The last issue of Vogue Paris with Carine Roitfeld at the helm was the March 2011 issue, the one that featured the Dutch, (of course), short haired classic beauty Saskia de Brauw. Among the fashion brands represented in the issue, our Carine featured the lingerie of another Carine — Carine Gilson. La Roitfeld has reverently described Gilson’s work as “the most refined lingerie in the world.”
Ms. Roitfeld is not exaggerating. Carine Gilson lingerie is the most refined lingerie that you can get. Dedicated to artisanal fashion, Gilson uses the most luxurious silk on the market: silk with a luster that illuminates the complexion and a sumptuousness that caresses the skin. The silk is made in Lyon, in the same mill that Hermès uses. The lingerie is handcrafted with the finest Chantilly lace.
Carine Gilson’s start in the lingerie business is a testament to her dedication to quality as well as her own personal tenacity. In 1990, Gilson graduated from the acclaimed Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts , and intent on starting her lingerie business, she quickly found a small lace factory in Brussels. Upon further evaluation, however, it became clear that the factory owners did not know how to produce her lingerie the way she wanted it. No one at the time was making couture-grade lingerie. What was Gilson’s solution? It was to save up, buy the factory, and spend the following four years learning the art and trade of making lingerie by hand, using all the subtle techniques for manufacturing traditional lingerie.
In 1994, Gilson produced her first collection of artisanal lingerie. The result was refined, unique, and although the lingerie was made in the traditional way, it was contemporary in spirit. Barneys picked up the line right away. Gilson has stuck to this formula with great success and her business has since expanded. In 2004, Gilson opened up her own branded shop in Paris and today her lingerie is carried in the most exclusive boutiques across the globe. Gilson produces three collections a year: Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter, and Cruise/Swimwear.
I wonder how a woman lucky enough to don Carine Gilson’s beautiful lingerie feels about having to cover it up. Ms. Gilson’s perspective on this is “L’atelier, c’est mon tresor.” The first person we must seduce is ourselves. Beautiful lingerie enhances how women feel inside. Of course, Carine Roitfeld and Carine Gilson are both privy to this knowledge, we should heed their wisdom...
Images of Carine Gilson lingerie courtesy of carinegilson.com. All Rights Reserved.