When I first saw Athena in ivory back in January at our buying appointment, I thought exactly what Coco de Mer intended me to think: Bridal Lingerie.
The ivory silk, the intricate embroidery, the softness of the colour, even the introduction of the new Suspender Belt - It all made perfect sense. Then the collection arrived. I sat down to write the product descriptions and spent far longer looking at the embroidery than most people probably would. Somewhere during that process, I stopped thinking about weddings altogether.
Instead, I found myself thinking about craftsmanship.
The Colour Isn't the Whole Story
The easiest thing to notice about Athena is that it's ivory. The more interesting thing is everything else.
Every fan motif was hand-drawn exclusively for Coco de Mer by a French embroidery atelier whose archives date back to the 1920s. Rather than relying on traditional floral lace, Athena is built around graphic embroidery that feels almost architectural, changing character as the light moves across it.
We've stocked Athena in several colours over the years, so I thought I knew the collection well.
- In black: The embroidery feels bold and graphic.
- In ivory: It feels quieter. Not less confident, just different.. And that's what kept drawing me back to it.
Bridal Is an Occasion. Beautiful Lingerie Is a Wardrobe.
Athena absolutely belongs in a bridal collection. If you're looking for exceptional wedding lingerie, I don't think many collections do it better. But I also think it deserves a life beyond that.
When I came to write the product descriptions, I deliberately avoided describing Athena as bridal. Not because it isn't, but because I didn't want that label to become the whole story. Over the past few months I've found myself returning to the same idea again and again: Beautiful things shouldn't be reserved for a single occasion.
I wrote something similar recently about silk nightwear. It earns its place because it's beautiful enough to wear, not because it's beautiful enough to save. The same is true here.
The wedding might last a day. The craftsmanship lasts much longer.
A Collection That Changed My Mind
I still think of Athena as a bridal or honeymoon lingerie collection. I probably always will. I just don't think that's the only way to see it anymore.
What began as something I'd naturally place in our bridal edit gradually became a collection I'd recommend just as readily to someone celebrating an anniversary, replacing traditional black with ivory, or simply appreciating exceptional embroidery and thoughtful design.
Perhaps that's the biggest compliment I can give it. The more time I spent with Athena, the less I thought about the occasion it was designed for, and the more I appreciated the collection itself.
I hope you'll enjoy Athena as much as I have.
Sarah Northey, Founder of Naughty Knickers. Sarah has spent over 15 years buying and curating luxury European lingerie, with a particular interest in French craftsmanship, independent houses and collection design.
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