Sister Wives' Maddie Isn't Pleased by Caleb's Lingerie Gift

Crossing the line? Maddie Brown isn't thrilled by fiancé's Caleb Brush's lingerie gift in Sister Wives' Sunday, December 11, episode, as seen in Us Weekly's exclusive sneak peek. 

PHOTOS: Celebrity Weddings 2016: See the Photos!

The TLC unscripted series' preview clip shows Brown, 21 â€" whose parents are >Kody Brown and second wife Janelle â€" celebrating her upcoming nuptials at a shower attended by friends and family members. At one point, Maddie's bridesmaids each give her a different piece of lingerie, along with a household item that she can supposedly use while wearing the sexy garments. 

PHOTOS: Stars â€" They're Just Like Us!

"My family, we like to embarrass each other and see if we can get each other to be embarrassed," the bride-to-be tells the camera. 

TLC

However, Maddie no longer appears to be enjoying the game when she opens the camouflage-patterned bedroom attire from Brush, and she only briefly holds up the gift to the crowd.

Sister Wives' Maddie Realizes Her Wedding Dress No Longer FitsSister Wives' Kody Isn't Happy About Maddie's Wedding ThemeSister Wives’ Maddie Brown Is Pregnant!

"I think Maddie's reaction to Caleb's gift â€" it was embarrassing," Janelle says to the camera. "I mean, she was blushing."

PHOTOS: Biggest Celebrity Cheating Scandals Ever!

Maddie explains in a testimonial, "The gift from Caleb did embarrass me, just because all of it is, like, fun and games until Caleb gets involved, and then it's like, 'Really?' I think it was just 'cause of that fact that it was from Caleb."

A previously released clip from the episode showed Maddie realizing just days before the ceremony that her wedding dress no longer fits. The scene was also exclusive to Us.

Watch the funny clip above. Sister Wives airs on TLC Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. 

Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly >newsletter!

"

| Sister | Wives | Maddie | Isnt | Pleased | Calebs | Lingerie | Gift | Crossing | line | Brown< | strong> | isnt | thrilled | fiancés | Caleb | Brush< | strong>s | lingerie | gift | Wives< | Sunday | December | episode | seen | Weekly< | em>s | exclusive | sneak | peek | p> PHOTOS: | Celebrity | Weddings | 2016: | Photos!< | h3> The | unscripted | series | preview | clip | shows | Brown | whose | parents | Kody | strong>< | second | wife | Janelle< | celebrating | upcoming | nuptials | shower | attended | friends | family | members | point | Maddies | bridesmaids | each | give | different | piece | along | with | household | item | that | supposedly | while | wearing | sexy | garments | Stars | Theyre | Just | Like | Us!< | h3> My | like | embarrass | other | embarrassed | bride | tells | camera | p> TLC< | span>However | longer | appears | enjoying | game | when | opens | camouflage | patterned | bedroom | attire | from | Brush | only | briefly | holds | crowd | p> Sister | Realizes | Wedding | Dress | Longer | Fits< | a>Sister | Happy | About | Theme< | Wives’ | Pregnant!< | think | reaction | embarrassing | Janelle | says | mean | blushing | Biggest | Cheating | Scandals | Ever!< | h3> Maddie | explains | testimonial | just | because | games | until | gets | involved | then | Really | cause | fact | p> A | previously | released | showed | realizing | days | before | ceremony | wedding | dress | fits< | scene | also | em>< | p> Watch | funny | above | airs | Sundays | p> Want | stories | these | delivered | straight | your | inbox | Sign | Weekly | newsletter!< | p> |

Read More

Sister Wives' Maddie Isn't Pleased by Caleb's Lingerie Gift

Crossing the line? Maddie Brown isn't thrilled by fiancé's Caleb Brush's lingerie gift in Sister Wives' Sunday, December 11, episode, as seen in Us Weekly's exclusive sneak peek. 

PHOTOS: Celebrity Weddings 2016: See the Photos!

The TLC unscripted series' preview clip shows Brown, 21 â€" whose parents are >Kody Brown and second wife Janelle â€" celebrating her upcoming nuptials at a shower attended by friends and family members. At one point, Maddie's bridesmaids each give her a different piece of lingerie, along with a household item that she can supposedly use while wearing the sexy garments. 

PHOTOS: Stars â€" They're Just Like Us!

"My family, we like to embarrass each other and see if we can get each other to be embarrassed," the bride-to-be tells the camera. 

TLC

However, Maddie no longer appears to be enjoying the game when she opens the camouflage-patterned bedroom attire from Brush, and she only briefly holds up the gift to the crowd.

Sister Wives' Maddie Realizes Her Wedding Dress No Longer FitsSister Wives' Kody Isn't Happy About Maddie's Wedding ThemeSister Wives’ Maddie Brown Is Pregnant!

"I think Maddie's reaction to Caleb's gift â€" it was embarrassing," Janelle says to the camera. "I mean, she was blushing."

PHOTOS: Biggest Celebrity Cheating Scandals Ever!

Maddie explains in a testimonial, "The gift from Caleb did embarrass me, just because all of it is, like, fun and games until Caleb gets involved, and then it's like, 'Really?' I think it was just 'cause of that fact that it was from Caleb."

A previously released clip from the episode showed Maddie realizing just days before the ceremony that her wedding dress no longer fits. The scene was also exclusive to Us.

Watch the funny clip above. Sister Wives airs on TLC Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. 

Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly >newsletter!

"

| Sister | Wives | Maddie | Isnt | Pleased | Calebs | Lingerie | Gift | Crossing | line | Brown< | strong> | isnt | thrilled | fiancés | Caleb | Brush< | strong>s | lingerie | gift | Wives< | Sunday | December | episode | seen | Weekly< | em>s | exclusive | sneak | peek | p> PHOTOS: | Celebrity | Weddings | 2016: | Photos!< | h3> The | unscripted | series | preview | clip | shows | Brown | whose | parents | Kody | strong>< | second | wife | Janelle< | celebrating | upcoming | nuptials | shower | attended | friends | family | members | point | Maddies | bridesmaids | each | give | different | piece | along | with | household | item | that | supposedly | while | wearing | sexy | garments | Stars | Theyre | Just | Like | Us!< | h3> My | like | embarrass | other | embarrassed | bride | tells | camera | p> TLC< | span>However | longer | appears | enjoying | game | when | opens | camouflage | patterned | bedroom | attire | from | Brush | only | briefly | holds | crowd | p> Sister | Realizes | Wedding | Dress | Longer | Fits< | a>Sister | Happy | About | Theme< | Wives’ | Pregnant!< | think | reaction | embarrassing | Janelle | says | mean | blushing | Biggest | Cheating | Scandals | Ever!< | h3> Maddie | explains | testimonial | just | because | games | until | gets | involved | then | Really | cause | fact | p> A | previously | released | showed | realizing | days | before | ceremony | wedding | dress | fits< | scene | also | em>< | p> Watch | funny | above | airs | Sundays | p> Want | stories | these | delivered | straight | your | inbox | Sign | Weekly | newsletter!< | p> |

Read More

Lingerie model, 18, selling her virginity says she’s been offered £1.7MILLION by a tycoon and insists she will go ahead despite family’s threat to disown her

PAPA DON'T PREACH

Aleexandra Khefren, 18, from Bucharest, Romania says she has been inundated with offers since publicising planned auction

A TEEN lingerie model planning to sell her virginity to the highest bidder has revealed she has been offered £1.7million by a rich businessman.

Aleexandra Khefren, 18, from Bucharest, Romania, said she has been inundated with offers since first publicising her plan.

>

Cinderella Escorts

Aleexandra Khefren, 18, is planning to sell her virginity to the highest bidder

>

Cinderella Escorts

The aspiring lingerie model claims she has received offers of up to £1.7million

>

Rex Features

Aleexandra intends to go through with her plan despite her parents’ disapproval

And the aspiring model has insisted that she intends to go through with her idea â€" despite threats from her family to disown her if she did.

The sordid auction is being organised by German escort agency Cinderella Escorts, which is reportedly taking a 20 per cent cut of the final selling price.

The company â€" which posted a series of shots of the teenager posing in lacy underwear online â€" said: “The date takes place in Germany. The buyer can choose a hotel here, where Aleexandra will visit him for a night.”

The agency originally set the asking price at 1million euros (£850,000).

But after mounting publicity surrounding the auction, Aleexandra â€" whose real name is Oana Raducu â€" claims to have been offered up to 2million euros (£1.7million).

And the teen says she and Cinderella are hopeful that even bigger offers will come rolling in before February, when she plans to finally lose her virginity â€" although she says money will not be the only factor in choosing a suitor.

‘Forget chocs... have a threesome’

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'I'M NO PROSTITUTE'

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‘I’ll only date rich guys’

Sugar baby refuses to work and lives off older men who paid for a £25k car, exotic holidays and TWO boob jobs

'I'M GOING TO DO HIM OVER'

Millionaire 'bugged £10,000-a-month escort and heard her brag she would 'fleece him' of cash'

SEX SELLS

The self-proclaimed 'No.1 male escort in the world' reveals the weirdest things he's ever been asked to do

'AGE IS JUST A NUMBER'

Male Sugar Baby, 26, has sex with divorced 40-something women who lavish him with pricey gifts... and his girlfriend doesn't know

“We will go to a hotel in Germany, have dinner and then it will happen,” said Aleexandra, according to the Daily Mail.

“I am very curious about how sex is. I have not experimented. I don’t know what is it (sic).”

The teen said she is determined to go through with her plan, regardless of what her family think.

Her dad Toni, a riot cop, and mum Elena, a pharmacist, have reportedly promised to cut her off if she goes ahead with the auction.

>

Cinderella Escorts

The auction for Aleexandra’s virginity is being organised by German-based Cinderella Escorts

>

Cinderella Escorts

The escort agency organising the auction posted a series of snaps online showing the teen in lacy lingerie

Her uncle Radu Raducu told the Mail: “They have begged her not to do it, but she told them ‘I’m 18 and I can do what I like with my body.’

“They have threatened her and said if she goes ahead with selling herself they will not consider her their daughter any more. It is a terrible situation.”

The case first came into the public eye in the UK after Aleexandra appeared on This Morning to discuss her plan to sell her virginity.

She told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield she needed to raise the money stop her struggling parents being evicted and to pay for university fees.

A teen girl reveals on This Morning she is selling virginity for £1million

>

PA:Press Association

Aleexandra told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield of her plan on This Morning

>

Instagram

The teen said she expects offers of even larger sums to come in

>

instagram

Aleexandra's parents have reportedly threatened to disown her if she goes through with her plan

But it has since emerged that the teen’s parents are relatively well off, earning salaries that are comfortably above the average wages in Romania.

And Radu previously confirmed he had no knowledge that his brother and her wife were in financial trouble.

Toni and Elena Raducu have not commented to the press on their daughter’s plan.

---

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.

---

"

| Lingerie | model, | selling | virginity | says | she’s | been | offered | £1.7MILLION | tycoon | insists | will | ahead | despite | family’s | threat | disown | PAPA | DONT | PREACH< | span> Aleexandra | Khefren | from | Bucharest | Romania says | inundated | with | offers | since | publicising | planned | auction< | p> < | div> < | div> A | TEEN | lingerie | model | planning | sell | highest | bidder | revealed | 7million | rich | businessman | p> Aleexandra | Romania< | said | first | plan | a> Cinderella | Escorts< | p> < | div> Aleexandra | bidder < | div> The | aspiring | claims | received | 7million < | a> Rex | Features< | intends | through | parents’ | disapproval And | insisted | that | idea | threats | family | p> The | sordid | auction | being | organised | German | escort | agency | Cinderella | Escorts | which | reportedly | taking | cent | final | price | company | posted | series | shots | teenager | posing | lacy | underwear | online | said: | “The | date | takes | place | Germany | buyer | choose | hotel | here | where | Aleexandra | visit | night | ”< | originally | asking | 1million | euros | (£850 | 000) | p> But | after | mounting | publicity | surrounding | whose | real | name | Oana | Raducu | have | 2million | (£1 | 7million) | p> And | teen | hopeful | even | bigger | come | rolling | before | February | when | plans | finally | lose | although | money | only | factor | choosing | suitor | p> < | p>‘Forget | chocs | threesome’< | h3> Escort | most | business | Christmas | couples | threesomes< | span> < | div> < | p>IM | PROSTITUTE< | h3> Mum | defends | choice | support | three | kids | using | sugar | baby | dating | websites | fleeing | abusive | hubby< | p>‘I’ll | guys’< | h3> Sugar | refuses | work | lives | older | paid | £25k | exotic | holidays | boob | jobs< | GOING | OVER< | h3> Millionaire | bugged | £10 | month | heard | brag | would | fleece | cash< | p>SEX | SELLS< | h3> The | self | proclaimed | male | world | reveals | weirdest | things | ever | asked | p>AGE | JUST | NUMBER< | h3> Male | Sugar | Baby | divorced | something | women | lavish | pricey | gifts | girlfriend | doesnt | know< | div> < | div> “We | dinner | then | happen | according | Daily | Mail< | p> “I | very | curious | about | experimented | don’t | know | what | (sic) | determined | regardless | think | p> Her | Toni | riot | Elena | pharmacist | promised | goes | Aleexandra’s | based | Escorts < | organising | snaps | showing | lingerie Her | uncle | Radu | told | Mail: | “They | begged | them | ‘I’m | like | body | ’< | p> “They | threatened | herself | they | consider | their | daughter | more | terrible | situation | case | came | into | public | appeared | This | Morning | discuss | virginity< | p> She | presenters | Holly | Willoughby | Phillip | Schofield | needed | raise | stop | struggling | parents | evicted | university | fees | p> A | girl | £1million < | a> PA:Press | Association< | Morning < | a> Instagram< | expects | larger | sums | in < | a> instagram< | div> Aleexandras | plan But | emerged | teen’s | relatively | well | earning | salaries | comfortably | above | average | wages | Romania | previously | confirmed | knowledge | brother | wife | were | financial | trouble | p> Toni | commented | press | daughter’s | p> We | your | stories! | story | Online | news | team | Email | at tips@the | a> or | call | 0207 | 4368 | strong>< | div> |

Read More

A New Vision of Lingerie: Men Not Required

Photo

ThirdLove is among the indie companies making bras with women, not men, in mind.

When Heidi Zak was getting dressed for work one foggy March morning in 2012, she peered into the drawer that housed her undergarments and sighed sadly. “I pulled out my bras and realized they were so stretched out, and then the dread set in,” Ms. Zak said. “It’s the dread of having to go out and buy new bras.”

At the time, Ms. Zak was a product marketing manager at Google in San Francisco, but she had always toyed with the idea of building a brand. That morning she figured out what it would be.

Photo

The Lonely line is not averse to lace.

A self-described fitness fanatic who prefers running outside to shopping at malls, Ms. Zak wasn’t passionate about lingerie, but she realized that if she hated bra shopping, other women must as well. She left Google later that year and in 2014 introduced ThirdLove, an e-commerce site offering basic but stylish underpinnings designed for women by women.

With her new business, Ms. Zak would seek to solve the plight of bra shopping, which often involves fluorescent lighting, three-way mirrors and a mess of straps and hangers. “Bras should have been the first item to go online,” she said. “You don’t do it with friends, women don’t like the in-store experience, and the market is filled with old-school brands run by middle-aged men who think they’re targeting women.” She says the line has had 20 percent growth month over month since its introduction.

Photo

For Lonely, a model displays the new-school attitude: self-possessed.

ThirdLove joins a growing number of lingerie lines that are reinvigorating an otherwise staid market. Through sleek websites, hip campaign imagery, savvy fit options and compelling social media feeds, companies like Lively, Lonely and Adore Me are making it easier than ever for the online set to shop innerwear. Moreover, the new lines are changing the message behind lingerie from one of oversexualized fantasy to empowerment, confidence and comfort.

Continue reading the main story

This vision marks a contrast with Victoria’s Secret, the bubble-gum pink retailer that, according to the research company IBISWorld, encompasses 62 percent of the $9 billion lingerie market in the United States. That means that a majority of women are buying their most intimate apparel next to life-size photos of supermodels, whose come-hither looks and propped-up underpinnings embody a male fantasy. Emerging lingerie brands are determined to change that association and bring the focus back to women.

Like ThirdLove, Lively is a bra and underwear label that prides itself on being made for women by women. Its founder, Michelle Cordeiro Grant, a former senior merchant for bras at Victoria’s Secret, introduced Lively in April to bridge the worlds of athletic wear and innerwear. She coined the term “leisurée” (a cross, of sorts, between “athleisure” and lingerie) to describe 11 styles of bralettes, push-ups and T-shirt bras offered in a mix of neutrals and bold prints.

“I admire Victoria’s Secret as a business, but I stopped relating to the fantasy and the push-ups and the armor, it was too much for me,” Ms. Grant said. “I wanted to create something more authentic for the modern woman, where she doesn’t have to choose between style and comfort. Victoria’s Secret is the mind-set of ‘How do I feel when a man looks at me?’ versus ‘How do I look when I’m feeling confident, comfortable and ready to take on the day?’”

Photo

A cross-back style from Lively.

In February, before the site went live, Lively ran a referral program offering redeemable points in exchange for email addresses. Within 48 hours, its flash page had 280,000 unique visits. Ms. Grant declined to comment on sales, but said the company had seen month-over-month growth and had received $5.5 million in funding.

Lively uses Instagram to communicate with consumers on matters of fit, design and packaging, then turns the feedback into content. When a shopper tweets #needthis about a specific bra, the hashtag becomes an email headline. And while it celebrates famous fans like Khloe Kardashian and Gigi Hadid, it scours its social feeds to find ambassadors who are everyday women living regular lives. Much like ThirdLove’s fit models, who deliberately look down at themselves instead of posing sensually for the camera, Lively’s fit guide features real customers in sizes ranging from 32A to 38DD.

Photo

A sporty entry from Lively.

“The intimate apparel business has been sluggish in keeping up with consumers,” said Marshal Cohen, the chief industry analyst at NPD Group. “It’s already a product that’s difficult to fit, so if you can find a way to make it a more appealing shopping experience, it’s a home run every time. We’re seeing these emerging brands reach consumers on an emotional level, and now stores are going to have to play catch up.”

This emerging market is also capturing the Hollywood audience. In August, Lena Dunham and Jemima Kirke posed for a photo shoot in Lonely, a lingerie and ready-to-wear label based in Auckland, New Zealand. The actresses joined what Helene Morris, a founder of the line, calls the “Lonely Girls Project,” an artistic photo series of real women wearing the label in a range of places, from their bedrooms to the beach.

“We’re trying to show women as they are and not trying to change them,” Ms. Morris said. “We want to celebrate our flaws and see the beauty in our differences. It’s so important and empowering for women to celebrate their shape.”

Once the images of Ms. Dunham and Ms. Kirke surfaced, the Lonely site received more than 600,000 views and temporarily lagged. The company also photographed the artist Petra Collins, who set off an online reaction after posing with body hair.

Continue reading the main story

“We are challenging people and offering a wider viewpoint, which can only be a good thing,” Ms. Morris said.

Continue reading the main story"

| Vision | Lingerie: | Required | Photo< | span>< | div> ThirdLove | among | indie | companies | making | bras | with | women | mind | span> When | Heidi | getting | dressed | work | foggy | March | morning | 2012 | peered | into | drawer | that | housed | undergarments | sighed | sadly | “I | pulled | realized | they | were | stretched | then | dread | said | “It’s | having | ”< | p> At | time | product | marketing | manager | Google | Francisco | always | toyed | idea | building | brand | That | figured | what | would | p> Photo< | span> < | div> The | Lonely | line | averse | lace | span> A | self | described | fitness | fanatic | prefers | running | outside | shopping | malls | wasn’t | passionate | about | lingerie | hated | other | must | well | left | later | year | 2014 | introduced | ThirdLove< | commerce | site | offering | basic | stylish | underpinnings | designed | p> With | business | seek | solve | plight | which | often | involves | fluorescent | lighting | three | mirrors | mess | straps | hangers | “Bras | should | have | been | first | item | online | “You | don’t | friends | like | store | experience | market | filled | school | brands | middle | aged | think | they’re | targeting | says | percent | growth | month | over | since | introduction | div> For | model | displays | attitude: | possessed | span> ThirdLove | joins | growing | number | lines | reinvigorating | otherwise | staid | Through | sleek | websites | campaign | imagery | savvy | options | compelling | social | media | feeds | Lively< | Lonely< | Adore | easier | than | ever | shop | innerwear | Moreover | changing | message | behind | from | oversexualized | fantasy | empowerment | confidence | comfort | p> Continue | reading | main | story< | div> This | vision | marks | contrast | Victoria’s | Secret | bubble | pink | retailer | according | research | company | IBISWorld | encompasses | billion | United | States | means | majority | buying | their | most | intimate | apparel | next | life | size | photos | supermodels | whose | come | hither | looks | propped | embody | male | Emerging | determined | change | association | bring | focus | back | p> Like | ThirdLove | Lively | underwear | label | prides | itself | being | made | founder | Michelle | Cordeiro | Grant | former | senior | merchant | April | bridge | worlds | athletic | wear | coined | term | “leisurée” | cross | sorts | between | “athleisure” | lingerie) | describe | styles | bralettes | push | shirt | offered | neutrals | bold | prints | p> “I | admire | stopped | relating | armor | much | wanted | create | something | more | authentic | modern | woman | where | doesn’t | choose | style | ‘How | feel | when | versus | look | I’m | feeling | confident | comfortable | ready | take | ’”< | div> A | span> In | February | before | went | live | referral | program | redeemable | points | exchange | email | addresses | Within | hours | flash | page | unique | visits | declined | comment | sales | seen | received | million | funding | p> Lively | uses | Instagram | communicate | consumers | matters | design | packaging | turns | feedback | content | When | shopper | tweets | needthis | specific | hashtag | becomes | headline | while | celebrates | famous | fans | Khloe | Kardashian | Gigi | Hadid | scours | find | ambassadors | everyday | living | regular | lives | Much | ThirdLove’s | models | deliberately | down | themselves | instead | posing | sensually | camera | Lively’s | guide< | features | real | customers | sizes | ranging | 38DD | sporty | entry | span> “The | sluggish | keeping | Marshal | Cohen | chief | industry | analyst | Group | already | that’s | difficult | make | appealing | it’s | home | every | We’re | seeing | these | emerging | reach | emotional | level | stores | going | play | catch | p> This | also | capturing | Hollywood | audience | August | Lena | Dunham | Jemima | Kirke | posed | photo | shoot< | based | Auckland | Zealand | actresses | joined | Helene | Morris | calls | “Lonely | Girls | Project< | artistic | series | wearing | range | places | bedrooms | beach | p> “We’re | trying | show | them | “We | want | celebrate | flaws | beauty | differences | It’s | important | empowering | shape | p> Once | images | surfaced | views | temporarily | lagged | photographed | artist | Petra | Collins< | reaction | after | body | hair | div> “We | challenging | people | wider | viewpoint | only | good | thing | p> Continue |

Read More

A New Vision of Lingerie: Men Not Required

Photo

ThirdLove is among the indie companies making bras with women, not men, in mind.

When Heidi Zak was getting dressed for work one foggy March morning in 2012, she peered into the drawer that housed her undergarments and sighed sadly. “I pulled out my bras and realized they were so stretched out, and then the dread set in,” Ms. Zak said. “It’s the dread of having to go out and buy new bras.”

At the time, Ms. Zak was a product marketing manager at Google in San Francisco, but she had always toyed with the idea of building a brand. That morning she figured out what it would be.

Photo

The Lonely line is not averse to lace.

A self-described fitness fanatic who prefers running outside to shopping at malls, Ms. Zak wasn’t passionate about lingerie, but she realized that if she hated bra shopping, other women must as well. She left Google later that year and in 2014 introduced ThirdLove, an e-commerce site offering basic but stylish underpinnings designed for women by women.

With her new business, Ms. Zak would seek to solve the plight of bra shopping, which often involves fluorescent lighting, three-way mirrors and a mess of straps and hangers. “Bras should have been the first item to go online,” she said. “You don’t do it with friends, women don’t like the in-store experience, and the market is filled with old-school brands run by middle-aged men who think they’re targeting women.” She says the line has had 20 percent growth month over month since its introduction.

Photo

For Lonely, a model displays the new-school attitude: self-possessed.

ThirdLove joins a growing number of lingerie lines that are reinvigorating an otherwise staid market. Through sleek websites, hip campaign imagery, savvy fit options and compelling social media feeds, companies like Lively, Lonely and Adore Me are making it easier than ever for the online set to shop innerwear. Moreover, the new lines are changing the message behind lingerie from one of oversexualized fantasy to empowerment, confidence and comfort.

Continue reading the main story

This vision marks a contrast with Victoria’s Secret, the bubble-gum pink retailer that, according to the research company IBISWorld, encompasses 62 percent of the $9 billion lingerie market in the United States. That means that a majority of women are buying their most intimate apparel next to life-size photos of supermodels, whose come-hither looks and propped-up underpinnings embody a male fantasy. Emerging lingerie brands are determined to change that association and bring the focus back to women.

Like ThirdLove, Lively is a bra and underwear label that prides itself on being made for women by women. Its founder, Michelle Cordeiro Grant, a former senior merchant for bras at Victoria’s Secret, introduced Lively in April to bridge the worlds of athletic wear and innerwear. She coined the term “leisurée” (a cross, of sorts, between “athleisure” and lingerie) to describe 11 styles of bralettes, push-ups and T-shirt bras offered in a mix of neutrals and bold prints.

“I admire Victoria’s Secret as a business, but I stopped relating to the fantasy and the push-ups and the armor, it was too much for me,” Ms. Grant said. “I wanted to create something more authentic for the modern woman, where she doesn’t have to choose between style and comfort. Victoria’s Secret is the mind-set of ‘How do I feel when a man looks at me?’ versus ‘How do I look when I’m feeling confident, comfortable and ready to take on the day?’”

Photo

A cross-back style from Lively.

In February, before the site went live, Lively ran a referral program offering redeemable points in exchange for email addresses. Within 48 hours, its flash page had 280,000 unique visits. Ms. Grant declined to comment on sales, but said the company had seen month-over-month growth and had received $5.5 million in funding.

Lively uses Instagram to communicate with consumers on matters of fit, design and packaging, then turns the feedback into content. When a shopper tweets #needthis about a specific bra, the hashtag becomes an email headline. And while it celebrates famous fans like Khloe Kardashian and Gigi Hadid, it scours its social feeds to find ambassadors who are everyday women living regular lives. Much like ThirdLove’s fit models, who deliberately look down at themselves instead of posing sensually for the camera, Lively’s fit guide features real customers in sizes ranging from 32A to 38DD.

Photo

A sporty entry from Lively.

“The intimate apparel business has been sluggish in keeping up with consumers,” said Marshal Cohen, the chief industry analyst at NPD Group. “It’s already a product that’s difficult to fit, so if you can find a way to make it a more appealing shopping experience, it’s a home run every time. We’re seeing these emerging brands reach consumers on an emotional level, and now stores are going to have to play catch up.”

This emerging market is also capturing the Hollywood audience. In August, Lena Dunham and Jemima Kirke posed for a photo shoot in Lonely, a lingerie and ready-to-wear label based in Auckland, New Zealand. The actresses joined what Helene Morris, a founder of the line, calls the “Lonely Girls Project,” an artistic photo series of real women wearing the label in a range of places, from their bedrooms to the beach.

“We’re trying to show women as they are and not trying to change them,” Ms. Morris said. “We want to celebrate our flaws and see the beauty in our differences. It’s so important and empowering for women to celebrate their shape.”

Once the images of Ms. Dunham and Ms. Kirke surfaced, the Lonely site received more than 600,000 views and temporarily lagged. The company also photographed the artist Petra Collins, who set off an online reaction after posing with body hair.

Continue reading the main story

“We are challenging people and offering a wider viewpoint, which can only be a good thing,” Ms. Morris said.

Continue reading the main story"

| Vision | Lingerie: | Required | Photo< | span>< | div> ThirdLove | among | indie | companies | making | bras | with | women | mind | span> When | Heidi | getting | dressed | work | foggy | March | morning | 2012 | peered | into | drawer | that | housed | undergarments | sighed | sadly | “I | pulled | realized | they | were | stretched | then | dread | said | “It’s | having | ”< | p> At | time | product | marketing | manager | Google | Francisco | always | toyed | idea | building | brand | That | figured | what | would | p> Photo< | span> < | div> The | Lonely | line | averse | lace | span> A | self | described | fitness | fanatic | prefers | running | outside | shopping | malls | wasn’t | passionate | about | lingerie | hated | other | must | well | left | later | year | 2014 | introduced | ThirdLove< | commerce | site | offering | basic | stylish | underpinnings | designed | p> With | business | seek | solve | plight | which | often | involves | fluorescent | lighting | three | mirrors | mess | straps | hangers | “Bras | should | have | been | first | item | online | “You | don’t | friends | like | store | experience | market | filled | school | brands | middle | aged | think | they’re | targeting | says | percent | growth | month | over | since | introduction | div> For | model | displays | attitude: | possessed | span> ThirdLove | joins | growing | number | lines | reinvigorating | otherwise | staid | Through | sleek | websites | campaign | imagery | savvy | options | compelling | social | media | feeds | Lively< | Lonely< | Adore | easier | than | ever | shop | innerwear | Moreover | changing | message | behind | from | oversexualized | fantasy | empowerment | confidence | comfort | p> Continue | reading | main | story< | div> This | vision | marks | contrast | Victoria’s | Secret | bubble | pink | retailer | according | research | company | IBISWorld | encompasses | billion | United | States | means | majority | buying | their | most | intimate | apparel | next | life | size | photos | supermodels | whose | come | hither | looks | propped | embody | male | Emerging | determined | change | association | bring | focus | back | p> Like | ThirdLove | Lively | underwear | label | prides | itself | being | made | founder | Michelle | Cordeiro | Grant | former | senior | merchant | April | bridge | worlds | athletic | wear | coined | term | “leisurée” | cross | sorts | between | “athleisure” | lingerie) | describe | styles | bralettes | push | shirt | offered | neutrals | bold | prints | p> “I | admire | stopped | relating | armor | much | wanted | create | something | more | authentic | modern | woman | where | doesn’t | choose | style | ‘How | feel | when | versus | look | I’m | feeling | confident | comfortable | ready | take | ’”< | div> A | span> In | February | before | went | live | referral | program | redeemable | points | exchange | email | addresses | Within | hours | flash | page | unique | visits | declined | comment | sales | seen | received | million | funding | p> Lively | uses | Instagram | communicate | consumers | matters | design | packaging | turns | feedback | content | When | shopper | tweets | needthis | specific | hashtag | becomes | headline | while | celebrates | famous | fans | Khloe | Kardashian | Gigi | Hadid | scours | find | ambassadors | everyday | living | regular | lives | Much | ThirdLove’s | models | deliberately | down | themselves | instead | posing | sensually | camera | Lively’s | guide< | features | real | customers | sizes | ranging | 38DD | sporty | entry | span> “The | sluggish | keeping | Marshal | Cohen | chief | industry | analyst | Group | already | that’s | difficult | make | appealing | it’s | home | every | We’re | seeing | these | emerging | reach | emotional | level | stores | going | play | catch | p> This | also | capturing | Hollywood | audience | August | Lena | Dunham | Jemima | Kirke | posed | photo | shoot< | based | Auckland | Zealand | actresses | joined | Helene | Morris | calls | “Lonely | Girls | Project< | artistic | series | wearing | range | places | bedrooms | beach | p> “We’re | trying | show | them | “We | want | celebrate | flaws | beauty | differences | It’s | important | empowering | shape | p> Once | images | surfaced | views | temporarily | lagged | photographed | artist | Petra | Collins< | reaction | after | body | hair | div> “We | challenging | people | wider | viewpoint | only | good | thing | p> Continue |

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