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I’m getting married in two weeks, and in the lead-up, I found myself on a quest for the perfect lingerie.
But, what should have been one of the more enjoyable tasks in wedding planning quickly turned into one of the more frustrating ones.
The classic three-piece sets, with their fiddly garters and suspenders, felt outdated and impractical. Worse still, they didn’t make me feel sexy — just uncomfortable and constrained.
It made me wonder if other women are feeling this way too. Is traditional lingerie losing its appeal?
The answer, it seems, is yes.
A growing wave of modern intimates brands are redefining lingerie, placing comfort, inclusivity, and self-confidence at the forefront, proving that sexy doesn’t have to mean squeezing yourself into a male-gazey matching set.
I spoke to three trailblazing brands to understand how they’re reshaping the industry and what women are wearing instead.
Founded by Chloe and Phillip de Winter in 2022, Nala has quickly become one of Australia’s fastest-growing e-commerce brands.
Known for its inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation, Nala caters to all bodies — including trans and non-binary communities – with sizes ranging from XS to 6XL and cup sizes A to K.
Chloe shared that Nala was born out of her personal struggle to find bras and underwear that were “comfortable, affordable, sustainable, and cool”.
“It seemed a product like that didn’t exist, so my husband Phil and I did it ourselves!” she told news.com.au.
When asked about the shift away from traditional lingerie styles, Chloe said: “At the end of the day, women want to be comfortable. We’re never reaching for traditional lingerie for a Wednesday in the office or a Thursday looking after the kids. We want something supportive, breathable, yummy and that also makes us feel good”.
Nala’s designs prioritize comfort but don’t shy away from sexiness.
“We inject elements into our garments that make our customers feel sexy and confident,” Chloe said. “Our fabrics, like our flossy mesh, are silky smooth and sheer, while our designs lift, sculpt, and give the bust a great shape.
“At the end of the day, our customers feel confident in our products, and there’s nothing sexier.”
Inclusivity is another central pillar in Nala’s ethos, something Chloe feels the industry as a whole has lacked in the past.
“The industry labelled ‘sexy’ as one body type — Victoria’s Secret fashion show anyone? But people want to see bodies that look like theirs in their feeds and are over the unrealistic body types being shoved in our faces,” she noted.
Looking ahead, Chloe predicted wire-free products will dominate: “Comfort comes first! So many are ditching underwire forever”.
Tina Grasso founded Chouchou Intimates in 2019, and it has since become synonymous with playful yet practical lingerie.
It’s found fans among celebrities like Addison Rae and Chappell Roan, who recently wore their best-selling Audrey Bralette during an interview.
The brand emerged from a desire to feel comfortable while also looking cute, featuring bras and underwear with vintage trims and tiny bows.
“I wanted to create versatile, high-quality intimates that were comfortable enough for every day but cute enough for date night,” Tina said.
“Lingerie shouldn’t be about impressing someone else — it should be about celebrating self-expression and feeling incredible in your own skin.”
She agreed that traditional lingerie is falling out of favour: “Women are moving away from overly structured designs and are now reclaiming their bodies, feeling empowered to choose pieces that align with their own preferences”.
“In all honesty,” she said, “we don’t consider men at all in the design process.
“We also draw inspiration from strong, confident female figures who align with our values by asking ourselves, ‘What would we design for them?’ This approach helps us create pieces that feel aspirational yet relatable.”
Inclusivity is another cornerstone of Chouchou’s mission. Tina explained: “Creating lingerie that suits a wide variety of shapes and sizes has always been a non-negotiable for me”.
The brand currently offers sizes up to 4XL, with plans for further expansion.
As for future trends, Tina sees versatility as key, with women becoming more conscious shoppers and wanting to invest in pieces that can be worn beyond just the bedroom.
“We’re seeing more designs that can be styled as outerwear, bralettes peeking out from tops, and babydolls that transition effortlessly from loungewear to daywear.
“Women want pieces that don’t just sit in a drawer!”
Boody has long been a leader in sustainable basics but is now entering sexy territory with their latest FreeMesh collection — a line of breathable bamboo-viscose intimates blended with recycled nylon.
Designed for all-day comfort and confidence, the line is available in sizes XS-2XL and comes in three colours, fig, lemon and black.
It offers sheer, feather-light fabric that moves away from traditional mesh, which often scratches and stifles.
Rebecca Innes, Boody’s Product Lead, explained the brand’s evolution: “Our vision is simple – become the world’s most loved sustainable underwear brand globally.
“We create high-quality everyday staples produced at scale while maintaining sustainable practices.”
Boody achieves this balance by focusing on comfort first.
“We believe you should love your first layer,” Rebecca shared. “The new range is a great example of a fashion-forward style that offers the functionality and comfort of traditional ‘non-sexy’ underwear while looking fantastic on the body”.
Inclusivity is also integral to Boody’s philosophy, and Rebecca hinted at exciting developments ahead: “From day one, we’ve strived to be more than just an underwear brand … Stay tuned!”
