lingeriebriefs - California Apparel News

Alla Prima
brisk this year thanks to her unwavering commitment to
the Bettie Page look. “The most important thing is to stay
true to your aesthetic,” Athanasiades
said. “When you try to please
too many people, you lose focus,
and that will dilute your customer
base.”
And although she abandoned
her eBay store for a retail storefront,
the Internet still remains
good to her. Without even trying,
Dollhouse Bettie is the numbertwo
Google search result for the
terms “vintage lingerie.”
Alla Prima has made only moderate
efforts to sell online because
lingerie fit can sometimes only be
accomplished by trying on items
and getting the advice of a savvy
staff. “We’re all about fit, and it’s
hard to do that on a Web site,”
said owner Yolaida Duran. “We’re
fitters, so that’s what we’ve always
done. Long before people became
aware of fit, we were struggling to
get women in the right size bra,
as they were fighting us tooth and
nail.”
Most women choose bras that
are too big in the band and too
small in the cup, she says. The
result is uncomfortable, doesn’t
provide support and “looks horrible,”
according to Duran. “It
does absolutely nothing for the
silhouette,” she said.
Alla Prima opened in 1998 in the
North Beach neighborhood, adding
a second store in Hayes Valley
a year later. The high-end shop is
focused on European brands such
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as La Perla, Eres, Andres Sarda, Dolce & Gabbana and
Prima Donna. Prices run from $90 to $425 for bras alone.
Duran agrees that the American consumer is looking for
more than just practicality. “Overall, the American woman
has come a long way with lingerie, from the basic nude or
white bra to seeing lingerie as part of fashion,” she said. “So
they’re shopping the same way they do for ready-to-wear.
Women shop seasonally and look for the colors and trends
of the season.”
A black satin set by La Perla features a bra with a bow
in the back that women are wearing with backless dresses
that show off the bow. “Women are much more open to experimenting
now and making lingerie a fashion statement,”
Duran said.
In Pacific Heights, two boutiques are dedicated to giving
shoppers’ skin a French kiss.
Toujours owner Beverly Weinkauf was inspired by the
tiny lingerie shops she saw in Paris; her store, founded in
1986, is only 350 square feet. That makes careful buying a
necessity, and Weinkauf remains focused exclusively on
French-style lingerie made by small designers with an attention
to detail. And whereas other shops are more willing to
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embrace the looks of the season, Weinkauf keeps everything
classic. “Toujours means ‘always,’ and my vision was to have
lingerie that would stand the test of time and have a quality
that’s not going to wear out,” she said.
“Classic” means a judicious use of lace rather than a
plethora. Featured lines include Chantelle Thomas, Simone
Pérèle and Bay Area–based Underwriters. Prices
run from $18 for a thong to $398 for a bra set.
At My Boudoir, customers are encouraged to try a lacy
alternative to the ubiquitous “T-shirt bra”: the “smooth,
ugly, molded bra worn under a T-shirt,” said owner Geraldine
Nuval.
A lingerie maven since the age of 16, when she took a
part-time job at Victoria’s Secret, Nuval carries bras exclusively
from Europe, though camisoles and other items
come from American designers. Top lines include Aubade,
Cosabella and ID Sarrieri.
My Boudoir still carries a small selection of “T-shirt bras”
because that’s what many women are looking for. “But then
we tell them that lacy bras still lay flat. In Europe it’s understood
that you wear a pretty bra under everything, not an
ugly molded nude bra.” ■
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JULY 2008 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS / LINGERIE 9