Dirty Dolls: Intimates and Shapers With a Pin-Up Experience
The founders of Dirty Dolls lingerie, Erica Paul and Courtney Newman, like to stage a memorable affair when customers try on their lingerie collection. The chipper friends recently held an event in New York lingerie boutique Brooklyn Fox that offered one-on-one bra fittings, a sequin pasty-making workshop and pin-up portraiture in the fitting rooms by Boudoir Soiree photography.
“It gives them the whole Dirty Dolls experience of being pampered,” Paul said. Both Paul and Newman previously worked as lingerie designers at other companies before joining forces to launch Dirty Dolls in 2008. They created the brand to breathe sexy pin-up styling into shaper panties and bras in the hard-to-find size combination of small bands and full cups. Bra sizes range from 30C to 44DD, and for Fall 2011, the newest bra style will be available in 28C to 38G.
Borrowing inspiration from 1950s girdles, Dirty Dolls’ shapewear has gained a following for equally balancing prettiness and compression. The new high-waist tap pant in stretchy power mesh features contrast seaming, lace trims and detachable garters.
“We wanted people to exude that glamour even though it’s a shaper. With all of our bottoms, it was really important for none of them to cut into you, so for this panty, we’re doing lace on the leg openings so it will be a smooth shape under your clothing,” Paul said.
On top of the in-store parties, the designers frequently make house calls in the New York area for women who missed an event and request personal attention. They plan to open a lingerie studio this year to accommodate the demand. “It will be our design studio, and we’ll have a private parlor where women can make appointments, come in for a fitting and try on the different product. That one-on-one with the customer is so important,” Paul said.
Wholesale price points range from $20 for an everyday bra to $30–$40 for corselette/camis and $10–$15 for panties. For more information, visit www.dirtydollslingerie.com or e-mail info@dirtydollslingerie.com.—Rhea Cortado
