Some Derek Rose pjs for you today, just in case you haven't stumbled on the brand already (and we know that plenty of you have - it's been flying out of our warehouse). This beautifully made British sleepwear has clearly struck a chord with you all, so find out more with our exclusive interview with head pj honcho Sacha Rose - yes, son of the brand's founder Derek. Shop for it here in the UK; coming soon to the US.
The French Open starts today (just you try and prise me away from the telly) so here is some appropriate kit for him and for her. Above left, stay cool on court in USA PRO's moisture wicking tennis dress; right, patterned boxers from legendary tennis champ Bjorn Borg - click though and zoom in on the image to see the tiny tennis balls making up the print.
Rex
Who's this (above right)? Why, it's Betsey Johnson and her granddaughter Layla pictured after her catwalk show at New York fashion week on Tuesday. So it was with superb timing that Betsey's new swimwear range hit the UK site today (US customers have been enjoying it for a while already). Like the designer's outerwear, it's a riot: ruffles, polka dots and floral prints - often in the same garment.
Click here for some fun facts about Betsey.
When Shoshanna swimwear arrived at figleaves.com last year, its on-trend prints and super-flattering cuts (ie. you don't have to be a size four to look good in it) made it an instant hit.
Now that this season's collections have hit the site, we caught up with the woman behind the brand - designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss. A New Yorker born and bred, Lonstein Gruss established her clothing line in 1998; swimwear followed three years later. These days, Uma Thurman, Debra Messing and Rachel Weisz, not to mention various Hiltons and Simpsons, are all fans of the label.
Here's why to love it: great prints, cup sized bikini tops and forgiving, tush-covering bottoms. Now read our q&a.
As The New York Times pointed out today, 'tis the season for strapless bras. As New Year's Eve rapidly approaches, women everywhere scramble to find the perfect undergarments for their shoulder-baring dresses.
"There are more strapless options than ever before," says Stephanie Rosenbloom of The New York Times.
The Fashion Forms Nubra, Lejaby New Nuage multiway and Fashion Forms Extreme Silicone plunge bra at figleaves.com were all featured in the article, and we wanted to share a few more of our favorite 'solution items'.
Le Mystere's Seduction bustier - good for shaping and smoothing with a low back and dipped front to accommodate plunging back- and necklines
Fantasie's Smoothing strapless bra - a great option for larger cup sizes, offering support and smooth lines up to a G cup
Fashion Forms U-Plunge bra - just the thing for those dare-to-bare plunging necklines, giving support and lift with a dipped front and convertible straps
above left: Borg in his heyday (Rex), right: Bjorn Borg underwear
In the late Seventies, women everywhere were completely ga-ga about Bjorn Borg: an international sex symbol, he was also one of the all time greats of the game, racking up five Wimbledon titles in a row and pulling off the French Open/Wimbledon double (a feat not to be underestimated – nobody has managed it since) for three of those years.
After hanging up his famous wooden raquet, Borg turned his attention to the Bjorn Borg clothing line (for a very entertaining account of his career, visit http://www.bjornborg.net/ and click on The Saga). To celebrate the arrival of Bjorn Borg underwear on figleaves.com, we nabbed a quick q&a with the legend himself. Here’s what he had to say about lucky pants, his final match against John McEnroe, and the star he’d like to see modelling his clothing (clue: it’s not Federer). Read our exclusive interview after the click.
above: Bjorn Borg pictured last year (wireimage)
Stop us if you've heard this before but we might just have found the perfect t-shirt. Yes, there a squillion tees out there claiming to be 'the one' but this one comes with a rather special pedigree - it's from Adam Lippes, former creative director of Oscar de la Renta no less, who started his own label, Adam + Eve, in 2004.
The brand's ready-to-wear is gathering steam but it started out as an upscale underwear and t-shirt line - and its high quality basics in super soft pima cotton have built up quite a following.
Not only are the starry likes of Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman fans of Adam + Eve, but it now has the Oprah seal of approval - she made it official when Adam appeared on her show earlier this year (and the surge in demand promptly caused the Adam + Eve website to crash). We all know about Oprah's favourite bra - it's the Le Mystere Dream Tisha; now she has a favourite t-shirt to wear over it too.
How beautiful? These are just a couple of the "special little somethings" (her words - and we agree) from American designer Lisi Valle's debut collection, exclusive to figleaves.com in the UK.
Given her impeccable ready-to-wear pedigree (she has worked for Cynthia Rowley and Philippe Adec among others) it's no surprise to see that Lisi Valle lingerie is so thoroughly on-trend - think triangle bras and boy shorts in sophisticated fabric combinations. And you can't help but warm to someone who is so passionate about what she does. "I don't think I could live not knowing if it would succeed or not," she told us.
Meet Lisi after the click
The figleaves.com Lingerie Awards 2006 have just gone live. Last year, you may remember, Charnos won the coveted Best Sexy Lingerie award (and rightly so). We talk suspenders and deep sided knickers with the woman responsible - the brand's designer Raffi Orazi.
Suspenders are looking better than ever. Is there a revival going on?
"I definitely think there is a revival of the suspender belt. The late Forties New Look movement is back with a strong emphasis on femininity, making the suspender belt a must. I think we are going to see this trend get much stronger, with suspender belts getting deeper to accentuate your waist and hips."
Charnos has more of a fashion edge than in previous seasons. What's the thinking behind the new look? "Charnos in the past had always been known for making beautiful lingerie. We have now gone back to the heritage of Charnos to create beautiful garments that have a strong fashion element. We are obsessive about every detail and fit of the product."
Thongs or boy shorts? "For me boy shorts, but if we look forward into next season I think that the deep sided knicker is going to be very strong."
