Bra review: Lailides Firebird bra

The stunning Firebird bra, oozing French sophistication (but actually made in the USA)

How excited was I to receive this pretty Firebird bra from Jennifer at Lailides? Let me tell you… very!

Design wise, it really is an original… made from French lace with a beautiful peacock pattern. It’s the sort of garment you want to prance about in and show off, not unlike a peacock I guess.

The price tag’s not cheap, but if you’re after something decadent — either for yourself or someone special — it does have a luxurious look and feel. Here’s what I thought…

Firebird bra, $68, Lailides
Seller's blurb: Not only is the Firebird bra exquisite, its soft-cup styling makes it exceptionally comfortable. Made from French feather-detailed lace with a scallop-edge, this French bra has a mesh back, swimsuit hook closure and adjustable straps. 50% nylon, 32% polyester, 15% lycra, 3% other. Colours: white/peacock. Sizes: 1-4 (Size 1 fits 30-34 AA-A and Size 4 fits 36-38 A-B)
LooksThis oh-so-delicate bra is quite special to look at. The French lace mimics the pattern of peacock feathers, with subtly shimmering gold and green detail. The scalloped edge is wonderfully feminine; the gold swimsuit hook fastener and strap adjusters are perfectly suited to the dainty proportions of the straps and back. 4/5
FitI tested a size 1 bra, which fit my 32AA cup size well. I can see that those with a little fuller chest (32A) could also wear this size comfortably, as there is plenty of give in the stretch lace. The band width, however, may be a bit stretched for the 34AA and 34A wearers.4/5
ComfortThe soft-cup and fine, second-skin fabric make this bra quite comfortable. Due to the swimhook closure there's no opportunity to adjust band size and I did experience a little bit of rub from the band around the back. 4/5
UpliftThis bra provides gentle support, but it's not the style to opt for if you want to boost your bust. 3/5
VERDICTA not-cheap, but nonetheless beautiful bra. The price buys a sophisticated, feminine, original design that's beautifully made.15/20

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Floral print padded balcony bra, £8, sizes AA-cup to E-cup; and bikini knickers, £4, from M&S Limited Collection

With thanks to Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design at Marks and Spencer, who took the time to answer my questions.

Marks and Spencer leads the way on the high street, offering more than other stores in the way of colourful, fashionable AA-cup lingerie.

But I wanted to know whether further expansion was likely (greedy aren’t I?) — maybe even offering the beautiful Ceriso collection in AA-cup sizes. Here’s what I found out…

Marks & Spencer’s Limited Collection now includes bras in AA-cup sizes. Why has M&S decided that the AA-cup niche is worth serving?

It’s important to offer a good selection to all our customers. That’s why M&S stocks bras for women from a size AA-J, which means that we cater for 99% of the female population in the UK.

Does M&S have plans to offer an even wider range of bras in AA-cup sizes?

There is now a wide range of AA-cup bras in our popular Limited Collection.  That said, we wouldn’t rule out the possibility of offering other ranges in smaller cup sizes in the future.  We constantly gather information from customer feedback sessions and continually review our womenswear and lingerie ranges to reflect demand.

Does every M&S store have a representative that has received training in bra fittings and lingerie selection?

There are 3,500 trained lingerie advisors in M&S stores in the UK. 8,000 women are measured in our stores every day. We place a great deal of value in the fact that trained staff are on hand to advise on the correct bra, shape and style for the individual.

What are the key lingerie trends for Spring/Summer 2010?

The M&S Spring/Summer lingerie collection has been inspired by the Underwear as Outerwear look, which emerged as a major catwalk trend for this season. Bright, bold patterns are also a big lingerie story for this Summer.

Talking of Underwear as Outerwear, do you have any lingerie styles that are too good to be under wraps?

Our long-line bras are going to be a must-have for this season as well as our embroidered worn to be seen basques which are just too special to keep hidden away. Both should be coming soon to our stores and site. Just team with a skirt and a beautiful blazer to create the perfect Summer look.

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