Consumers crave comfortable intimates in wake of COVID-19

by MIKE CHAIKEN

CTFashionMag.com

COVID-19 is driving one of the key trend sentiments for lingerie and intimates in the upcoming spring-summer 2021 season.
In a webinar held by CURVE Connect and presented by Fashion Snoops in September, Patricia Maeda spoke about what trends retailers and consumers will see in spring summer 2021 and what cultural sentiments were driving those trends.
Fashion Snoops is a global trend forecasting agency.
One of the sentiments that will guide fashions in the coming season, said Maeda, is vulnerability.
“COVID-19 has definitely helped to spark this sentiment,” said Maeda, who is the womens wear editor at Fashion Snoops. “This is a time of uncertainty and questioning.”
Comfort will be key for spring and summer 2021, said Maeda. “Comfort driven style continues to outperform other (styles) in the next six months.
“One of the things we learned in the pandemic was women really want basic sets (of lingerie),” said Maeda. “No one is at home wearing a pushup bra.”
“We go back to basics, highlighting function… that not only fits, but can also be worn throughout the day without sacrificing comfort,” said Maeda.
In that regard, Maeda said, consumers will seek out underwear that will move with the body rather than against it.
“We are looking into soft natural fibers that allow the body to breathe,” Maeda said.
Also intimates in the coming season will utilize innovations aiding that sense of comfort, allowing the elimination of uncomfortable under wires and elastic bands, said Maeda.
Colors trending for the next season also reflect this sentiment of vulnerability, said Maeda. And the focus will be on pastels, she said.
“(Although) the pastels may not be loud, there’s nothing demure about them,” said Maeda.
More specifically, Maeda said consumers should be looking for “soft yellows” and “dreamy purples.”
Beyond the move toward pastels, Maeda said consumers will be looking for “colors that scream comfort like nude browns and whites.”
Also for spring/summer 2021, in terms of nude browns, Maeda said consumers will be seeing an extended range of what they consider “nude”. She said inclusivity will be one of the most important trends in the lingerie ad intimates market.
Lingerie and intimates also will be emphasizing the concept of body positivity, said Maeda. Brands also are redefining “outdated concepts of what it means to be sexy,” said the Fashion Snoops editor.

PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN

Model Lyneichka Nieves wears Pretty Polly reflecting the trends of comfort in the intimates/ lingerie world.