“A Moment of Beauty,” for Expectant Mothers: Dita Von Teese’s Von Follies Launch

Burlesque dancer and costume designer Dita Von Teese has fused comfort with beauty in new seven-piece Von Follies maternity lingerie collection. The range seems destined for spectacular success, filling a long over-looked gap in a market which has previously consigned pregnant women to underwear of the distinctly plain and functional variety.

The decision to reach out to this new audience no doubt surprised Von Teese’s followers, and the decision even surprised herself, she admitted. Known for her seductive lingerie ranges, the designer did not seem the most obvious choice for a range catering to the practical needs of the changing pregnant body, but speaking at the launch of her collection at Destination Maternity’s flagship store in New York, Von Teese explained: “My relationship with lingerie really isn’t so much about seduction and sex, it’s about having a moment of beauty, symbolic of womanhood and femininity.” She explained further her point that it is not that women should feel obliged to wear lacy underwear during pregnancy – or indeed any time – but that they should have the choice to do so.

The Von Follies collection fuses comfort and ante-natal practicality – such as soft, stretchy satin – with designs to satisfy expecting mothers continued desire to look and feel beautiful. Style director Olivia Capone said of the range: “It’s not only supportive but it’s really feminine and ultra-pretty and I think that’s what many expecting and new mums are actually looking for.” Black lace and ribbon detailing feature in the pieces, which take visual inspiration from Von Teese’s previous collections.