer,”
said Morris, who co-founded the label’s parent ready-to-wear line,
Lonely, with her partner Steve Ferguson. “We didn’t want push-ups
or linings so our starting point was soft-cups – sometimes knowing
what you don’t want makes it really clear what you do. I think
coming from a fashion background, we’ve always done things our own
way and I think our customer can really see that.”

Though the collection doesn’t immediately shout feminism,
it is asserted quietly through careful design and technical
consideration; in the lack of heavy padding; in the ease of wide,
velveteen strapping – a signature for the brand; and the fine
artistry of French and Austrian lace. Offered in a rich,
custom-dyed palette of gilt nude, khaki, deep bronze and burnt red,
sizes run the scale from 30B to 36E.

There’s so much photoshopping and air-brushing
these days, it’s just so good to have imagery out there that is
real

It was in this spirit of inclusion that the Lonely Girls
Project was founded. As a creative endeavour executed via social
media to celebrate not only the brand’s muses but their dedicated
followers, wearers were encouraged to share photos of themselves in
the collections via the hashtag of #LonelyGirlsProject. The
resulting images are beautiful and diverse and a wholehearted
homage to women of all forms.

Powerful imagery has always been an important point of
difference for the brand, with the designers straying from
traditional hyper-sexualised lingerie campaigns, and led to its
creative collaboration with stylist Zara Mirkin, designer and art
director Mayan Toledano and Canadian photographer Petra Collins -
 whose feminist-leaning subject matter has been appropriated
by American Apparel (the printed T-shirts she collaborated on,
depicting female genitalia and menstrual flow, predictably caused
an uproar and were even banned from Instagram for including female
pubic hair). “Petra’s awesome feminist work just clicked with us.
We gave the collective absolute creative freedom, which often makes
the best work,” Helene explains.

The campaign’s grainy, emotive imagery makes artful note
of stretchmarks, abdominal folds and intimate hair. “Some people
almost think of that as an unnatural thing to see, when it’s the
most natural thing – it’s actually our bodies!” exclaimed Helene.
“There’s so much photoshopping and air-brushing these days, it’s
just so good to have imagery out there that is real.”

It was this ethos of strength and authenticity that caught
the eye of Net-a-Porter’s lingerie buyer, Maria Williams. “Lonely
was set up with the aim to empower women – we don’t have to look a
certain way to feel beautiful. I love that message and I’m
a  huge supporter of any initiative that makes
women feel good about themselves,” she explained. “I adore the
combination of graphic detailing with stretch fabrics and laces and
our customers love soft-cup and underwire bras. The Lonely lingerie
ethos of ‘No padding, no push-ups, no thongs’ resonates with our
customers globally.”

Would Morris call herself a feminist? “Yes. Hugely,”
Morris responds with certaintly. “I would definitely call myself a
feminist. It’s just equality, really. How could you not want that?
I think the position we are in, producing impactful imagery and
intimate clothing for women, we can question people, make them
think differently and make  a difference – why would we
not?”

Lonely Lingerie is available at Lonelylabel.com.

 

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