New York City…What a glorious apple you are!

This month we travelled overseas to NYC for our first big showcase event since launching. How exciting! We exhibited our Avenue Twenty Four Collection at Lingerie Fashion Week in the wonderfully eclectic gallery district.

Lingerie Fashion Week was held over two days, inviting the crème de la crème of the intimates world. Running an exhibition showcase and a grand finale catwalk show. We arrived on the Friday full of excitement ready to show the USA our very British knickers. Amazingly the organisers of the show had set up a special area just for British Designers called ‘British Invasion’ and as there were only three UK Brands showcasing this year we were able to utilise the space well to present our lingerie in all its glory.

 It was such a wonderful atmosphere with all different designers with completely unique styles. We set up our mannequins and pinned our Lingerie in place and presented our flyers and giveaways. For this event we spent many hours and late nights hand making over 100 leather envelope clutch bags filled with a wonderful array of gifts and press materials. Why I decided to attempt to hand make so many bags (which I never done before?!) I don’t know, but I loved the look they gave and they fitted the sophisticated and luxe look of our Brand perfectly. Inside was a look book for our Avenue Twenty Four Collection, some beautifully printed images from our Campaign, our contact details, a 20% ticket stub style voucher, which we also designed and hand cut, and lastly a wonderful JANAY branded teabag. I bet your wondering why the teabag? Well my other obsession besides Lingerie has to be tea! So we created over a 100 tiny teabag tabs to attach to each individual tea bag, this was a part of our ‘Brew a bit of Britain’ competition. Each person who picked up a promo bag could instagram a photo of their JANAY tea, and the best picture won! I must say without a doubt the promo bags looked just fabulous!

Get set, ready, go! The shows began showcasing designers from all around the world, although most of them were from the US it was a pleasure to see so many different fabrics and techniques used within Lingerie making. During the shows it was a great time for us to chat with press and industry professionals. It took a little getting used to having our photograph taken so much. We met some very talented lingerie bloggers and it was a pleasure to give a one on one tour of our designs.

The finale show was the biggest and most busiest show that LFW had run over the weekend, with all the seats filled and more standing behind, I was backstage getting my model prepped with not only her lingerie but with how to present the JANAY woman as she walked through the crowd that awaited her. We wanted to use a smaller cupped model for the show to showcase that you don't always need padding in smaller cup sizes to look and feel confident. This is something I have always believed in and want to show the world. In the meantime Jamie, my co-founder, was amongst the crowd eagerly waiting for our first outfit to come out, camera in hand the lights and music began!

The show went down a storm, with over 17 designers showcasing their work, it was soon our turn. I sent out my model and ran to watch through the curtains. As soon as she took her first pose phones where out and flashing cameras where everywhere, it was such a wonderful experience to see the faces of the audience and see which sections they pointed at and smiled at most. This moment was the best of my Lingerie career I have ever had so far!

Our second, third and fourth looks took to the runway and each and every time I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction from the crowd. Soon it was the grand finale and the crown burst into applause. It was by far the most exciting show of the whole event.

Soon after everyone gathered for cocktails and mingling and this was the best time for us to gain valuable feedback, we had brilliant comments regarding the sets, and how the design beautifully flowed onto the back, giving all around detail. Our Suspender belts also went down a treat, being told that people had never seen our unique cross over detail before. This was lovely to hear and we couldn’t have asked for better! Some of the favourites where the Lace Double Crossed Suspender Belt, the Avenue 12 Bra and Brief and our unusual take on our Avenue 16 illusion high wire lace Bra. 

It was time to pack up and enjoy a well earned glass of bubbly when Lauren the founder of Lingerie Fashion Week, tells me that our brand out of all that had showcased there had gone down with the guests as one of the favourites!

This to us was the cherry on top of our glorious New York cake!

Until next time LFW and you big beautiful city, you’ve captured our hearts for sure!