NYC Intimates Market: Lingerie Trends for S/S 2012

Two weeks ago, I went to New York City for a few days to attend S/S 2012 Lingerie Market. Lingerie Market, which consists of official tradeshows like CurveNY and Designer Lingerie Showcase, as well as private hotel viewings, is basically fashion week for the lingerie industry. It’s a week of brands, designers, writers, and retailers running from place to place all in search of the latest and greatest lingerie.

As the #1 lingerie blog in the world, I feel a professional obligation to attend. In addition, I firmly believe it’s important to have a consumer-focused perspective at these events. After all, being an independent fashion blogger, I often have a very different perspective from the mainstream lingerie industry.

My only regret is that I wasn’t in New York for nearly enough time, and so I missed out on covering lots of brands I really wanted to see. On the plus side though, there’s always next year! So let’s move on to the trend report.

Brights
Color is a major, major trend for next season. Think coral, tangerine, plum, teal, and some lime green. Color is a proven mood booster, and with all this grim economic news, it makes sense to have lingerie that counterbalances the gloom with a little positivity. Photos below are from The Little Bra Company, Lejaby, Ombrato, and Between the Sheets. Curvy Kate, Cosabella, Simone Perele, and Fleur of England also have rich and gorgeous hues in store for next season.

Prints
Prints were everywhere on the tradeshow floor. Think floral print, leopard print, and even a few kitschy, vintage-inspired prints. Most amazing of all (at least to me) is that many of these prints were developed in house by the designers. Sometimes, I am just in awe of other people’s creativity. Photos below are from ClareBare, Lejaby, Playful Promises, and La Fee Verte, but other brands like ASOS and Hanky Panky are also debuting prints in their upcoming lines.

Sheers and Lace
The last major trend we’re going to talk about is sheers and lace. Sheer fabric was a trend we saw all over fashion’s runways for both S/S 2011 and A/W 2011, and I’m sure we’ve all seen the gorgeous, handmade lace adorning Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown. I love the delicate femininity of sheer and lacy material, and I’m personally excited about adding a few of these pieces to my collection next season. Photos below are from Between the Sheets, Fleur of England, Ellipse, and Gilda & Pearl. Lisa’s Folly Luxe, Lelo, Mimi Holliday, and Lola Haze are also presenting sheer or lacy pieces in their next collections.