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Some of my favourite Canadian Lingerie!

People usually don't think of Canada when they think of places beautiful lingerie comes from. Different European countries likely come to mind like France, Italy, England, and maybe the US and China. But I've had the chance to see and work with some amazing lingerie designers here in Toronto and I've coveted a lot of beautiful things made in other parts of the country. A lot of really great stuff comes out of here and as a Canadian, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight how many talented designers and companies are here. I'll be talking about some of the brands I've worked with and some I haven't so some shots of me and some not of me below!

As I have already gathered by my two other blog posts, I love Starkers Corsetry. They constantly turn out beautiful things and everything Dianna makes just seems to be even lovelier than the last. Starkers has been up and running since 1992 and has to be one of Canada's finest corset brands. What I also really love about them is that they're always doing new things and trying new techniques. In 2015, they launched a lingerie line to match their corsets, Undressed Lingerie, which is not only stylish and high quality, but also very comfortable. My Undressed pieces are in my regular lingerie rotation and I hardly notice it during the day. This year, they launched a ready-to-wear line of less-expensive but still great quality corsets for folks who want a nice corset but are just getting into it or don't have a big budget. They're one of my favourite Canadian brands and I highly recommend them!

Shot by Altovenue, hair by Sam's Hair Band

Rapture and Repent is one of the newest brands on my list, but they're been doing such incredible work that I couldn't not include them. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with them last year on a photo shoot and even then, I was blown away. Designer Monika was still in school at the time and I just loved how naughty her collections were. Along with lingerie, she makes latex, corsets, and swimwear and everything has a fetish twist. The look above was my favourite of what I got to shoot with her, but I'm currently obsessed with her latest collections of wonderfully sexy, impractical lingerie. Many pieces have harnesses, zippers, and many other fastenings that can be opened for access. My favourite piece in their current collection is the fantastic Sisera garter panty -- it has 28 straps!! They're still a new brand but they already have world-famous fetish model Dani Divine shooting in their collections, they're a brand that should be watched!

Cinched Tight is a brand that I had been following for ages but had no idea was a Canadian company, not only that, they're based here in Toronto! They're a staple among pinup and fetish models worldwide and frequently show their collections at Viva Las Vegas (the biggest rockabilly weekender and a time of the year when the best-known pinup and rockabilly folks are all in the same place) so I assumed they were based in the US or somewhere in Europe. Turns out I was wrong! Like Rapture and Repent, Cinched Tight also makes corsets and latex and latex is often used with other fabrics in their lingerie collections. But my absolute favourite lingerie set of theirs has to be the spiderweb set pictured above. They only make small runs of certain pieces and I was lucky to be able to order this set because I think they were only making 5 last year. But it's so unique that I had to have it, I've never seen a lingerie set quite like it before. I'm a sucker for anything with a spiderweb motif and this set does it absolutely perfectly. They're currently taking orders for this set so get on it in time for Halloween!

Bone & Busk is another amazing Canadian corset company that needs to be talked about. They began business in 2006 under the name Totally Waisted! but branched out with a ready-to-wear clothing line to wear with the corsets, leading to the name change to better reflect the items being made. Their corsets are absolutely stunning and couture quality, often made from antique laces and gorgeous silks. Many of their pieces are inspired by 19th-century corsets and the designer, Katharina made a gorgeous robins-egg antique inspired corset for Dita Von Teese when she was in town last year. But she also makes edgier pieces with feathers, leather, crystals, and mesh. Their latest collection as Bone & Busk showcased a couture-goth aesthetic that was reminiscent of 1990s Alexander McQueen. They have a shop in Toronto so if you're in town, you should pop by!

Shot by Provocateur Images, lingerie by Adina Reay

Christine Lingerie makes some of most beautiful silk loungewear I've seen on the market. Not only is the silk gorgeous and feels amazing, but their silks have such lovely patterns on them. I love how they use fantastic colours and great abstract prints on their silks, it's fairly unusual to see and they stick with it pretty much every season. Christine Lingerie can be found all over from high-end boutiques all over the world to places like Nordstrom. I was delighted to find a Christine gown at Nordstrom last time I went, it's so nice to see talented Canadian designers get recognition for their work. I've also seen their designs on different shows like Riverdale. Their pieces are very versatile and I think that their robes and gowns can be worn out, I've worn my robe over a top and pants for a more luxe look and their gowns are just so gorgeous that it's shame if they weren't seen!

Shot by Tim McGill, hair and makeup by Makeupjedi Inc.

Fluffer Designs is unapologetically naughty and that's one of the best things about them. Even their name is naughty (if you don't know what a fluffer is... well you can find out on your own!) and it's true to their brand of fantastic fetishwear. They make great steel-boned corsets that really nip in your waist and give killer cleavage but they also make pieces in fun prints, and often have a horror or religious theme. Like many of the other brands mentioned, they don't just make corsets but they make pieces like harnesses, skirts, and dresses to go with the corsets to create a killer fetish outfit. They also make costumes, I shot in a wonderful Bride of Frankenstein costume for a shoot by them and it tickled me pink as a film student to wear such an iconic look with a fetish twist. They're definitely a brand to check out if you're looking for something naughty!

Shot by Danny Mejia

Maude Nibelungen is totally unique to this list in that her medium isn't lace or silk, but wool. All of Maude's pieces are knit and her lingerie is no exception. I'd never seen knit lingerie before I came across her work and it intrigued me because it was so beautiful and unique. She also makes socks and stockings to go with her lingerie pieces which I think is absolutely lovely and could only make beautiful lingerie even better. As I've mentioned before, I love anything that matches so the matching lingerie with the matching stockings makes me so happy. Along with knit lingerie, Maude makes gorgeous knit outerwear that could be matched with the lingerie pieces or on its own with an outfit. The colour I'm wearing is custom as she usually only knits the Alice set above in baby pink or black but if you're really nice, maybe you can get a custom colour too!

Fortnight is a fantastic brand for folks who want support but don't like underwires. Many people have sensitive skin and can't handle wearing wired bras all day. Fortnight has developed great wireless bras for people who don't want to go braless, don't want to wear a sports bra every day, and can't wear wired bras. They're sewn very well and through strategic stitching, provide enough support to wear throughout the day. But they're not just for small-busted women, Fortnight makes wireless bras up to an F cup in some wireless styles. Their aesthetic is also lovely, I love how their lingerie is a bit athletic but still stylish. Definitely more stylish than most wireless bras (not including bralettes which are different from wireless bras) out there which are usually more utilitarian than trendy. For those of you who prefer wired bras but still like Fortnight's look, they also make wired bras but they are best known for their wireless styles.

While I'm definitely a vintage-lover, I'm very specific in the vintage I like. I like the 1910s to the mid 1960s and that's about it. I absolutely hate the 80s and the lingerie that came out of that decade, especially the high cut knickers that were so popular back then. Based on that logic, I shouldn't like Kayleigh Peddie, but she makes this trend (which is back in style again to my dismay) appealing to me and I love her work. Her collections have a raw edge to them that only an indie designer would pursue. To me, her lingerie is like something only the coolest girls would wear, and I imagine that's the case. I love her SS17 collection with bright reds and different shades of pink with wonderful strappy details and O-shaped gold rings. My favourite set has to be the pink one on the bottom, I can't get enough of baby pink and it makes this edgy set girly and fun!

Purrfect Pineapples is another brand that I long assumed was based in the US because of how many American-based pinup and alt models modelled her work, but like Cinched Tight, I was wrong! They're based right in my backyard here in Toronto and they make the most adorable lingerie I've ever seen. With prints featuring bunnies, kittens, vegetables, donuts, ice cream, Sailor Moon, and others, their lingerie is just too precious. The adorable bows and lace that trims the pieces just tops it off as too cute for words. Purrfect Pineapples is also 100% vegan and ethically made and this is very important to them. They're out to prove that clothes can be made without using animal products and they're doing a wonderful job of it. It's important to support designers who have a cause and want to make the world a better place with their work. I'd highly recommend this brand if you're a vegan, or someone who loves animals and doesn't see the need to use animal products in their clothing.

I hope you liked this list! Did I miss anything or is there another Canadian brand I should check out? Let me know in the comments!

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