Our favourite independent Australian and New Zealand underwear and lingerie brands
IMAGE VIA OHEN/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY AMY FOCIC AND FASHION JOURNAL
For feeling sexy and dressing down.
While many of us may have relinquished our bras in the name of comfort and stripped back (excuse the pun) our underwear to the basics, there’s no denying the serotonin hit a nice set of lingerie can bring.
Discover more local designers in our Fashion section.
Whatever your preference of undergarments, there’s an Australian or New Zealand label that’s got you sorted. We’ve collated some of our favourite local intimates brands below. If you’re looking to dive a little deeper, head here for one FJ writer’s review of a handful of locally made labels.
Ohen
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New Zealand lingerie label Ohen was created by Anja Bucher and Lu Blade-Bittle, the former of which was previously the Lead Designer at Lonely Lingerie and has also consulted for local period undie label Awwa. So you know the label has the design credentials, but its pieces speak for themselves. They’re sophisticated in their simplicity and are made from mindfully sourced lace and Lenzing modal and crafted by technical experts with over 20 years of industry experience. We’ve got our eyes on the Balconette Bra in the moss green.
Chouchou Intimates
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Founded in 2019, Chouchou Intimates aims to make high-quality lingerie affordable. Colourful and cute, Chouchou’s designs challenge traditional standards of what is sexy to ensure wearers feel comfortable in their own skin.
Rachel Mills
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New Zealand designer Rachel Mills’s made-to-order fashion label offers a range of flattering intimates, from high-cut French briefs and thongs to supportive soft-cup bras in a sexy-meets-sporty aesthetic. Come summer festival season, we are big fans of wearing her bralettes as tops (or swimmers in a pinch).
The OneTwo
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The OneTwo prides itself on creating bras engineered and tested to meet your specific needs. All bras and undies are produced from breathable, sweat-wicking organic cotton and the brand’s minimalist designs are made for comfort, support and most importantly, to fit smoothly under your clothes.
Nala
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Nala does it all. Comfortable, affordable underwear? Check. Made from sustainable materials? Check. A range of bold styles, stocked in sizes XXS to 5XL? Check and check. Nala underwear is designed to make you feel sexy, cool and seen – without costing the planet.
Gloria
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The fashion label by iconic Kiwi designer Kristine Crabb (of Miss Crab fame) currently offers just one style of underwear – the bunny bloomers – but the style is so romantic, we had to include. The billowy silk bloomers, available in black or ivory, are perfect for lounging around at home or embracing the underwear-as-outerwear trend.
Meg Alexandra
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Sydney-based lingerie label Meg Alexandra exists to help women connect to their bodies through intimates that accentuate and celebrate all shapes and sizes. If you’re looking for lacey lingerie, the brand offers a selection of fine intimates. But if you’re more into the essentials, check out the brand’s line of organic bamboo bras and undies – made to be lightweight, breathable, antibacterial and antifungal.
Kat the Label
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Lacy and delicate, lingerie by Kat the Label is made for confidence-boosting. Its barely-there designs don’t compromise on ethics or sustainability either, with the brand using leftover fabrics from large orders made by other companies to minimise waste.
Kip&Co
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Known for its signature printed bedding and colourful homewares, Melbourne-based label Kip&Co has recently made its foray into the world of underwear. Expect simple, elevated styles in a range of unique colours, designed from certified organic cotton.
Boody
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If you’ve ever felt an ultra-soft Boody garment, you’ll know the brand means business when it comes to sustainable, comfy everyday essentials. All of its undies, bras and socks are made from organically-grown bamboo and come in sizes XS to 3XL.
Sir the Label
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Sir the Label creates effortlessly chic intimates alongside its ready-to-wear collection, emphasising clean lines and neutral colours. If you’re after luxury basics, Sir the Label is your destination.
First Thing
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On a mission to redefine the role underwear plays in our lives, First Thing combines comfort with minimalist design. The Australian brand makes flattering cuts in breathable fabrics, so you’re guaranteed to feel good all day long.
Bendon Lingerie
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Bendon Lingerie has been on our shores for nearly 75 years, and for good reason. Whether you’re after sheer, lace, a pop of colour or something that blends in (no VPL, please), comfort is at the forefront of Bendon’s offering.
Bizarre
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Bizarre’s lingerie is perfect for anyone who wants to feel equal parts sexy and cool. The brand offers a range of handmade pieces, from brightly coloured basics to sheer, lacy lingerie. The brand caters for all by making unisex pieces and made-to-order customisable sizing and designs.
Fitzpleisure
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If you’re seeking dreamy lingerie, then local label Fitzpleisure is the perfect fit for you. The brand places an emphasis on slow fashion practices, with all designs handmade to order in Melbourne. Fitzpleisure focuses on creating “wearable, intimate art” – but if you’re after something a bit more exclusive, the brand also offers custom designs.
Maison Essentiele
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Loungewear label Maison Essentiele makes a range of lingerie in soft, sleep-appropriate silk. The brand’s sleek bralettes and lettuce-hem ruffle knickers are best work with a matching robe over the top.
Nisa
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Nisa hand-sews a soft selection of underwear, bras and basics in the brand’s home of Wellington, New Zealand. The best part? You can shop luxe merino underwear knowing your dollars are going to a good place. Nisa’s eco-friendly collection of smalls helps to foster employment opportunities for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
Nat‘v Basics
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Basic but never boring, underwear from Nat’v Basics is made with comfort and durability in mind. You can rest assured that your intimates aren’t harming the planet either, as the brand uses Tencel to create its products, a fabric that uses minimal carbon and water.
Nico Underwear
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Nico Underwear fuses luxury with functionality. Opting for minimalist shapes and pastel hues, its bras and underwear are made using GOTS-certified organic cotton and plant dyes. They’re available in sizes eight to 16.
Underplants
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When friends Dom and Marnie realised how much waste was created by discarded undies, they knew they had to do something. Underplants was born as a result – a brand making undies that have as little impact on the environment as possible. The brand even partners with One Tree Planted to plant a tree with every purchase.
House of Blyss
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When House of Blyss founder Alyssa Schneider couldn’t find lingerie that was affordable, sexy and sustainable, she made her own. The result is silk pieces made in Melbourne from designer deadstock fabrics that are whimsical and feminine. House of Blyss lingerie is made-to-order and comes in sizes XS to XL.
Vege Threads
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Accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia and manufactured entirely on our shores, Vege Threads takes its role as a sustainable and ethical basics label very seriously. Its simple, bright designs are made from organic cotton, merino wool and econyl, so you know they’re made to last.
Indigo Luna
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Indigo Luna makes intimates in grounding, earthy tones, that prioritise comfort and convenience. Its range of bras and underwear uses plant-dyed Tencel which is created in a closed-loop system, meaning your intimates won’t cost the planet.
Le Buns
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Choose well, buy less: that’s the ethos of Melbourne intimates brand Le Buns. The label makes it easy to choose well because its garments are created using organic cotton, plant dyes and regenerated nylon. Le Buns even has a range of minimalist loungewear to pair with your intimates.
Bimby and Roy
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Versatile, functional and adorned with dainty florals, Bimby and Roy intimates can be worn as swimwear and sleepwear. Its multi-use pieces are stretchy and lined with bamboo, so you’ll always be comfy. Bimby and Roy intimates come in sizes XS to XXL.
Eco Intimates
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Eco Intimates is steadfast in its commitment to creating ethical and sustainable intimates – it’s even in the name. Using the surplus sustainable fabrics from larger producers, Eco Intimates makes delightful bras and underwear that embody the slow fashion ethos.
Juem
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Originally founded as a maternity intimates label aiming to enhance women’s confidence and comfort during pregnancy, Juem has expanded to make intimates for women in all life stages. Its stretchy, soft basics in muted tones are designed to mould to your body for maximum comfort.
Maiki
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Fuelled by what she saw as a gap in the market for luxurious lingerie in Australia, founder Melitta Gardner created Maiki. Maiki creates lingerie that is the epitome of classic – black and white pieces that feature detailed yet refined lacework.
Aimee Cherie Intimates
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Described by founder Aimee Kendall as an “angsty, romantic and nostalgic love project,” Aimee Cherie Intimates makes luxe intimates that range from lacy lingerie to everyday basics. Sustainability and ethics are at its core, with the brand making all of its pieces in Melbourne and using a pre-order system to ensure minimal waste is created.
Saturday
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With an aim to steer away from traditional lace lingerie, Saturday the Label creates luxe intimates from mesh fabrics that contour to the female form. Barely there coverage teamed with playful florals and frills makes for a dreamy combination.
Souszy
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Souszy is an Australian retailer stocking over 20 lingerie, sleepwear and loungewear labels from around the world, like Johansen, Miyako and Love Stories. Souszy also has its own line of lace underwear, as well as a limited edition lingerie set in collaboration with Abbie Chatfield.
Peach Underwear
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Peach Underwear makes undies with comfort and inclusivity at the fore – think fabrics like cotton and bamboo, in sizes XS to 5XL. Even better, two of its three fabrics are seamless – no showing through your clothes here. And with a five for $75 bundle? Yes, please.
Vee Underwear
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Made from breathable, sustainable bamboo, undies by Vee Underwear are designed to feel comfortable and soft all day (and night) long. In timeless colours like beige, black and sage, you can rest assured your Vee Underwear undies will last you a long time.
Sexiaz Lingerie
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Run by self-proclaimed bikini dealers and sisters Arielle and Kallista, Sexiaz makes custom lingerie in sexy cuts and loud colours. Sewing everything behind the scenes is Arielle and Kallista’s mum, Vee, who’s been making bikinis and lingerie for sex workers since 2005 – so you know the pieces are going to be très magnifique.
The Unseen
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By creating a range of nude intimates that aren’t just the one shade, using materials like certified organic cotton and bamboo, and donating new underwear to crisis shelters, you could say The Unseen is doing good. The Unseen intimates come in classic colours and cuts, so your pieces never date.
Feele
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Feele is all about making premium pieces for you to wear every day, that make you feel (get it) good. With ready to wear as well as intimates, Feele’s ethos comes through in its cuts and fabric choices – think wool bralettes and ribbed cotton boxer shorts.
Ramp Tramp Tramp Stamp
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Eora-based label Ramp Tramp Tramp Stamp makes thoughtful lingerie that’s a little different. This season, swap your standard bra and panties for a hot upcycled asymmetrical leotard, patchwork g-string and matching lingerie skirt. It’s giving sexy dystopia, and we’re here for it.
Forever and a Day
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Forever and a Day intimates are very ‘boudoir photoshoot’ – in all the best ways. The brand’s lacey bras and high-cut thongs are created in blushing shades of red, pink and maroon; as well as fun pastel hues like baby blue, butter yellow and lavender.
Miyako
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Designed in Byron Bay, Miyako focuses on sustainability with pieces made from fabrics such as recycled polyester and organic cotton. Miyako’s lingerie is comfortable enough to wear every day yet thoughtfully designed for intimate moments.
Underwear For Humanity
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Underwear For Humanity’s name says it all. The label is so committed to a more sustainable fashion industry that it invented its own shipping system and recycled elastic. At the end of your underwear’s life cycle, you can return it to Underwear For Humanity to recycle it, too.
Our editorial decisions are made with our readers (you!) in mind and we hope you enjoy the products that we wholeheartedly recommend. Fashion Journal may sometimes receive a commission or similar from third-party links placed.
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