14 British Lingerie Brands To Check Out Now
By
5 months ago
Perfect for Valentine's Day (and beyond)
Spending more time lounging around these days? Why not up your intimates game with some luxury pieces from the best British lingerie brands out there? From household names to boutique brands and slinky silks to cute lace bralettes, you’ll find something that makes you feel fabulous in no time.
The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide
The Best British Lingerie Brands
Bluebella
‘To me, lingerie is self-expression of individual style and spirit,’ says Emily Bendell, founder of Bluebella. ‘If the thing we wear closest to our skin is for someone else and not ourselves, what does that tell us about our bodies?’ All of Bendell’s designs cater to the wearer – and the wearer only – with collections crafted around personal stories and confidence staples.
Fleur Of England
With over 30 years of experience in the field (and having fitted thousands of women for their dream set), designer Fleur Christacos knows a thing or two when it comes to luxury lingerie. ‘I am on a mission to educate women on how to achieve their perfect fit, in order to unlock their secret source of confidence,’ she notes. This ethos is evident in her beautifully crafted lingerie sets, which are designed by Fleur in Bristol before being made by teams in Portugal and Wales (the same that the brand has been working with for over 20 years now).
This Belongs To
The home of quirky knickers and playful bralettes, This Belongs To was set up London-based designer Alia Mehta. Mehta, who was born in New York but raised in the UK capital by British and Indian parents, fuses her designs with international inspirations – ‘Here you’ll find cowboys from the West, Indian dyed fabrics from the East, and all hand made in the middle, in London.’
Gossard
While founded in Chicago back in 1901, heritage lingerie brand Gossard moved across the pond to the UK not long after and has remained a British staple ever since. Now based in Nottingham, Gossard is known for its sexy and eye-catching lingerie – all of which is designed to spark confidence in its wearer.
Dora Larsen
Who said sexy lingerie had to be stay within the limits of black, white and red? London-based label Dora Larsen is all about bringing together striking colour combinations to create its contemporary lingerie pieces – think mesh embroidered bras, candy-coloured knickers and delicately laced bodysuits. The brand was founded by ex-lingerie and fashion buyer Georgia Larsen, who wanted to create something elevated for the everyday, that would empower its wearers.
Stripe & Stare
This female-founded British brand has carved a niche for itself between the ‘ultra sexy Victoria’s Secret and ultra frumpy M&S’ knicker, by placing emphasis on designs that are comfortable, fun and colourful. Stripe & Stare is also keen to make its business as sustainable as possible, and is well on its way there – in 2022, it achieved B Corp status, a rigorous certification that assesses a brand’s commitment to people, planet and transparency.
Gilda & Pearl
Gilda & Pearl crafts some of the most gorgeous lingerie sets, robes and pyjamas out there, and has attracted quite the star-studded clientele as a result (the list currently includes Margot Robbie, Kate Moss and Hailey Bieber). The brand was founded by British designer Diane Houston, who uses golden age Hollywood glamour as her main source of inspiration when designing – think silk and lace pieces with a vintage finish.
Emma Harris
Starting out as a womenswear brand in 2008, and then relaunching as a lingerie label in 2013, Emma Harris is synonymous with sophisticated design and attention to detail. Inspired by the Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements, each design is made to convey timeless elegance with French seams, pin hems and delicate topstitching acting as key features throughout. Everything is handmade to order, and you can even get in touch for bespoke service that is tailored to you.
Stella McCartney
A pioneer of sustainable fashion and vegan materials, British designer Stella McCartney is known in the lingerie space for her lacey bras, broderie anglaise bodysuits and logo-printed knickers. This is the place to go if you’re after something cool and trendy, as well as sexy.
Rigby & Peller
London-based lingerie brand Rigby & Peller dates all the way back to 1939, when it was founded by female corsetieres Bertha Rigby and Gita Peller. Today, the brand stocks an extensive size range from cups A to J, and stocks over 20 brands alongside its own designs. Styles are trend-driven, while also paying attention to timeless design and year-round popularity, so whether you’re shopping online or in one of the 45 Rigby & Peller stores across the globe you’ll no doubt be spoiled for choice.
Coco de Mer
Celebrating female pleasure and sensuality, luxury lingerie brand Coco de Mer is the home of super sexy lingerie and toys. Founded in 2001 and now owned by Lucy Litwack, the brand has been turning heads for its stunning (and flirty) visuals as well as its dedication to female empowerment; Lucy in particular uses her platform to support multiple NGOs and activists fighting against FGM. Coco de Mer recently moved its London outpost from Covent Garden to Primrose Hill – ‘a safe space to discover your own desires’ (as described by the team), the space offers private one-to-one VIP appointments among other services.
Agent Provocateur
Lingerie label Agent Provocateur is known for its playful take on underwear, specialising in luxury sets, corsetry, hosiery and nightwear that empowers its wearer to feel powerfully sexy. The brand was first founded in 1994 in Soho, and has made a name for itself as the leading punk heritage brand when it comes to lingerie. Agent Provocateur currently has four stores in London that you can visit today, two of which are located in famed department stores Harrods and Selfridges.
Adina Reay
It’s often unnecessarily difficult to find lingerie that is both sexy and supportive, and those with a fuller bust will know all too well. Adina Reay believes that you shouldn’t be limited by your cup size when searching for the perfect lingerie set, and so tailors its designs to offer the correct support for busts sized 28DD to 38G – without compromising on style.
Fantasie
This British-born lingerie brand was founded in 1951, and continues to kit out women with beautiful sets designed to support all your various curves. Fantasie is now designed and produced by Wacoal Europe, and offers its bras in sizes 30 to 44 back and B to JJ cup – and the brand even offers a range of swimwear.
Featured image: Dora Larsen
