Sexy-Plus Undies for Plus-Size Beauties

WOMEN’S WORLD

It’s a fact, unfortunately, that as most women age, they also put on a few extra kilos.

According to a recent study conducted at Harvard University, after age 30, most women gain an average of 1.2 kilos a year, and by during their menopausal years, a full two-thirds of women put on an additional five to seven kilos.

Worse yet, much of that extra bulk is concentrated along the waistline and hip areas, while breasts tend to sag and lose contours.

And while dieting and exercise can help (and are highly advised), it is hard to fight against the natural aging process.

But Gabriela Riviello, spokesperson for the high-end intimate wear line Fiorentina (part of Mexico’s largest lingerie conglomerate, Diltex, which has been making undergarments here for more than 60 years and currently controls 30 percent of the country’s 40-billion-peso-a-year industry), says that rather than being ashamed of their bodies, older women should embrace their curves and learn to love their new shapes.

“Women, like great wines, improve with age,” she told The News during a presentation of Fiorentina’s new line, especially designed in conjunction with the bio-based fiber company Lycra to provide additional support and control for plus-size women.

“Women tend to be more generally self-confident and intellectually stimulating as they age, but, too often, they are less secure about their bodies. Here at Fiorentina, we believe that women are sexy at all ages and that they should revel in their sensuality by wearing lingerie that makes them feel good about themselves.”

The new line includes soft shapewear girdles, merry widows, slips, camisoles, tanks, bustiers and brassieres that do not confine and do not restrict normal movement.

“Lingerie, whether it be shapewear or not, has to be comfortable,” Riviello said.

“The old girdles our grandmothers wore just don’t work for today’s active woman. Unless an undergarment is made with flexible, breathable materials like Lycra, no modern-day woman is going to wear it.”

Today, she said, the majority of women are looking for modern shapewear styles that are comfortable enough to wear every day and which also showcase their femininity.

“No woman wants to feel like Renée Zellweger in ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ when Hugh Grant’s character made fun of her huge panties,” Riviello said, “and thanks to the new trend in lingerie, no woman has to.”

Riviello went on to explain that plus-size women usually require a different type of support than thinner women.

In the case of brassieres, she said, they tend to need support not only for their breast tissue, but also along their back and shoulders.

“We have designed a special brassiere that has Lycra mesh netting in the cups and along the back that stretches in all directions so that it adapts to each woman’s body but is not confining,” she said.

“And since most plus-size women have larger breasts, this bra supports with a push-up effect but no extra padding.”

This ultra-thin mesh is covered with a light and delicate lace that gives the brassiere a sensuous appearance.

Bras are an important segment of the plus-size market because, according to a survey by lingerie retailers, five years ago, the average Mexican woman’s bra size was 36C. Ten years ago, it was around a 34B.

But now, according to the study, 34DD is the new average, and that means full bust bras are here and they’re here to stay.

The Fiorentina mesh bra has a small wire under the cup for added support, but several other items in the new collection are wire-free.

There is a beautiful bustier in the collection with Lycra in the tummy area and soft body-hugging lace for the breast area.

There is also a mesh girdle, that can slim up to five inches off your waistline and help lift buttocks and is comfortable enough to wear all day.

The combination of a hug and a shaping effect comes from hidden panels made from Lycra and soft cotton.

“Our main goal with this collection is to offer more-endowed women the support they need while making sure that the pieces are comfortable and flattering.”

Fiorentina is not the only lingerie company to embrace curvaceous women and to add some much-needed body diversity to the underwear industry. Perhaps inspired by Sports Illustrated selection of plus-size model Ashley Graham for its February 2015 cover or perhaps simply recognizing the fact that limiting their lines to Twiggy-shaped skinnies was excluding a significant part of the undergarment market, most major international lingerie companies are now developing lines for larger women.

Brands and fashion designers around the globe are now embracing more relaxed and stretchy clothing styles that fit a woman’s natural shape, and that has led to a trend for undergarments that smooth out bumps and lumps, creating a sleek but natural silhouette for clothing.

The result is a wide array of comfortable and soft shapewear options now on the market.

Lane Bryant, which pioneered the plus-size woman market beginning in 1904, has recently introduced an intimate apparel line called Cacique, and there are a number of new brands that cater to curvy women with comfortable and easy-to-wear shapewear, including Yummie Tummie, Bare Necessities and Elomi.

Even Victoria’s Secret, that last bastion of air-brushed, too-perfect-to-be-real, bulimic-looking models that are more geared to men’s fantasies that women’s realities, has finally started adding larger sizes to their collections.

“It really doesn’t matter what your individual body shape is,” Riviello said.

“The important thing is to love yourself and your body, and don’t be afraid to show it off with sexy lingerie, even if the only person you are showing it off to is yourself.”

WHAT’S NEW

Fragrant Trio
The Spanish-based Pacha Ibiza design house has launched three new feminine perfumes in Mexico, each geared to a different personality type among young and dynamic women. Pacha Ibiza Diva is a robust floral with sweet opening notes of cassis, violet and raspberry, middle notes of orange blossom and peony, and a succulent base of cedar, musk, vanilla and amber. Pacha Ibiza Glam is a fruity floral fragrance with top notes of plum, apricot and grapefruit that open to a heart of peony and jasmine with notes of vanilla and benzoin at its close. And Pacha Ibiza Rose is a romantic floral with top notes of pear and peach, middle notes of orange blossom and heliotrope and base notes of wood, amber and vanilla.

Summer Colors
Dior has spot-lighted summer with an iconic polka dot pattern makeup collection that erupts like tiny bubbles for an effervescent season. The saucy Milky Dot collection is the brainchild of Dior Makeup’s creative and image director Pete Philips, inspired in the casually quirky polka dots of the late 19^th century, the line includes eye shadows, lipsticks, lip glosses and special nail enamels which can be applied in dabs to create your own polka style. The shimmering eyeshadow palettes and lip colors come in cheerful pastel shades and intensely vibrant hues that are sure to make a statement and help brighten up the new season.

Stepping Out
The Mexican footwear brand Dione, which has been producing high-end luxury shoes for more than 70 years, has introduced its spring/summer collection of designer heels and flats made from 100 percent natural materials. The handcrafted shoes and accompanying handbags employ the latest technology to ensure a comfortable fit while accentuating the feminine silhouette. In addition to the sophisticated Dione fashion line, there is also a Dione Comfort collection and a youthful and trendy Di by Dione for the younger set. Over the last three years, Dione has incorporated designs by Huichol artisans which reflect a Mexican indigenous style.

Men’s Formalwear
The Spanish-owned, third-generation styling house for grooms and well-appointed gentlemen Protocolo de Novios is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and its third year in Mexico, and to commemorate the occasion, the company has released its latest collection of back-tie and white-tie attire, along with a special youthful and trendy selection of graduation smoking jackets and formal suits just in time for the stylist collegian man-about-town who wants to leave a major impression at the prom. The new collection combines classic hand-sewn design with a modern upbeat panache. Protocolo was founded in 1991 as the offshoot of a family-run textile firm in Zaragoza, Spain. At that time, it was the only boutique in Europe specializing in formalwear for grooms.

Crabtree and Evelyn has a new collection of travel and gift sets with liquid body soap, hand lotion and body cream that are big on scent and luxury but small enough to be able to pass airport security inspections in your carry-on luggage. The sets come in a variety of fragrances, including a fresh Mediterranean Citron, Honey and Coriander, succulent Avocado, Olive and Basil, sensuous Caribbean Island Wild Flowers and indulgent Pomegranate, Argan and Grapeseed. C&E also has a new collection of scented candles and bouquet diffusers to adorn your home with fragrance.

THE NEWS