INTIMATES BY MONIQUE THE FUTURE VICTORIA SECRETS

USPA NEWS - Exclusive USPA24 interview with an amazing woman nearly 23, who believes small petite women deserve 'Haute Couture' lingerie and she is on a mission to make 'Intimates by Monique the most talked about name in undercover clothing. We talk to this humble designer about her inspirations and goals.

Lingerie was designed originally to serve several purposes ““ changing a woman´s shape, preserving her modesty and for hygiene reasons while women have worn bone and steel rib-crushing corsets for centuries, bandaged their chests to get an androgynous silhouette and in the 1960´s burnt their bras as a statement of women´s liberation to the sound of the Beetles in the era of hairy armpits and “˜Woodstock´““ putting it bluntly, underwear matters to women and now as much to men. From laughable bloomers to tiny thongs, pointy brassieres to push-up bras, the water- bra even the maternity-Bra , the history of lingerie reveals a lot about women´s changing role in society ““ how we perceive ourselves and how we´re viewed by others. It´s fascinating to see how lingerie has changed over the last hundred years even the last ten years thanks to the beautiful “˜Victoria Secrets´ models we see at “˜Paris Fashion Week´, but even more intriguing to note what´s stayed the same ““ a bra from the noughties bears an uncanny resemblance to one from 1930, while an image of Dita Von Teese shot today could have been shot then.

With the ever increasing demand for women to feel “˜Sexy´ and “˜Empowered´ beneath their business suite or everyday casual clothing one thing has always been overlooked and that is the “˜ Bespoke- Haute Couture´ Lingerie designer pieces that we are now seeing proudly on show at this week´s Telstra Perth Fashion Festival (TPFF) by the very talented and very new to the fashion game “˜Monique Morley´ I spent some time talking to this very vivacious young woman who turns 22 in January. Mistaken instantly for “˜Megan Fox´, one of the world´s most recognised and beautiful “˜Catwalk´ models, Morley seems to have more “˜shopfront than a huge department store´ with her out spoken enthusiastic views on women´s lingerie for the noughties and her ability to draw a crowd instantly.. So what inspired “˜Intimates by Monique´ and her passion for intimate fashion? “For me it was an affordability, women go without and learn not to treat themselves because its unaffordable at times. I saw a gap in the market and I went for it, there isn´t much out there for women with smaller cups like me, girls with massive racks can flaunt what they´ve got so why shouldn´t smaller breasted women show their beauty in laces that make them look amazing in too,“ smiled Morley. She went on to say “Underwear should be able to be shown and worn in fashion, layered and looking fabulous. Why hide it especially if you spent a lot on it.“

I asked this beautiful designer (that clearly should be modelling her own pieces on the catwalk) where she sees herself in 5 years as her label “˜Intimate by Monique´ celebrates its first year on Sunday? “. In 5 years´ time I plan to be on a global scale, I´m aiming more for an online presence to reach my demographic audience worldwide. I want to be known as “˜that´ affordable sexy online lingerie store that delivers quality, unique products to women worldwide. A brand that stands out and is recognized by its style. In 5 years´ time I will have expanded my range past intimates, more formal wear etc. I´m not trained in fashion, I´ve learnt from my grandmother who was an amazing couture designer and still is. I´ve learnt is from being ambitious. If I want to know something I´ll make it happen and I encourage anyone with a dream never to give up , focus, make it happen, attitude is everything.“

Monique talked to me about how learning comes in all forms she explained how hers just happens to not be from university but from those in the industry almost like an “˜Intern´ of life. I discovered she is studies architecture because it´s a money maker for her as she is good at it and it´s an income. When it comes to fashion she can excel because it´s not forced or desperate, just pure love from the inside projected into her designs, she explained. “ Intimates by Monique is statement ,everything I do is to make a statement and I feel it reflects my personality a lot, I´m bold, unique and full on, yet down to earth - I feel my brand reflects that“ smiles the very vivacious Morley. Alice Temperley once said, “Lingerie is my next love after clothing; I think it is what is worn underneath that really inspires a woman to feel beautiful in her clothes - that inner, secret glamour.“ ..you certainly have inspired a lot of petite women to raise their heads and smile with confidence with your designer collection“¦.Namaste