The other chic

If there’s anyone who knows about thin, sheer, sexy scraps of tailored fabric, it’s the French. After all, the country has had a long history of producing silk and lace, two essential elements of lingerie, which is probably the only manifestation of sheer tailored fabric that matters. The word “lingerie” even comes from the French, meaning “things made of linen,” which is, admittedly not as sexy as Calais lace or satiny silk but the evolution of etymology hardly matters anyway when trying to find a pair of underwear that will make you feel sexier than Aphrodite in a construction site.

Also, no Parisian woman who respects herself and her body would ever dare compromise on her undergarments. Apparently there’s a Parisian saying that women feeling good in her own skin is synonymous to feeling good in her lingerie. So it shouldn’t be surprising that some of the best lingerie brands come from France, Etam being one of them, established as “the number one lingerie brand in Europe with nearly 5,000 stores all over the world” — evidently lingerie love just doesn’t pertain to French women. Any woman, these days, knows the worth and significance of good lingerie — if not to her social, uh, graces, then to her self-confidence.

A woman can never have enough nice underwear (hint for holiday Kris Kringle), be it the sultry lace-addled kind that is sure provoke reaction or those comfy cottony types that can secure you a weekend of just snuggling in bed. Etam, however, takes it a little bit further. They do have lacy numbers and cotton two-pieces but they also have comfortable satin loungewear, pretty swimsuits and elegant pieces that can even double as outerwear — all stamped with the effortless French chic.

Only the French, really, would think of creating silky undergarments in houndstooth print or stitch in fashion buttons on their panties or turn high-waisted panties into shapely hip huggers. Etam’s new collection combines Brigitte Bardot and corporate topnotcher in one package — you have sheer garter stockings paired with checked bodyshapers, a corset-style bra and the deadliest of killer pumps. If that’s not enough undergarment chic cheek for you, the lingerie brand even has furry handcuffs to match. And you don’t really have to be French to understand that.

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Etam’s first Philippine branch is located at the second floor of SM Mall of Asia. Log on to www.etam.com for more information.