Photo Credit: Vivienne Lynch
Vivienne Lynch is the founder of the ethically handmade lingerie brand - Miss Vivienne Lingerie. The designer was raised in Glasgow but moved to Scottish Borders to complete BA Fashion degree at the Herriot Watt University.
After her graduate collection, Vivienne had a lot of leftover fabric. As a result, she decided to create a couple of lingerie pieces and put images up on social media. It turned out unexpectedly as she received so many orders afterwards. Something small developed into a successful brand.
Vivienne fell in love with lingerie in her first year at university. It was a period where she learned a lot about herself. "Lingerie gave me confidence and it gave me the purpose. It honestly helped to shape who I am today. I love the fabrics, the shapes, the fantasy and drama of it all. What I love most about it is that it can help a woman see the beauty she already possesses."
Vivienne agrees that lingerie can bring the message across and change the way we look at our bodies. "I think lingerie at its core is about loving yourself and your body. The good quality, well-fitting, comfortable lingerie can make you feel a million dollars."
One of the issues within the lingerie industry is that most of the brands don’t produce for all sizes. Size inclusivity is something many have to face. "I think what annoys me the most is when a brand says they produce all sizes but they don’t factor in comfort and wearability in the bigger sizes. For example, the side seam is the same width in both a size 6 thong and a size 16 thong. They should be making it wider."
In Miss Vivienne Lingerie you can find all sizes up to an XL (UK 16-18). "I can easily manufacture larger sizes. It’s harder for smaller brands to cater to every size as it takes a lot of time and money but the big brands have no excuse."
Vivienne’s brand differs from others as every piece is made by the designer, not someone in a factory. "If you need size or style advice, I will be the one answering your questions, not an automated FAQ chat bot. Each piece is made to order so customers can easily ask for bespoke sizing and detailing."
The founder of Miss Vivienne Lingerie believes it’s all about the special relationship she builds with every customer. A customer is a priority for Vivienne and not only their comfort and satisfaction are important but they can also help with brand development.
"If you don’t know your customer, you won’t know how to price your items and if you don’t know your price range, you can’t decide on your fabric choice. If you don’t know your customer, you won’t know what is missing from their lingerie drawer and if you don’t know what they need, you can’t decide on the styles within each range. It always comes back to the customer."
Photo Credit: Vivienne Lynch
The lingerie market has its little trend pattern but it differs from the usual clothing brands. Vivienne says: "Lingerie is very intimate apparel and therefore, it’s not all about what’s ‘trending’. It’s more about what makes you feel confident and happy."
At the same time, lingerie as outwear, is one of the trends which been in and out for years. Pieces that were once reserved for the bedroom could be seen on the streets and catwalks. Some of the trends look risky but a well-combined bra with a blazer on top or a silky slip dress can create a chic look without it being too vulgar.
Vivienne loves this trend herself: "if I could walk around in a three-piece set and stockings all day, I absolutely would", she laughs. "In all seriousness though I think it’s a really fun way to get creative with an outfit. It’s also worth mentioning that a lot of lingerie collectors spend a lot of money on their pieces and it’s nice to show them off once in a while."
However, regardless of what you are wearing or producing as a brand, sustainability is a big issue about which no one should forget.
What inspires Vivienne is the fabric she finds. "Colour and texture are really important to me so fabric sampling is my favourite thing to do in preparing a new collection. I love working with embroidered tulle, as long as it’s not too bulky. It just sews so nicely." Despite this, she doesn’t order fabrics in big quantities. It leaves minimum textile waste which Vivienne discounts or donates to charities. Not only fabrics but the brand uses woven labels and plastic-free packaging which is fully recyclable.
The fast fashion industry is destroying our planet and Vivienne believes that "for a business to be manufacturing unethically and unsustainably is not just irresponsible, but it’s ignorant and upsetting. We have to find a way to steer the population away from impulse buying at Primark and throwing it away three months later, towards more careful and eco-conscious purchases".