Despite the fact that Lady Gaga, Jessie J and Juliette Lewis are already fans, even lingerie obsessives might not have heard of La Fille d’O; a beautiful brand designed and made in Belgium, now launching exclusively at Selfridges in the UK. The reason for this air of mystery could be attributed to designer Murielle Scherre’s rabid fear of the brand getting too big, too quickly: she currently runs the business with just two other people, plus a team of seamstresses who make everything in Belgium. “I’ve seen it happen to other brands where they expand too quickly and they lose their design integrity, which is not what I want for La Fille d’O” she explains. This lingerie label is extremely close to Murielle’s heart; having studied fashion design, she realised that drawing was not her forte, so she took many, many evening classes “so that I could be properly involved in the process.”
One look at the La Fille d’O pieces tells you that these are not your normal bra and knickers – each piece is completely unique in its construction. Conventional hook and eye fastenings are out, not just because they look boring but because they are too restrictive and regimenting - do you know anyone who is exactly a 34 inch back? Sliding strap fastenings mean that bras can be adjusted up to 15 cm. This makes perfect sense, considering all women fluctuate in size and bra fabric gives over time – so the sliding straps mean that La Fille d’O bras should maintain the perfect fit. Speaking of which, Murielle already designs for up to a G cup, and she adjusts the design of both bras and briefs to flatter each different size. “There is no point taking a size 8 thong and expanding it sideways!” La Fille d’O also produces nursing bras and those designed for use with prosthetics, because women shouldn’t have to visit specialist shops or even hospital departments for those items. As Murielle says herself, if she can do it with a brand this small, why can’t some of the lingerie giants offer this level of customer service?
