The Playful Promises Blog covering all things knicker-related! Bras, girdles, corsets, panties, knickers, gstrings, thongs, longline bra, bra sizes, la bra, suspender belts, garter, dresses, clothing, boutique, stockings, seamed stockings and more!
Last year, we set a brief for a SS'16 mini-collection, calling for students and recent graduates to send in their designs based on the SS'16 trend forecast: Sartorial. We felt this trend encapsulated the Playful Promises brand with it mixture of femininity and dark detailing, and we wanted designs that could be considered contemporary classics.
We selected the winners back in April last year, and now the winning designs are available to purchase on our website. We wanted to chat to our winners about how they came up with their design, lingerie, and what's next for them! This week, we talked to Louise who created a Bettie Page-esque, bondage-inspired design.
Louise's Winning Design
Firstly, tell us about your winning design! Which direction did you decide to take the initial brief?
I interpreted the brief by starting off with retro style lingerie shapes, and to keep it modern and on trend I added in subtle bondage inspired details such as the peep-hole cut outs and satin strapping, which I felt would also tie in with the classic Playful Promises ‘cheeky’ look.
Louise's Winning Design
When it comes to your work, where do your usually look to for inspiration? And how would you define your style?
I usually start by selecting a muse, an inspirational female figure or I imagine and illustrate what my ideal customer would like and I start designing from there, introducing elements from trend research. I would say my style is ‘modern day pin up’, with a high contrast graphic edge, and always with a bit of kink!
Moodboard by Louise
What drew you to lingerie?
I’ve always been about body positivity and for me lingerie is a platform in which the wearer can express their true personality and connect with themselves without outside judgement. I love that lingerie is intimate and personal, and can instantly alter how you feel.
Designs by Louise
How did you begin designing lingerie initially and what made you decide to study contour/lingerie design?
I came from a heavily art background, and was always interested in studying the female form and frequently attended life drawing sessions, my art is always focused around the female form. When I did my art foundation course I went down thefashion route and found myself creating body pieces and lingerie inspired garments, it all came together quite naturally! I had my eye on the contour lingerie design course since I was around 15/16 so it was always something I had aspired too right from the beginning.
Louise's design for her brand Victory Doll, available to buy on Etsy
What’s next for you in terms of your future as a designer?
I will be graduating in July, and from there I am looking to work with lingerie companies to gain more industry experience and once I've built up my professional career I am hoping to launch my own brand ‘Victory Intimates ’, which I am currently working on for my Final Major Project. I am also currently selling my work on Etsy, which I hope to keep going as a side project whilst I'm gaining experience. ( You can find Louise's work on Etsy here )
You can purchase Louise's design here, available in sizes 32B - 36D / XS - XL
Last year, we set a brief for a SS'16 mini-collection, calling for students and recent graduates to send in their designs based on the SS'16 trend forecast: Sartorial. We felt this trend encapsulated the Playful Promises brand with it mixture of femininity and dark detailing, and we wanted designs that could be considered contemporary classics.
We selected the winners back in April last year, and now the winning designs are available to purchase on our website. We wanted to chat to our winners about how they came up with their design, lingerie, and what's next for them! This week, we talked to Charlotte who created a dark, floral design with a classic silhouette.
Charlotte's Winning Design, Now Available to Pre-Order!
Firstly, tell us about your winning design! Which direction did you decide to take the initial brief?
It was important for me to follow the designer handwriting of the Playful Promises brand, to create something I knew the customer would enjoy and would compliment their other products. I admire how Playful Promises create commercial lingerie which pushes boundaries with print, contemporary shapes with retro influences to create something unique and bold. The competition brief stressed the importance of print design to the company, and this is a factor of design I am very interested in exploring myself. I wanted to explore colour and graphic shapes through photographic print, distorting some floral photographs I took myself, the purple colour I chose is very complimentary to a range of skin tones. My set was very much influenced by retro shapes, with high rise briefs and a suspender belt. I wanted to push this design into a contemporary direction with mesh layering on the cups and insert panels.
Charlotte's Design for Our Competition
When it comes to your work, where do your usually look to for inspiration? And how would you define your style?
I am inspired by a variety of influences, particularly high fashion designers, films and decades of style. I have always been interested in vintage clothing as I enjoy the novelty quirks and design details, I have always found wearing vintage to be more fun! I particularly admire the work of Heidi Slimane at Saint Laurent, and Miuccia Prada. They find exciting ways to bring retro influences into a modern perspective, creating strong personas in their collections. I also draw influence through painting and photography, which are fields I have studied. I like to collaborate my interests in my collections, for my final university project I have been making abstract paintings of Gaudi's architecture in Barcelona, as the lively atmosphere of the city is something that cannot be captured through photography alone. I have also done a project before based on some pinhole time lapse photography I had taken, called 'solargraphs'. The colours and movement in the photographs came out beautifully and I had to translate them into garments.
Charlotte's Corset Sketchbook
What drew you to lingerie?
In the past few years there has been a massive rise of popularity in the lingerie market, with exciting independent brands pushing the boundaries of design, and how we see the female body. Around this time I found the Contour Fashion degree at De Montfort University, and my determination to make it onto this very competitive degree program led me to discovering the diversity of lingerie design. I am a massive lingerie hoarder, I don't like to think about how much I own but it is definitely above average, I love the way that lingerie can be worn as a statement, mixed and layered with sheer outerwear, or as a very personal garment.
Charlotte's Corset Sketchbook
How did you begin designing lingerie initially and what made you decide to study contour/lingerie design?
I could not decide on a university course at all, I was very fine art based up until applying to university and was considering this at degree level. When I came across the Contour Fashion degree at De Montfort University It felt like the only course I had seen that made sense for me, and from that point I concentrated my efforts into building a portfolio for the course. I had always loved lingerie and fashion, working on commercially viable and luxurious garments with more of a technical approach was more exciting to me than studying fashion. I am now in my third year of study and I have learnt so much in my time at university, the teaching has been excellent and has exposed me to many aspects of design, production, business and the industry.
Photo from Underlines Magazine
Photographed by Sean Goldthorpe and Lingerie by Charlotte Holkham
What’s next for you in terms of your future as a designer?
At the moment I am focusing on trying to survive my Final Major Project, which is proving to be very challenging! I have just had my catalogue photo shoot with my first garments and I am extremely excited to start on the rest, although this does involve 12 hour days, it will be worth it in the end! I will be graduating this summer and will be looking for jobs/placements after a much needed break.
You can purchase Charlotte's design here, available in sizes 32B - 36D / XS - XL
