Salon International de la Lingerie January 2025: From seduction to objects of pleasure

The Salon International de la Lingerie (SIL), which was held from 18 to 20 January by trade fair organiser WSN Developpement, set the tone for an autumn/winter 2025/2026 lingerie trend of the 'New Sexy'. The Wellness area and its pleasure objects, meanwhile, reflected a clear wider societal trend. At Paris' Porte de Versailles, where SIL is simultaneously hosted alongside it's sister fair Who's Next, conversations can quickly become intimate in a setting dominated by 400 exhibiting lingerie brands, thus dictating the inherent nature of the show.

"Winter 2025/2026 sees the return of ultra-sexy. This is conveyed through black and an expert use of lace, embroidery, jacquard, and strategically placed motifs. It's not a gaudy ultra-sexy, but lingerie that enhances the female form and that women wear for themselves, to feel empowered," said Trend Union director of publishing Vanessa Causse, a trend forecaster at the fair for 12 years and head of the 'Interfilière' and 'Lingerie Shop' forums, in conversation with FashionUnited.

Proof of this was the fashion show held on Saturday and Sunday, showcasing the season's must-haves. The models displayed their alluring curves (a refreshing change from ready-to-wear or couture shows) with pride and self-confidence, thanks to understated underpinnings, the disappearance of underwiring, a lighter sexy aesthetic, and numerous bodysuit options.

Waist cinchers, suspender belts, corsets, and strap details: Top 4 lingerie pieces for autumn/winter 2025/2026

This sexy revival could be considered almost unexpected at a time when fashion is embracing gender neutrality. From afar, this world still seems immersed in so-called "shapewear" lingerie – comfortable and seamless – pioneered by Kim Kardashian with her brand Skims. The jump from figure-sculpting briefs that smooth the buttocks and stomach to lace thongs with a metal clitoral-stimulating piercing, as seen at the stand of Ukrainian brand Anoeses, seems like an even bigger leap than switching from trainers to 12-inch heels.

For further evidence, look to Chantelle. Not Chantelle X, a more risqué line launched by the French market leader, but the brand's 'SoftStretch Power' range which introduces a new bralette. For this new generation of bra, Chantelle's signature SoftStretch fabric is now available in a double layer (190 grams time two), reinforced by a high-performance bonding structure and Airbonding technology (a bonding technology using adhesive tape). The result: comfort and softness.

Walking through the aisles of the fair, it's also impossible to miss the women sporting bras and waist cinchers over their shirts. Could the avant-garde lie within these emerging niche brands like New York labels Kiki de Montparnasse and Skarlett Blue, or Mon Tiroir, whose designer certainly caught the attention of attendees? Yet, if they are niche, are they truly representative of the market?

For many, they are. This is evidenced by Maison Lejaby, whose visuals clearly signal this direction, with lingerie worn as outerwear, portraying a less "modest" woman, or at least one freed from certain constraints. The paradox? At the beginning of the last century, the corset and waist cincher imprisoned the body. Today, they have become a banner of female liberation, post #MeToo.

Elsewhere, local French brands are becoming increasingly interesting for international players. Parisian brand Maison Lejaby, for example, has been acquired by Indonesian manufacturer Bra Pro Ltd., a major supplier of women's intimates, serving large retail brands (such as H&M) in Indonesia, the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, and Asia. Being owned by a manufacturer is a significant advantage for the new CEO, Xavier Martin, an industry specialist who was formerly at the likes of Huit, Simone Perele and Aubade.

Manufactured in Indonesia and North Africa using European materials, the brand is making waves in the US market with "seductive, well-fitting products without compromising on comfort," Xavier Martin explained to FashionUnited.

Another market leader, the French family-owned group Lise Charmel, which operates around 20 directly-owned stores and is stocked in over 500 retailers in France, is also embracing the lingerie-as-outerwear trend, as demonstrated by a fashion show held at their stand, featuring a black and gold guipure waist cincher.

Where Lise Charmel truly captures the zeitgeist, however, is in combining a cultural pop-up concept called 'literary café', with these new seductive styles. With patented caned chairs and round Parisian café tables, the atmosphere is reminiscent of the free-spirit associated with women of certain Parisian quarters, akin to French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir.

Market evolution made possible thanks to multi-brand network close to clientele

It is exactly this that was spoken of by France's Action Culottée, a collective of independent retailers focused on underwear. During a conference, the group, widely known for an initiative in which during the pandemic members sent briefs to French politician Jean Castex to underline the importance of underwear as a consumer good, explained: "Our job is to know the brands and offer expert advice. Lingerie is an intimate area that needs to be supported by skilled professionals."

They went on to cite everything that makes digital commerce unable to replace personalised service, such as changes in body shape (bra cup sizes are not the same throughout life), combating body shaming through a relationship of trust and loyalty, etc.

In this context, brands that dare to explore the intimate relationship with the female body have commercial potential. With this understanding, we headed to the stand of Ukrainian designer Anoeses, a brand sold in the Brigade Mondaine boutique, which stocks luxury erotic lingerie, designer lingerie and BDSM accessories.

The brand brings forth a modern offering of black mesh underwear, adorned with leather straps and metal chains; a line of suggestive jewellery (for example, bracelets that transform into handcuffs); and even perfumes, named as though invitations to pleasure: Can I Touch You?, Keep Doing That, Never Felt Like This Before.

Final stop: the Wellness area, where Gisele International's B2B team markets intimate wellness brands - Überlube (a lubricant), Love. not war and Biird (sex toys), and Crave jewellery - were located. The company's CEO, Lisa Sananes, fully embraces this commercial link with female pleasure. She signifies a shift where pleasure is no longer defined by men for men, but by women for women. And, without further ado, she offers us a sex toy, as a testament to the uninhibited nature of the new generation.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.FR. It was translated to English using AI and edited by Rachel Douglass.

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