Coco de Mer is a lingerie boutique in London that I’d heard I should definitely go visit and when they reached out to me to ask me to stop by when I was around, I was happy to oblige!
This shop is what I imagine New York luxury lingerie brand Kiki de Montparnasse was aiming for, but Coco de Mer do it better. Everything in the shop aims for a mixture of beauty and sexuality, a combination that I can appreciate. Sometimes I complain about the way lingerie and sex toys can be lumped together as if lingerie serves only to titillate, but Coco de Mer does a good job of demonstrating how the relationship between lingerie and sex doesn’t have to be cliché or degrading. Part of this is because it is a luxury shop– but the difference isn’t really about how much money the items cost, but the workmanship and the care that has gone into them, as well as their aesthetically pleasing aspects.
According to Coco de Mer erotic expert Allison England, a lot of their focus is on personal pleasure, something I find very compatible with my own views about lingerie. Although I don’t view lingerie as primarily erotic, I’m not opposed to the idea of a a sexualized component of the experience.
At Coco de Mer, I was told that they also try to choose lingerie that is more playful and lends itself to partner interaction. I always like to stress that lingerie should be fun and some of that fun can come from sharing it with someone else. What Coco de Mer understands, and what sets it apart from other lingerie stores that also sell erotic merchandise, is that sexuality can be beautiful, just like lingerie– it doesn’t have to be dirty, scary or scandalous.
One new discovery for me was the amazing loungewear by Steph Aman. Her embroidery is hand done and so delicate it is hard to imagine even wearing it. I didn’t try it on because it was way outside my budget, but she is definitely an artist to watch out for.
Made by Niki Babydoll
I ended up trying on lingerie by Bordelle, Made by Niki and Fleur of England. I was surprised to find that the Bordelle Bridal Confetti Lace soft bra in a size L fit me quite well, despite the fact that I usually wear a 32C and it is supposedly fitted to a 36D. I also tried the turquoise Made by Niki babydoll– it was so flirty and fun looking, I really wanted to get it! I did end up buying a completely beautiful Fleur of England set in the sale, but I won’t say too much about it because you’ll be getting a full review!
If you’re interested in luxury lingerie, the erotic side of lingerie or you just want to see beautiful craftsmanship, I would most definitely take a trip to Coco de Mer. They also have great customer service, as well as a sense of humor about the whole erotic side of things– I giggled at the ruler they gave me because it was awfully silly:
I am definitely using that for some lingerie pattern drafting.
