It’s time for the semi-annual Curve Show roundup! For Spring/Summer 2018, I mostly checked in with our usual favorites, but I also stumbled upon a couple brands I’ve not covered before, which I’ll be sharing in this post.
First up, some great news from Fortnight! A couple years ago, I had the opportunity to try one of their Luna bralettes on a trip to Portland, Maine, but the largest size was still one cup too small for me. When I emailed Fortnight later, they told me there had been so much consumer demand for larger cups that they were planning on introducing bigger cups—and with the SS18 collection, they finally have! The “Luna” longline will be available in G-cups.
Unfortunately, that’s an American G, which is only a UK FF, and the new G cups will only be available for 30 and 32 bands. But at least it’s some progress. Perhaps if it sells well enough, they’ll keep expanding.
The Fortnight reps I spoke with were very excited to explain that the brand wasn’t created with a specific body niche in mind, so every item is engineered to its individual size. As such, the gore height will vary depending on the size, going higher with larger cups, and some sizes will include interior side-slings for more support. Additionally, they’ve added sizes XL and XXL to all their slips and bodysuits (which previously only came in S, M, L).
For all the extended sizes, plus-size model Candace Huffine (who’s on the May 2017 cover of Elle magazine) collaborated with Fortnight to ensure great fit, and she features prominently in the new collection’s marketing materials. She also helped design the inkblot leopard print that runs through the collection (see below). Here are the two new Luna colorways, which are pretty yet still true to Fortnight’s minimalist, slightly androgynous aesthetic:
Next up is Impish Lee, a brand I’ve seen making its way through the blogosphere but never paid that close attention to. Started as an Etsy shop by sisters Kali and Noelle, Impish Lee has expanded to an amazingly designed website and are now seeking brick-and-mortar distribution (hence why they were at Curve).
Impish Lee allows you to design your own lingerie, selecting from tons of garment options, fabric choices, and details. Their bras and bralettes range from 28A – 40J (using single letters, so essentially a UK GG), and their tops, robes, panties, etc. run from 0 – 24.
Darlene and I pawed through all the sample items they had and even got to feel swatches of all the fabrics—and the options are seriously endless!
Impish Lee is inclusive in terms of both body size and skin color, offering four different “skin tones” that correspond to the lining of your garment, and show up as your mannequin in the online customization tool.
They also offer lingerie parties! I would looooove for Hourglassy to host a party, or to have Impish Lee as a guest at our next busty clothing swap.
Finally, while the prices are certainly higher than off-the-rack lingerie ($128 – $158 for a bra), I think it’s actually quite reasonable for one-of-a-kind custom lingerie that’s made in the USA (on Long Island, NY). Plus when you visit impishlee.com for the first time, there’s an invitation to sign up for their mailing list for a $25 off coupon.
I’m definitely going to order a set from Impish Lee—the hard part is choosing what to get! All I’ve got down is my color scheme: neon yellow, black, and polka dots—but I still have to decide whether I want a longline or standard length, wires or bralette, where to place each fabric…and do I want to go crazy and add some metallic silver spandex trim???
