Best Sexy Lingerie

By Gayot Editors

We imagine that when Dorothy Parker, the queen of witty bon mots, stated that “Brevity is the soul of lingerie,” the latter (dominated as it was by lots of big girl cotton bloomers) was still in need of some “brevity.” Lingerie brands offer luxurious lacey getups for women of all sizes to make us feel seductive and powerful, whether we dress for ourselves or undress for a lover. But there’s a fine line between truly sultry and just plain vulgar.

With GAYOT’s list of the Best Sexy Lingerie brands in the world, you will only find the former. Here are the pretty little pieces to make temperatures rise indoors.

> For more ways to tap into your sensual spirit — whether you’re looking for the perfect gift, or simply shopping for yourself — a pick from our list of the sexiest movies of all time.

lise charmel

Lise Charmel’s designs are the epitome of high-fashion French couture.

This ultra feminine French lingerie brand offers everything from delicate, dainty pieces to bolder, edgier styles for any occasion. The brand tends to set trends rather than follow them and is committed to creating a handful of quality designs rather than mass producing everyday lingerie. Whether you want classic neutrals in floral lace or more colorful selections delicately arranged with provocative details, these sexy pieces are perfect for spicing up an ordinary night.

la perla

You can’t help but swoon over La Perla’s ladylike, glamorous creations.

Their fit is marvelous. La Perla designers meticulously fit each pattern to a body rather than a mannequin, so each garment is tailored to be precisely form-fitting, allowing for the materials to better stretch and support a woman’s curves. And who wouldn’t want to support those? In the Extended Intimacy line is where you’ll find bras, bustiers, nightdresses and swimsuits that can be shown off anywhere and last well beyond the fleeting trends.

Sexy lacey look from Agent Provocateur

Despite its French moniker, this famous lingerie brand was actually born in England.

Joseph Corré, the son of punk fashion queen Vivienne Westwood and the Sex Pistols’ impresario Malcolm McLaren, opened a lingerie store in Soho in 1994. When he and his partner (now ex-wife) Serena Rees couldn’t find the kinds of underthings they wanted to stock, they launched Agent Provocateur. The line quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, and today, femme fatales everywhere save their pretty pennies for sexy knickers, waspies, bras and corsets. Agent Provocateur also peddles beauty products and swimwear. If you’re feeling particularly frisky, take a peek at their accessories section and shop for “Eyes Wide Shut”-style masks, handcuffs, pasties and crystal whips.

aubade

G-strings don’t leave much to the imagination, especially when they weigh a wee 5 grams.

You’ll find this mere trifle at Aubade, who also invented the strapless bra and the tanga in the 1970s. The Parisian couture lingerie brand got its start as a corset-making company in 1875. Today, it meticulously crafts bras, knickers, bodices and other delicious pieces with a sexy twist, including the molded plunge bra and the waist-slimming “Guêpière.”

bluebella

Founded in 2005, Bluebella entices lingerie lovers with delicate laces, strappy pieces.

Founder and Oxford graduate Emily Bendell began with a simple, clear-cut vision: affordable and luxurious undergarments that all women can appreciate. It was definitely love at first sight when we laid eyes on the chic, feminine pieces. Designs incorporate current trends sure to make any fashionista happy, with two seasonal lingerie collections launched per year. The brand’s provocative selections offer plenty of versatility, from (sexy) girl-next-door pajamas to irresistible pieces fit for a fling with Christian Grey.

Claire Pettibone

You’ll fall in love with Claire Pettibone’s pretty, romantic pieces at first look.

Everything the Los Angeles-based designer Claire Pettibone dreams up will make you feel like a princess, a goddess or a seductress — sometimes all at once. And that is exactly her goal: to take women to “an enchanted place,” whether it’s via coveted couture bridal creations or delicate camis and chemises. Celebs took note, including Camilla Belle and Demi Moore. Her haute-luxe bridal collections are classy and understated. The all-white pieces are adorned with French lace and delicate embroidery. Get ready to feel like Cinderella until long after midnight.

For more information, visit Claire Pettibone official website.

cosabella

Founded in 1983 by an Italian husband-and-wife team, Cosabella (“beautiful thing” in Italian) is headquartered in sizzling Miami.

This popular brand turns up the heat via its decades-old mantra “Freedom of Color,” offering a staggering number of color variants, with new hues and prints introduced every season. Cosabella also deserves kudos for making sexy undies available to plus-sized vixens. Their “Cheekie” hotpant is an example of plus-sized lingerie available in size 22 and the “Sweetie” bra goes up to G cup. And the pièce de résistance: they manage to make functional shapewear look hot.

 Damari

Experiments in the kitchen can get you a better soufflé, but who knew they could also dub you darling of the underwear world!

At least this is true if you are Damaris Evans, the mastermind behind bottom cleavage. Shortly after completing her first sexy knicker designs from her kitchen in 2001, Central Saint Martins College graduate Damaris gained overnight celebrity status by wowing stylists and the fickle members of the fashion press through private showings, garnering rave reviews in Vogue and Elle. The latter quickly crowned her “Lingerie Queen” and the real Queen took note: Damaris was summoned to Buckingham Palace to receive her “Celebration of British Design” award.

Damaris has since gained a loyal following of celebs, royalty and mere mortals who are smitten with the avant-garde line’s cheeky (pardon the pun) bottom cleavage panties, signature “bow knickers,” sassy shoulder bras and infamous naked bra. Damaris’ tad more affordable Mimi Holliday line is equally eye-catching. But what can you expect from a designer who describes herself as “knickercentric?”

For more information, visit Damaris official website.

Dita von Teese


Who better to dream up sexy intimates than America’s reigning queen of burlesque?

Dita Von Teese’s lingerie creations are just like her persona — all sexy, vintage Hollywood glamour. The Michigan native (and natural blonde!) was inspired by her very own closet and long love for boudoir-ready unmentionables. Dita, today a designer muse and international femme fatale, worked in a lingerie store in her teens and early 20s. Her sumptuous and satiny pieces include cleavage-enhancing, 1950s-style balconette bras (think Marilyn Monroe) and old-school, high-waisted briefs; but while they are retro looks, their fit is not. The line was designed with utter comfort and a touch of romance in mind.

Kiki de Montparnasse offers no run-of-the-mill lingerie


Kiki was said to be “one of the century’s first truly independent women.”

Art fans may already be familiar with Man Ray’s muse “Kiki de Montparnasse” (aka Alice Ernestine Prin), the French nightclub singer and painter who was an artist’s model for several Dada painters in 1920s Paris. The subject of Man Ray’s celebrated surrealist image Le violon d’Ingres, Kiki was said to be “one of the century’s first truly independent women.” Her cutting-edge, creative spirit lives on through the high-end American lingerie company Kiki de Montparnasse.