Russian ban on lacy lingerie meets cries of panty persecution

MOSCOW –  A trade ban on lacy lingerie has Russian consumers and their neighbors with their knickers in a twist.

The ban will outlaw any underwear containing less than 6 percent cotton from being imported, made, or sold in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. And it has struck a chord in societies where La Perla and Victoria’s Secret are panty paradises compared to Soviet-era cotton underwear, which was often about as flattering and shapely as drapery.

On Sunday, 30 women protesters in Kazakhstan were arrested and thrown into police vans while wearing lace underwear on their heads and shouting “Freedom to panties!”

The ban in those three countries was first outlined in 2010 by the Eurasian Economic Commission, which regulates the customs union, and it won’t go into effect until July 1. But a consumer outcry against it already is reaching a fever pitch.

Photographs comparing sexy modern underwear to outdated, Soviet goods began spreading on Facebook and Twitter on Sunday, as women and men alike railed against the prospective changes.

“As a rule, lacy underwear … is literally snatched off the shelves,” said Alisa Sapardiyeva, the manager of a lingerie store in Moscow, DD-Shop, as she flicked through her colorful wares. “If you take that away again, the buyer is going to be the one who suffers the most.”

According to the Russian Textile Businesses Union, more than $4 billion worth of underwear is sold in Russia annually, and 80 percent of the goods sold are foreign made. Analysts have estimated that 90 percent of products would disappear from shelves, if the ban goes into effect this summer as planned.

The Eurasian Economic Commission declined to comment Monday, saying it was preparing to issue a statement about the underwear ban.

While consumer outrage may force customs union officials to compromise, many see the underwear ban as yet another example of the misguided economic policies that have become a trademark of many post-Soviet countries.

Sunday’s panty protest in Kazakhstan followed a larger demonstration the day before against a 19 percent devaluation of the country’s currency, the tenge.

Other people laughed off the panty ban, seeing it as yet another attempt to add regulations and controls to an already byzantine bureaucracy in the three countries.

“I think (the girls)… will still have the opportunity to wear it (synthetic underwear) whether you can buy it in Russia or not,” said 22-year-old Muscovite Trifon Gadzhikasimov, noting that most of his friends travel abroad regularly. “I think this is just another silly law that shows the ineffectiveness of our government.”

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Lingerie Fashion Week Fall 2014 Ones to Watch Special Exhibition: Negative …

The global tour known as Fashion Month left New York for the European markets a few weeks ago, but there’s still an abundance of new styles for fashion editors to review stateside. While the Fall/Winter 2014 Ready-To-Wear shows took place on the catwalks in Milan, New York enjoyed a cheekier array of American collections this weekend.

The city hosted its third season of Lingerie Fashion Week from Feb. 20-22, featuring a mix of presentations and runway shows. The event was created to give intimates apparel brands a platform to promote their latest designs to the fashion community.

We spoke to the designer and co-founder of Negative Underwear, Marissa Vosper, about this season’s shows. She expressed enthusiasm about how the event elevates the exposure of undergarment collections.

“Lingerie Fashion Week has brought lingerie more into the spotlight, similar to how ready-to-wear has become popularized. Now there’s room in the market and interest for people to celebrate what’s worn underneath.” 

Vosper debuted pieces from Negative’s first collection at Lingerie Fashion Week with her business partner and co-designer, Lauren Schwab. The pair was delighted to take part in the event, especially as newcomers to the intimates market.

“I appreciate that Lingerie Fashion Week features major brands and emerging talent. It’s good to see a mix of both,” Vosper said.

Negative was among five other up-and-coming intimates brands at the Ones to Watch special exhibition presented by The Lingerie Journal at Canoe Studios on Friday night. The other labels included Iris, Lola Haze, Neveah, Arsenic Vieilles Dentelles, and Black Bird Underpinnings.

Each brand shared a distinct point of view for Fall 2014. From chic, minimalist bras and panties for everyday wear to lacy boudoir sets with matching garter belts, these six lingerie brands showed their most alluring pieces to fashion insiders and underwear enthusiasts alike. With such beautiful designs available in an array of rich fabrics and bold color palettes, it’s a pity that we won’t see them worn on the streets of New York (that we know of, anyway).

 

FOLLOW: Lingerie Fashion Week, Runway Shows, Fall 2014

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