Lemonade Dolls Gives Rise to an Inclusive Lingerie Industry
The lingerie industry, dominated by exclusivity and aspiration in the early aughts, saw a seismic transformation in the late 2010s. Once domineering brands such as Victoria’s Secret shuttered, closing one store after another. The emerging digital retail landscape led the way to small, independent designers and brands created by and for everyday women. Lemonade Dolls, the product of a Kickstarter campaign, was one such brand.
Co-founded by singer-songwriter Lemon Fuller and designer Caren Downie, the brand first started as a direct-to-consumer online store, but it also hosted pop-up shops and opened a retail store. Size inclusivity has been a vital facet and major attraction for the company and consumer respectively. Based in the United Kingdom, the company doesn’t adhere to traditional size charts. Most size guides classify a size 14-16 – the average size of a British woman – as a Large. But Lemonade Dolls labels a 14-16 as Medium instead and reflects the real-life average in their clothing. In a product review, editors of the DailyMail called this adjustment “one of the ways Lemonade Dolls helps to empower women of all shapes and sizes.”
The cornerstone of Lemonade Dolls, including its themes of inclusivity to design vision is Gen Z. In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Fuller referenced the lack of options the younger generation has to purchase lingerie that might appeal to them. To attract this market, the brand prefers bold color combinations and prints with their signature lace in tow. Pink and green, leopard print and psychedelic graphics are some of the most popular options.
Considering Gen Z’s preference for comfort over all else, the bras also doesn’t use padding or underwires and opts for mesh panels and thick straps for coverage and support. The company also emphasizes their use of recycled material in the underwear section and use of biodegradable packaging in shipments.
Most recently, Lemonade Dolls released its gender-affirming and trans-inclusive I Am Who I Am collection. Featuring gender non-conforming models, briefs, crop tops and new iterations of bralettes and sets were added to the overall store collection.
In an interview with Raydar Magazine, Fuller also highlighted their mantra of collaboration. The company not only reads customer feedback but incorporates suggestions and critiques in future designs.
But, the brand’s most innovative venture comes in the form of subscription or membership options. Customers are offered a bralette or bra subscription option that includes a monthly free set of underwear, 25% off the entire site and 40% off a bra after 2 months. For many customers, the membership offer was the crux for transitioning to Lemonade Dolls versus another brand.
Since their launch, th brand has had immense traction and popularity. In 2023, Lemonade Dolls was ranked third on Elle Magazine’s “Best Lingerie Brands To Have On Your Radar” and additionally, the” Best Subscription Lingerie Brand” on the list.
Although the company is relatively new, it has opened the door for similar brands such as “Parade” to grow and thrive in the lingerie industry. Once dominated by companies that only catered to the male gaze, Lemonade Dolls has proved female comfort and appeal can be successful and valuable.
Article by Sneha KC, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine
*All images courtesy of Lemonade Dolls
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