Lingerie Designers

About Lingerie Designers

Most people can't help but think Victoria's Secret when they think of lingerie, with good reason. With televised shows, endless promotions and a store in virtually every mall across the country, it simply can't be helped. Victoria's Secret does not have a lock on the lingerie world.

There are many well known lingerie houses that employ many well known lingerie designers. Some lingerie designers entered the world of lingerie purposely, while others did so by happy accident. Keep reading to learn a little more about a few of the more famous lingerie designers and their stories.

Damaris Evans

Damaris Evans attended the famous Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design with the plan of becoming a clothing designer like other St. Martins alumni John Galliano, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. In her final year at school, she brought the idea of doing a lingerie line for the last collection of her academic career. Her professor didn't think it was such a good idea.

Evan's desire to design beautiful and sexy lingerie did not wane after leaving St. Martins and four years later, the young twenty-something's lingerie was being sold at haute couture boutiques around the globe.

Damaris Lingerie

Damaris Evans' hand made lingerie is a favorite among the rich and famous. This is a good thing, since this was her target market when she first began designing her luxurious bra and panty sets known for their signature bows. Recently, Evans has expressed the desire to create beautiful underthings for those who can't afford (or simply refuse) to pay $200 (USD) to $3000 for a pair of underwear.

Josie Natori

Filipino lingerie designer Josie Natori began her career not in lingerie, but on Wall Street. Natori left Manila to study economics in New York and after graduating from college, she went on to become the first female vice president of investment banking at Merrill Lynch. Even with her amazing career success, Natori wasn't satisfied and became bored with the world of finance. She began considering opening her own business but couldn't decide what type of business she should open. She considered opening a McDonald's franchise and even a string of car washes but still couldn't come to a final decision. This all changed after a friend of hers sent her a few shirts from the Philippines.

Natori showed the shirts to a friend of hers in New York, who just happened to know the buyer from Bloomingdales. The friend suggested she show the shirts to the buyer and she did. The Bloomingdales buyer then suggested that Mrs. Natori lengthen the shirts to make them nightshirts. She did and the shirts were wildly successful.

Natori continued working for Merrill Lynch as well as working from home on what would soon become her own successful business. A few years later, Natori moved her lingerie business into a proper workspace and quit working for Merrill Lynch. The Natori Company has been in business since 1977.

Conclusion

There are many famous fashion designers that have lingerie collections. Among them are:

• Calvin Klein
• Dolce & Gabbanna
• Roberto Cavalli
• Giogio Armani
• Gianni Versace
• Ralph Lauren
• John Galliano

The major and most striking difference between these lingerie designers and other designers like Josie Natori and Damaris Evans is that the two ladies design lingerie exclusively--not in addition to their other collections.

So, while lingerie may be an afterthought to Armani, Lauren and Cavalli, it is the first and sometimes only thought to Natori and Evans. Their lingerie is their collection. Focusing their talents and efforts on women's underthings allows these two ladies to keep up with the latest trends and stay completely in touch with what women need and want regarding the look, feel, fit and design of their lingerie.