Date: 2018
Origin: China
Fabric: Silk satin
Brand: Pillowbook
The ‘Harmony’ range by Pillowbook is entirely crafted from recycled fabric waste. Silk offcuts have been saved by the brand after many years of custom lingerie creations. The garments are then pieced together from these small pieces of silk, with the panels carefully cut and tessellated together to create a new patchwork base textile. Each patchwork seam is then delicately top stitched with decorative metallic thread. The bra alone has 71 individual fabric panels, and each garment in this collection requires a great deal of skill and patience to execute.
The silhouettes of this set are inspired by 1930s lingerie styles, most notably the Kestos style bra. They are crafted with luxurious construction details, including silk linings, hand stitched finishing and intricate handmade Chinese knot buttons and silk loop fastenings. These sample pieces were stitched by couturier Hu Cui Nian.
Pillowbook was founded in 2013 by designer Irene Lu, wanting to promote traditional Chinese lingerie and championing couture hand crafting. The brand name is taken from the illustrated erotic guides that were traditionally gifted to Chinese newlyweds, giving the brand’s roots of a design aesthetic that aims to ‘inspire [their] lovers to seduce, pleasure and empower’.
Kindly loaned to The Underpinnings Museum by Pillowbook
