Montreal-based Ellesemere Lingerie is a Canadian lingerie brand that should be on your radar of places to shop for beautiful undergarments, especially with their expanded size range. Ellesemere launched their first full-bust range late last year and it was notable because their full-bust garments and core size range were made in the same styles. This includes wired bras and bralettes. Their sizes run in the cups from A to G, their bottoms run from XS to XL, and their bodysuits are made to measure. I have tried their line in my regular sizes, 32F and medium, and I really like their lingerie but I want to write a review on the set I have so I'll leave it at that for now.
Their latest collection, Julep, looks to be a ballet inspired collection, using soft pinks, tulle, and delicate laces in its designs. Like their other collections, Julep is also inspired by nature and the landscapes of the far north, inspiration that designer Julia takes from her childhood memories of living in the Yukon.
Like their other lookbooks, the Julep collection was shot on film by Gaelle Leroyer, and the photos are beautiful. There's something about film photography that can't be duplicated by digital. I still love digital photography but film photography, especially nowadays with a prevalence of digital, is still something special.
This collection is very beautiful and I love the colour combinations used. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you can guess that the pink set, with the skirt, is my favourite. I adore the embroidery on both sets and the detail work put into both sets.
Another one of my favourite aspects of Ellesmere's lookbooks is the models they hire to shoot for them. Wen, from Comics Girls Need Bras is modelling for the brand again, and she photographs as beautifully in this shoot as the last. Wen is accompanied in this shoot by Jade, a Montreal based model. The lingerie industry is saturated with images of thin white women so it's always refreshing to see women of colour in lingerie campaigns. Lingerie isn't just for white women who look like Victoria's Secret models, it's for anyone and everyone who wants to wear it, which is why diversity in the lingerie industry is so important.
Indies are the brands who have been making strides in representing people of different ethic backgrounds, gender identities, and sexualities in their imagery, but there's still a long way to go when it comes to big brands like VS and Agent Provocateur. This is one of the reasons why I think it's important to buy lingerie from and support indie brands, even if they're more expensive than other major retailers, because this will let the industry know that people want to see diversity in lingerie. That also goes for larger size ranges, buy from brands for full retail if you can afford it, because this is what lets brands know that there is a demand for a larger range. While it's nice to buy items on sale, and I love buying on sale too, it's not worth it for brands to spend money to create products that they won't make a profit on. So put your money where your mouth is and vote with your dollars.
Ellesmere is a brand whose work I'm always excited to see, not only because their lingerie is beautiful, but because they create beautiful images and show people that lingerie models don't just look like Victoria's Secret Angels. I've added the rest of the lookbook photos below and let me know what you think in the comments!
