Part 3 of my Curve coverage: Claudette, Curvy Kate, and Parfait. First up is Claudette:
Claudette
Claudette has a lot of new styles coming out, starting with sheer bodysuits and wire-free bralettes:
The pink shades on the left two mannequins are called “Walk of Shame” and the silvery tan of the right two mannequins are “Blondie.” Here are a couple closeups:
Now, I have to be honest and admit that I don’t quite understand the purpose of the body suits. They’re a single layer of mesh, are completely sheer, and provide no bust support. The Claudette reps suggested wearing the Dessous bra under the bodysuit, but considering that the Dessous bras are also sheer, you’d probably still have visible nipple. The only person I can see wearing these as outerwear is Rihanna, and I can’t imagine anyone wearing it as underwear.
The bralettes, on the other hand, are cool by me. They’re a double-layer of stretch mesh, so there’s a little more coverage, and the bra band would at least provide a modicum of support for mid-size breasts. I also think they look pretty damn cool with the thick black, colorblock-esque trim and the big metal rings attaching the straps.
Both the bodysuits and the bralettes have adjustable straps, and come in sizes XS – XL. The bralettes also have an adjustable bra band with hooks and eyes.
As for normal bras, we have some great new colors for the Dessous:
Next we have the new Muse collection, which features lightly lined satin bras in the same cut as the Dessous. The last padded Dessous bras didn’t get enough orders for a production run, but so far these satin ones are getting great feedback. They’re offered in the Mercury and Purple Rain colors:
Another new style is the Darling collection, featuring demi bras in semi-sheer lace:
Lastly, the new Fishnet colors, Mercury (bra) and Last Call (panty):
I have a Fishnet bra from the very first collection, when the straps and trim were made of velveteen, and I love it. The fit is great and I adore the center-pull straps. In fact, I ordered another more recent color from Zulily last week. I see the “Last Call” colorway in my future too (you all know I can’t resist teal!).
Some final news about Claudette since the last Curve show: They tell me they’re really focusing on growing their brand recognition and playing with brand expansion. Additionally, some big news is that their sale site for discontinued designs, Claudette Encore, has expanded from shipping exclusively within the US to now include Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK, with more countries a possibility in the future. They closely monitor the website’s analytics to see in which countries the most visitors are located, then try to add them. So even if they don’t currently ship to your country, keep visiting and sharing the site, and maybe you’ll be added!
Curvy Kate
For Autumn/Winter 2016, Curvy Kate is featuring fewer bright and girly colors, and more tonal and wintery shades such as purple and burgundy, with a few pops of color here and there.
Speaking of Princess, it’s now going to be offered as a plunge bra in black with sizes 28 – 40 D – J. There are plans to design into the family further and offer more shape variations in the future.
Moving on to Scantilly, the 30 – 38 DD – HH boudoir collection, it’s now up to nine ranges, and Curvy Kate just keeps introducing more incredible experimentation. I really love this season in particular:
Lastly, I’ve got one swimsuit to show you, that was a big hit at the show:
Finally, I have to say that I really love the lookbook CK put together this year. The first few pages highlight their accomplishments and social reach. Among this section, there are photos of women of all shapes, sizes, and even ages wearing Curvy Kate. I appreciate this not only for its diversity, but also because it really allows customers to see how the garments fit on a range of bodies. It’s so refreshing compared to the ridiculously homogenous and overly Photoshopped models of Victoria’s Secret and other mainstream brands.
Parfait
This season, Parfait is introducing some really rich colors. They’re also expanding the sizing of some models to include C-cups, bands 42 and 44 up to FF, and panties in 3XL and 4XL, where cups previously started at D, bands stopped at 40, and panties stopped at 2XL. The expanded models include Carole, Casey, Charlotte, and Jeanie.
And of course we have a new Charlotte color! This time it’s a warm, pinkish chocolate with shiny bronze accents:
Next week, my final Curve post, about Eveden and Panache and their respective house brands.
