Moda Lingerie Preview: Best of Lepel, Charnos & Lepel London

Hiya everyone! My trip to Paris is drawing close and I would still like to preview a few collections before we move on to AW17. Today I am bringing you some of my favourites from Lepel, which is an all time favourite for small- and full-busted gals on a student budget.

LEPEL

Soooo, I’m trying this pic collage thing out, don’t judge me! I just thought it may be a more compact way of showing my favourites. If you want to see the designs in more detail, I think you just need to click on the individual pic on the collage.

This year’s Lepel core collection wasn’t one of their biggest, but they revamped a couple of their basic styles with new colour combinations and introduced two new styles, Poppy (obviously the one with the Poppy print) and Maisy (the lacy one with a raspberry tone). Interestingly, the Poppy looks very similar to something we already know – the Tutti Rouge first edition Betty, which was exactly in the same print as this one, with a slightly different colour scheme. I am not saying this is a copy, but I do think this is not a very original design from Lepel, which is a bit disappointing. However, I do like the print still and it will be a nice option for young gals on a budget who want to have the same look as with the TR Betty, but can’t find it in the Poppy print anymore.

The Maisy on the other hand is a rather beautiful little number and reminds me a lot of the Charnos collection. The Lepel team told us that the collections are and will be more linked to each other from now on and this is clearly visible when looking at the whole collection range.

The styles that got revised yet again were the Lilly (in the sparrow print) and Fiore, which have been winners in the market for a long time. I am pretty excited for the Fiore bodysuit myself and will be happy to tell you that it will go up to G-cup! All of the styles pictured above will be available in a size range of 30-38 B-G, with some of them including A-cups in band sizes 32-36. I think this is pretty impressive for a such an affordable brand and do keep in mind that their cups run a bit on the larger side usually! The Lepel team is continuing their trend of two-toned Fiore, which I love, and I am excited to see what they have come up for autumn – teal and purple, perhaps?

LEPEL SWIM

“Sailor” and Aloha, sizes 30-38 B-G

“Flower Power” bikini and swimsuit, “Tropics” swimsuit and bikini & “Deckchair” bikini

When Lepel core collection seems to shrink a bit year by year, Lepel Swim is alive, growing and well. They must be doing something right as their swimwear collection is and has always been one of the biggest and the prettiest I have seen on the market during the past four years! There is something for almost every taste – pretty florals, sporty mesh and net materials, stripy pinup styles.

My personal favourites from the collection were the stripy Sailor (which comes in a swimsuit, moulded triagle bikini going up to G-cup and a regular wired balconette bikini) and the rather classic yet a bit exotic Tropics, which is the black style with colourful tropical flowers on it. The best part of Lepel Swim collection is that it too is very size-inclusive and offers multiple bikini top and bottom options within one style. As you can see, the Tropics comes in a padded bikini and a swimsuit, both going up to G-cup.

Regarding sizes, the Lepel Swim collection has been generous towards us full-busted gals – most of their styles come in UK cup sizes and up to G-cup, with the exception of three styles going up to H-cup this time! This is fantastic news and a good start for the brand to start adding more sizes to their collection. H-cups will be available eg in the Flower Power print seen above and made in a non-padded halter-style wired bikini top.

LEPEL LONDON

“Charlie” black bodysuit and wired bra set; “Bea” triangle bra set; “Sophia” bodysuits in blue, red and ivory; “Caitlyn” triangle bra set; “Tamara” in Ivory

Lepel London was such a tease, as always, as they only carry cup sizes with some of their styles and when the products are cup-sized, they only go up to UK D- or F-cup. Every season I wait for a size expansion and it never really comes! Maybe this time? If it happens, I will be the first to report you!

The one style that I still love is the Tamara, which goes up to F-cup but this season, the clear winner of the show was the Charlie, pictured at the very top. This combo of a bodysuit and bra set (only going up to D-cup though…) is absolutely breath-taking and I love the corset lacing detail at the back. It’s such a beautiful shape so I hope you small-busted girls will snatch it up and I can live vigorously through you…

The bodysuits in general are aesthetically the strength of the Lepel London collection as they look pretty luxe but are still quite affordable. The one weakness this collection may have is the size range though – and I am not even talking about cup sizes. Most of Lepel London pieces are made in UK sizes 6-14 which is US 2-10, and in my opinion, they are ruling out many plus size customers with this decision. I would increase the sizing up to 18, which is only two sizes bigger, and I think it would still make a huge difference.

CHARNOS

Bailey Bridal set (32-38 B-G); Sienna in Ivory/Gold (30-38 B-J); Suzette in Rose (30-38 B-J),Olivia in Black (30-38 B-E); Violet in Ivory (32-40 C-J)

Nothing super new on the Charnos front; the Charnos collection seems to be mainly about recolouring their old favourites such as Rosy, Violet and Suzette and the colour scheme stays rather muted and light. The Violet is once again one of my favourites, as it is the perfect everyday bra for girls who need G+ sizes and bigger bands. I also really like the new bridal set as it seems like a more rounded option than Charnos’ previous strapless styles. The one stand-out selling point of this range is the size range – there is only two styles that don’t go up to J-cup, which is phenomenal taking into consideration that Charnos started with only a couple of G+ styles a few seasons ago.

All in all, I really like the SS17 Lepel collection family, though I wish they would concentrate more on unifying the size ranges across all of their collections. The bodysuits seem to be on trend now so I am really looking forward to seeing their new collections and whether there will be more in bigger cup sizes available in the future.

Hope you enjoyed this preview and are excited see what’s up with the Paris show in just two weeks! I will try to post stuff straight from the show so do follow me on Facebook and Instagram at @2cakesonaplate to see the gems of the show!

SIL Tradeshow: Lepel, Charnos & Lepel London AW16 Collections

When I am visiting tradeshows, there are always a few must-see brands that me and Anna are set our minds to visit first. Tradeshows can be intimidatingly big and thus you need to make a game plan about what your priority brands are and to mention a few, our list consists of the big full-bust names such as Panache, Gossard, Tutti Rouge, Curvy Kate and Lepel. Lepel is one of my favourite stands to see not only because of the gorgeous lingerie but also the warm welcome we get each time. This time we were greeted by the lovely Peter who showed us through all of the LF Intimates collections – Lepel, Charnos and the new-comer Lepel London.

LEPEL

Hues of pink and blue, top to bottom: Fiore (up to G-cup) in Fuchsia/Brilliant Blue, Roxy in Blue Multiprint (up to G-cup with the longline and F-cup with the plunge) & Victoria in Deep Purple/Brilliant Blue (up to F-cup with the plunge and G-cup with the balconette)

I was so excited to see Lepel doing more pink this season – I know it’s a rather cliched lingerie colour but to be honest, I haven’t really seen it done over the past few seasons and there is a Barbie inside of me screaming for some pink! With the Lepel collection the bright jewel-tone pink or Fucshia was combined to another jewel, that is the Brilliant Blue. I became an instant fan of this colour combo, almost as much as with the pink-orange trend combo for this SS16 season. The blue is a vibrant shade that brings out the fuchsia in a lovely way and I love how playful it looks in a floral print. I know florals are “in” almost every season but I think this AW16 season brings them to another level – my personal favourite from the Lepel collection was the Roxy, which I can’t wait to try in the longline version pictured above!

Cute basics, top to bottom: Daisy in Black/Fuchsia (up to G), Lyla Push-up in Black (up to E) & Lilly in Leopard print (up to G)

Lepel seems to be doing quite a lot of plunge bras this season which is something I always personally vouch for – I wear a lot of low necklines which require a plunge bra, and preferable a non-padded one. Their basic Lyla range (which will be reviewed on 2COP next week!) gains a new member from a plunge push-up bra that will accompany the range of t-shirt balconettes. This style will only go up to E-cup but is a great addition to their basic collection. The new plunge Lyla will be available in basic colours of beige, white and black. Also the Lilly gets a revamp with another exciting young print – an orange/pink leopard print. This is one of my favourite prints with this range so far as I’m starting to warm up to animal prints for the first time in my life.

CHARNOS

Sultry berry-tones, top to bottom: Violet in Raspberry & Sienna in Deep Purple (both up to J-cup)

The Charnos collection goes this time more luxe with some beautiful European-style lace and sultry colours such as purple, fuchsia and gold. I love how they have differentiated the range from Lepel with a more grown-up aesthetics but still not in a boring way. The Charnos range has improved looks-wise tremendously in my opinion and there are definitely some styles that I am really looking forward to trying on myself! I am also super happy that they cater up to J-cup and offer some stretch-lace options such as the Violet (pictured above) which are crucial to women with A-symmetry.

Luxurious materials, top to bottom: Bailey in Ivory (up to G), Bridgette Full-Cup (up to J) and chemise in Black/Gold & Suzette in Black (up to J)

My personal favourites from the whole Charnos collection were the new bridal colour of Bailey and the Black/Gold Bridgette range. I am so happy to see Charnos making a bridal version of their new Bailey bra as I really love the plunge shape and and the gorgeous styling with the little tassel on the front. This style will also be available in a strapless style and is an affordable option for any bride out there. I am sure that I would consider this style as my very own choice for the big day, if it fits me well 😉 The Bridgette on the other hand is a lovely non-padded full-cup which is accompanied by the chic chemise that sports the same luxurious lace and gold underlay as the bra set. I am sure this colourway will be a hit for Christmas and make it to my personal wishlist as well!

LEPEL LONDON

Top to bottom (all up to D-cup unless otherwise specified): Paloma in Pink, Sophia body & bralette in Black (UK 6-14), Tamara Velvet (up to F), Tamara (up to F), Chelsea Geo body & bralette set in Black and Sky Blue/Blush (UK 6-14)

From all of the three collections, I was most excited to see the Lepel London range grow. This is a collection designed specifically for Asos and their target market is young fashion-forward women who want cute and edgy lingerie at affordable prices. The average price of a bra for Lepel London is about £20 so definitely something a student could invest in! This season the brand is branching out to F-cups with their Tamara and Tamara Velvet styles, which is a big improvement to last season. I am still waiting for my G-cups impatiently but I am sure they will become reality someday soon. In meantime, I am determined to get my hands on that Sophia body, as it does have my name on it 😉

How do you like the LF-Intimates offering for AW16 season? Any favourites? Let me know in the comments below! I would also love to hear would you wear Lepel London if it came in your size! Our opinions matter as it tells the brands that these designs are coveted in bigger cup sizes as well.

Moda Exhibition: Preview of Lepel & Charnos SS16 + Lepel London AW15 Collections

Ah, Lepel. You always manage to steal my heart somehow, whether it comes to new shapes, colours or prints, you are my one true love and this new SS16 season changes nothing. Yes, you did cheat me this time with not making my size in some of your most fabulous styles but I will forgive you as my love is unconditional.

Haha, that’s it for the love letter but strictly speaking, Lepel did up their anté again this season which always seems to surprise me as I definitely thought they could not have done better after this summer’s fabulous styles (such as the Minnie) – but they certainly did. I also feel like the summer season is always a bit stronger for Lepel – they do lovely summery prints on their core styles but also, their swim is the one that really impresses me time after time. This time, there was also one lovely surprise in store to make the new season a jackpot – a completely new range called Lepel London. To learn more about each of their range and my personal faves, keep reading! (All styles go up to G unless stated otherwise, also this is not the complete collection because that would have made a heck of a long post!)

LEPEL

  
Fiore Full-Cup, Fiore Plunge, Lilly Rosette, Daisy, Victoria Balconette, Victoria Moulded Plunge (up to F) & Matilda

The Lepel core collection consists of some of their oldies-but-goodies in new colourways but also some more recent additions to their basics such as Fiore. Personally I am always up for new cuts and shapes but this time, I was instantly smitten with the apple green shade of Fiore and will sure be giving this old lady (hehe) a try when the new colourways launch. Lepel had adopted lovingly the new orange/pink colour trend for SS16 which is actually one of my ultimate favourite combos of all time. The Victoria, another older style of Lepel, will be available in this candy-like combination next spring and I will be sure to get my hands on it!

The Lilly Rossette is a fun take on Lepel’s basic balconette bra and the fit is also revised this time, so I am intrigued to see how it does after some alterations. In fact, I am quite impressed with this specific style with Lepel, as it always comes in such vibrant and surprising prints for each season, this AW season including a fun strawberry print (a must-have for me!). When it comes to newer styles, the turquoise Daisy is a lovely plunge option for us fuller busted ladies as well and if the blue hue is not your thing, it will also be available in white. The lace of Daisy looks fresh and young and the style seems a good basic addition to accompany the older Fiore style.

CHARNOS

Violet (up to J), Sienna (up to J), Cherub & Bailey

As Steve (the very charming head of marketing at Lepel!) mentioned last time we went to Moda, Charnos and Lepel collections have started to become more alike, with some designs overlapping the collections a bit style-wise. This was even more clear with Charnos this time, with Sienna being the star of the show with it’s graphic jungle print and stunning colour combination of yellow, green and bluebell. I have personally never been a huge fan of Charnos but with the new younger prints and sexier shapes, I am definitely intrigued to try something from the collection. Also the materials seem very on point with this particular collection – I mean, who doesn’t love stretch lace? (We all know that I am a fan!)

Even though Charnos has now taken a bit younger approach to their collections, the shapes and styles remain mostly very classic and appropriate for a more mature taste. There are also some very popular trends shown in this SS16 collection, including what I call the “Marie Antoinette vibe” – think pale lace, ruffles and light-coloured wallpaper prints. The Bailey, which is a completely new style for Charnos, fits the bill exactly and is a lovely more romantic option for the Charnos fan, if the loud prints are not your cup of champagne. Also, who doesn’t love tassels?! Tassel panties, y’all, everyone should own a pair.

LEPEL SWIM
       
Sun Kiss, Riviera, Venice Beach, Surf Balconette & Bandeau (UK 8-16), Hawaii, Sunset (UK 8-18), Helena & Lagoon Bandeau (UK 8-18) + Swimsuit (UK 8-18)

With Lepel Swim, I always pretty much go “Come to Mama, all of you!” because DAMN these designs are awesome. I don’t even know where to start as there are literally so many favourites in this swim collection. There is something for everyone: sport luxe style, Tiki pinup style, fabulous prints and colours with some more solid & classic styles as well. What really hit me hard were the Surf and Venice Beach balconette bikini tops which were fantastically styled with some contrasting trims and summery colour combos. However, if I would pick something to suit my everyday style, I would go for the Hawaii bandeau bikini because OMG LITTLE TIKI PINUPS, can I just die??? This style could definitely do with a high-waisted bottom option as I can imagine many modern day pinup girls enjoying this print.

When talking about new shapes, Lepel Swim has now introduced a moulded triangle bikini top up to G which seems very promising from what I have seen of it. The specific style is called Riviera which comes in tankini and a mini-longline bikini top as well but the triangle top is a totally new innovation to me at least – or has anyone else heard of an unwired triangle bikini top up to G-cup? I don’t think so! Even though the style is quite basic to my taste as least, I would love to try out this little number just for the science – these tatas haven’t seen a triangle bikini in years! On the model though the style looked really nice and the shape was fairly rounded yet natural.

LEPEL LONDON
       
Claudia (up to DD), Paloma in Black and Red (up to D), Tiff in Orange and Baby Blue (up to D), Georgie longline & padded bra (up to D), Chelsea Diamond in Black and Turquoise and Tara (up to DD)

Now, if the Swim didn’t blow your mind, this certainly will. The Lepel London range is something that was created for this AW15 season in collaboration with ASOS to offer the Lepel customer something a bit more hip and young, trendy and sexy at the same time. The collection features a lot of key trends for the fall and upcoming spring season as well –  strappy styling, orange and blue tones, longline cuts and eyelash lace. Super-duper stunning, to say the least!

What really did put me off with the range was the cup sizes though – up to DD?! How dare you! I think I actually told Steve to fuck off at this point when I heard they wouldn’t be going up to G (yap, that professional I am…how awkward) BUT to my excitement, ASOS really pushed the brand with the size range and it will expand in the future. The SS16 collection of Lepel London will include F-cups and MAYBE, POSSIBLY the G-cups will be introduced later in AW16. I was kinda promised that. And team Lepel, I will literally murder you if that does not happen! (haha, JK…) Cause yes, that much of a fan I am of this collection.

What really stands out to me with this collection is how it takes all of the key trends and mixes them in with a great fit and affordable prices. These pieces are not supposed to be the “luxury” range of Lepel, but a more fun, on-trend version of their original style for the same price point. This makes it affordable to any uni student out there – even Jo, the goddess of saving herself, stated that she would buy some of the pieces from the collection in a heartbeat as with such a beautiful product and a low price – why not? If not for the necessity, then just for the fun.

How do you feel about the new Lepel collections? Are you as excited about Lepel London as me? I would love to hear your opinions, so let me know in the comments! xx

Tackling the Cold Nights With Charnos – The Cocoon Thermal-Wear Review

As I mentioned in my yesterday’s post, the weather is getting pretty damn cold where I live and to be honest, our heating system literally sucks. The heat is monitored by some random person who controls the heating of the whole building. So either we are all freezing or melting here and at the moment, it’s the first-mentioned. Luckily the lovely people at Charnos (a sister label to Lepel) offered to send me some of their awesome thermal-wear for me to test out and I have been enjoying these garments for a few weeks now! I have honestly worn them everyday when at home and slept in them every single night as the nights get really cold here. Here’s how I liked the Cocoon thermal leggings, camisole and the long-sleeved top…

Y’all, these are bloody amazing! Cocoon range offers the ultimate comfort with a mixture of modal, silk and elastane. The range is available in three basic colours black, white and the mink. I think the set would look cute in a fashion colourway too – think pale pink or mint green. I went for the Mink as it reminds me of my mom – this is definitely a colour combo she would love for herself.

I went for a size Small as that is my usual size and I find the set to run true-to-size. They come in a size range of S, M and L but stretch a lot if needed. I think the Small would be a good choice for someone who usually wears a UK size 8-12. As I wear size 10 most of the time, I would say the set fits me spot-on!

 
I am about 5’6 meaning I am about the average height at least compared to other Finns. The leggings and the sleeved top are just the right length for me and this way look and feel fantastic on.  I also like the materials a lot – they feel super silky on and are not too warm even though are meant to be thermal-wear. During my days at home studying on my computer I usually wear the long-sleeved top as it keeps me warm in our cold flat but when I go to sleep I do fine with the cami as I can’t sleep without a thick blanket anyway. I am also pretty sure the Cocoon range would make a could underwear staple as well, if you feel like you need a good pair of longjohns or a cami under your regular clothing.

Besides being comfy and well-fitting (even on my rather curvy figure) the Cocoon set looks rather cute too. Even though the set comes in basic colours, Charnos has done well with trimming the sleeves and and necklines with lovely contrasting lace and little cute bows. The Mink colourway is matched with a pale pink lace which makes it look even more romantic and cutesy.

Even though Charnos is best known for their grown-up affordable lingerie I would highly recommend taking a look at their loungewear as well. I am truly impressed with Cocoon range and it’s actually quite affordable with the prices ranging from £25 to £35. If you want to get a set of your own or just a piece of it, I would recommend Charnos’ own online store or Figleaves which also has a US site.

Is it yet cold where you live? What kind of sleepwear do you like and wear? Let me know in the comments, love! xx

Moda SS15 Lingerie Preview: Lepel & Charnos

I first met the Lepel crew at last season’s Moda and was happy to meet such a lovely welcoming team. They were glad to show the collection to me and this time was no different. I was greeted by some familiar and new faces and were shown the whole collection with such enthusiasm. I have always loved Lepel’s collections and they keep surprising me with something elegant and fun each season. This season was no different and I was delighted to see such a range of colours and styles to look forward to.

First we were introduced to their lovely Swim collection but we’ll proceed to that later. The first lingerie offering shown to us was their best-seller – Fiore. Fiore always comes in new and exciting colourways to keep the collection fresh. With such an “old” style, it is hard to come up with new colourways though and I am very excited about this season’s Electric Blue and Dandelion Yellow shades. They are actually my “fun” underwear colours that I reach for when I want something to cheer me up, so maybe I will try this classic next season! These shades are very well-thought out to suit the SS15 season and also a few different skin tones; blue suiting the more fair skins and yellow complementing the darker ones. Fiore is up G-cup in all styles, balconette, plunge and full-cup so if you fit into the size range, give this comfy classic a try!

The purple goes on as a strong fashion colour for this SS15 season too and it brings a bit of sexy to the otherwise bright and tropical lingerie collections bursting with girliness. I loved the Matilda for AW14 but to be honest, the SS15 version with the purple trimming – a jackpot, I say. I would love to try this style even more than the lipstick red shade for this autumn but as this style has clearly become a best-seller, I can only keep my fingers crossed there will be a set left for me too.

The other purple-hued offering for SS15 is a new style called Rita which will be up to J-cup! As Lepel tends to run big in the cups, I think this is fantastic news for us fuller busted ladies. The shape looks very similar to some Cleo styles – very rounded – which will make the bra even more lust-worthy. To me, this style looks like a great everyday set so keep your eyes out for this one!
 
The very best of this SS15 Lepel collection were definitely the amazing prints they had created, from tropical flowers to leopard print. Obviously, animal prints are still very on-trend and so making a colourful version of the classic print was very smart from Lepel. I personally am very picky about animal print – it can look tacky which is why I need it to be somehow modern. This colourway of the leopard is actually quite delicious though – it looks like some tropical cocktail and this way, very young (in a good way, not in a kindergarten-way). The set is called Lilly and is based on the classic Lepel t-shirt balconette bra, such as Flutter or Babushka. 

I would say my ultimate favourites from the collection were the floral printed sets called Victoria and Rosey. I have briefly tried on the Victoria in the past when I was more like 30E with Lepel but would be interested to know how it suits a fuller bust. The print is absolutely amazing of course and I think it makes the set look a bit younger than the previous colourways. The blue-hued Rosey is a bit more fun and whimsical as it features a kind of “bit”-print that forms lovely little roses looked from a far. Looking at close, it’s actually tiny squares forming the print. Rosey is also up to J-cup so there you go, some loveliness above G as well!

  
Charnos is a sister-brand to Lepel is targeted more to grown-up women who want something elegant and sophisticated. Lepel and Charnos have now been made more close to each other style-wise so that the collections would be more cohesive and complementing each other. I think there are definitely some styles both my mom and I would love from the collection which is definitely a good thing.

The Sienna is a continuity range that has a couple of colourways available, this season they will be Paradise blue and Ink. These blue/purple shades seem to be very popular this season along with some brights such as pinks and yellows. As Charnos is more directed to mature customers, the hues are a bit more subtle but still trendy. 

My favourites styles from the collection would definitely be the white Suzette with Europian-kind-of lace and the Violet with a cute floral print. These styles feel a bit more “me” as they are more suited for the younger Charnos customer. The shape of Violet looks awesome and very uplifting so if I ever try Charnos lingerie, this would be on the top of my list. It’s also up to J-cup meaning I would still have a chance with it even if I grew a bit.

From top to bottom: Minnie, Disco, Miami Girls, Holiday Sparkle, Fiesta, Seaside Fever and Summer Days

If I needed to pick a winner for next summer’s best swim wear collection that would probably be Lepel. I LOVE their SS15 swim collection – it’s full of colour and fun details. My absolute favourite is not hard to guess; it’s definitely the Minnie with its adorable retro dots and colouring. I am absolutely in love with it’s orange-y red details and sky blue hue. It’s so vintage chic I just want to steal it to myself. Right. Now.

Along with the gorgeous retro swimsuits there’s also plenty of other things I enjoyed – paint brush-like stripes, yellow, red, vintage glamour, longline bikini top and of course, unbeatable prices. This swimwear is mostly up to G-cup (with Fiesta up to H-cup!) and is very affordable for someone my age aka student with no extra money. This is one of the reasons I love Lepel; they always manage to offer something that is well-priced and cute, with the latest trends on top of the sweet cake.

All in all, this is yet another very strong collection for both Lepel and Charnos and I can’t wait for these styles to get released. What do you think? Drop me a comment if you found your favourite xx