Christine Lingerie...50 Years of silk passion

Christine, 50 years of business is a huge achievement. Can you tell us how it all began?
I have always loved luxury fabrics and their tactility. Even as a child, I adored going through my grandmother’s wardrobe full of lace hankies and bows. This got me into my life’s passion, which was working with lace. After high school I took a year of design courses and began my business designing Edwardian inspired blouses, tunics and dresses; they were a bit ‘costume-y’ but people were drawn to them because of the antique lace. They were expensive even then, but I wanted to make my designs accessible, so I began to branch out by working with silk. I diversified with teddies, camisoles, tap shorts using my antique lace collection. At the time, this was considered to be quite unusual!

Were you inspired by any icons or ideas?
Lace is my primary inspiration and almost always tells me what it wants to do. When you put antique lace under a microscope, the detail is extraordinary - it’s beautiful and delicate - and I wanted to share that with people. I started doing lingerie in 1972, just after that 60s period where we had all burned our pointy bras, so lingerie wasn’t seen as something desirable. There weren’t places where you could see beautiful undergarments.

How would you define the Christine style, and has it changed over the years?
My style is romantic – it is sensuous and elegant – and I don’t think that my aesthetic has changed over the years. The fabrications are still the same, but the styling has modernized. Fashion has changed in that items that were once worn behind closed doors are now being celebrated openly in the streets. Lingerie is considered daily dress and I find myself doing a lot of lounge wear – pieces that can be worn out for dinner, to weddings, and events. In the past few years this concept has become a focus in my collections.

As concerns production, what developments did you make throughout the years if any?
I have always maintained a hands-on approach to the production of my line. My brand has been built on quality and workmanship. I have chosen not to compromise on fabrics or pursue mass production overseas in order to maintain the quality that is expected from my reputation. My production began with me and one other person sewing. As my business grew I began hiring sewers and creating my family of seamstresses. In the late 70s, my church sponsored refugees from Vietnam and in that group of people I was told there was a seamstress named Alina. She was just 21 years old and was a wonderful seamstress. She drew in her mother and sisters, even her grandmother started making all of the rosebud applique that at the time was synonymous with Christine. 43 years later and Alina is still in charge of my production.
Who is the end client you envision when you are working on your collections?I never think of a specific person in terms of age or income, but I do think of a person who has a passion for beauty. It’s a luxury to put on something that transforms you. There are women in their 20s who save up for that one special first piece and there are women who, like my mother at 97, love wearing my lingerie for their entire life. There is an allure that you get from beautiful silk fabrics.


Which would you say is your iconic item?
My most iconic piece is the Whimsical Wrap. In the beginning it was antique lace that I would source. However, going into production, I was no longer able to get enough of it because it is a finite resource of precious origin that is becoming harder and harder to find. During a trip to Europe in the 80s, my passion for antique lace was revived in Burano, Italy where I saw women making lace on their doorsteps. It reminded me of how much antique lace has inspired me from the beginning. I came home and started designing the Whimsical Wrap which featured antique lace, rosebuds and appliques. We had them in stores across the US, and the top stars of the time began to wear my brand. People like Cher, Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah and Lauren Bacall; and even Linda Evans and Joan Collins from Dynasty. For my anniversary next year, I’m reintroducing the Whimsical Wrap Collection and am very excited about what we can create.

If you could distil Christine’s pathway to success down to a few simple things, what would they be?
I have followed my instincts, always wanting to make the most beautiful product. Many have tried to convince me to change from silk to polyester and move from being a boutique designer to overseas production but that is not my brand. I have chosen to stick with what I love. What I love is the joy I feel from creating beautiful things out of beautiful fabrics with the help of my extended family of sewers – a group of women who also have that same desire and have been instrumental in making my dream come true.

What have been the most valuable lessons you have learned as a designer?
Trusting my intuition and doing what I’m passionate about. I’ve always felt the most important thing is to follow your passion. If you’re not doing that every day, why are you doing it? 50 years later I can still get up in the morning and get excited about what I’m going to do that day.

What elements are crucial for a brand to enter the luxury market?
Knowledge. I have spent 50 years building a luxury brand and it’s based on working with beautiful, elegant, luxurious fabrications, with the best seamstresses and presenting my designs in a certain way and not compromising my standards. I’ve spent the last 50 years honing that knowledge of the lingerie industry.


Your best and worst business memories?
There is a bit of inter-twining here.There were difficult times that in turn created opportunity. I couldn’t have done it without my husband, David. He made the hurdles bearable, and often joyful. We ran into some challenges in the early 90s when the bank called in my line of credit. My bank manager changed and the new one was critical of what I was doing and wanted to pull my line of credit in a week. That was compounded by a lot of inventory. We decided to rent a store on Granville to do what we would now call a ‘pop up’ – David loaded up his rickety old van and we created this beautiful space. We had line-ups down the street, and I remember the windows in the store being steamed up because there were so many people. We had three children who also were involved in our lean years when necessity required – making swatch cards, photocopying books, being excited to be a part of the company! There are always things that happen, but you’ve got to think on your feet. You’ve got to dance.

How do you plan to celebrate this milestone?
Our official 50th anniversary is next year – 2023 – but we’re starting the party early. The Evolution Show in New York will be a wonderful beginning where we’re very excited to debut our newest collection which will include bringing back some of my iconic designs and those that have really built my brand. We’ll be having a little Bellini cocktail party there and looking forward to celebrating with friends old and new. We’re also in the midst of planning a number of events and creating moments that will celebrate our brand and clients, some of whom have been with us for 30, even 40 years. 50 years is both extraordinary and humbling.

How do you see your brand evolving in the next decade?
I’m at a crossroads with this company. I have Raymond Lee who is my Managing Director, and his expertise in handling the business, complimented by the dedicated staff I have in place, are allowing me to step back and focus on design, which has always been my passion. I can see myself doing this for many more years to come because I love it. I haven’t run out of ideas yet.