Hidden undies, royal romances and underwear nobility… this week’s lingerie round-up

Lingerie history exhibition

New York often leads the way in fashion - and this year it’s leading the way in underwear fashion with a superb exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology whose museum is featuring more than seventy items from the history of underwear in a show entitled ‘Exposed: A History of Lingerie’

As you’d imagine the exhibition covers the evolution of underwear from both a fashion and a technology perspective. The earliest item is a turquoise corset with sleeves! It dates from around 1770 and has crossed ivory ribbons that are almost identical to the kind of stomacher ribbons we wear on our lingerie today. If you’d like to emulate the 18th century version of sexy undies, why not try our Adorable corset with crisscross ribboning along with a pair of gorgeous white boudoir gloves

One of the things that most impressed us was the range of colours shown in the earliest garments, with 17th and 18th century corsets that both raised women’s breasts to a vast and unnatural height and whittled their waists but also, hidden under their outer clothes, exhibit a lush range of colours and fabrics, rich stitching and embroidery and elegant ribbons and lace.

Princely interest in underwear model

We used to call him the playboy Prince, although he’s somewhat lost his title to his strawberry-blond nephew Harry, but Prince Andrew still has an eye for the statuesque female. This month it’s been Dara Tomanovich, the gorgeous Canadian who was a lingerie model for Marks and Spencer, amongst others. Andrew invited Dara to join him at Ascot, where he and Dara graced the Royal box and garnered many admiring glances. Ms Tomanovich wore a white fascinator in her brunette hair and a severe grey dress that did nothing to hide her awesome curves. She’s no stranger to eligible males, having also wined and dined with George Clooney

Underwear prince becomes a designer

Think of a David famous for his body … no, not Michelangelo’s David, nor even dear David Beckham. We’re talking Gandy. The ineffable prince of the catwalk scanties, David Gandy himself, is about to launch an underwear line. Yes, both making and modelling his pants! His collection, for Autograph at Marks and Spencer, will include boxers and nightwear … and we’re pretty sure that much of it will be bought by women who wish their men would get some of that Gandy appeal!