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French women are known to own a confidence and beauty. When traveling through Nimes and Paris, the loungewear and undergarments particularly fascinated me. I became aware that intimate wear has maintained a notable high quality through the centuries. French women take pride in covering their lady bits in light, fine cloth with subtle embellishments.
In the process of constructing these undergarments, I delved into the intriguing myths and dynamic women of ancient Rome and their wardrobe in my design research. Unlike men, who are typically depicted as nude, the women of Roman and Mediterranean art are most often illustrated with luxurious fabrics and clothing. The fabric clings to their bodies in a sensual way, yet maintains a modest appearance. This aesthetic is what I wanted to replicate.
There is a Roman myth of the fates or “Moirai.” I became even more excited about this story because the first fate, who spins the thread of life, and I share the same name, Nona. The two fates that follow are Decima, who measures all life, and Morta, who snips the thread of life. Thus, the handmade fabric is dyed of light green, pale rouge, and French gray to match the symbolic roles of each fate.
With this line, I capture the sleek sexiness of traditional French intimates and the allure of the Roman fates. These garments are hand dyed, manipulated, and embroidered with cotton, silk and linen to emulate the process of Western European garment making. The collection was designed for women of different skin tones and body types in recognition of the universality of feminine beauty.
The silk lace, embroidered by Mackenzie Primack, echoes the pomegranate, which is the ultimate symbol of femininity in mythology. This symbol provides another layer to the overall theme of this collection – that feminine confidence is sexy.