Lenoir Aims for Female-Centric Lingerie

Kristin Prim is only 24, but she’s spent the last few years avidly collecting lingerie and getting a deep understanding of the market.

“I was having a hard time finding pieces that I wanted to consistently buy and I saw a gap in the market for items that were elevated and luxurious and sensual,” said Prim, who founded Prim Magazine, a fashion publication, when she was 13. “I knew that if I had this problem, there were a lot of women out there like me who wanted to see that, so I decided to put that out there with Lenoir.

According to Prim, Lenoir is a direct-to-consumer lingerie brand that’s female-centric. And she’s hoping to defy the misconception that creating a line for women means it can’t be sexy.

“A lot of times when someone says they are creating a line for women, underwire turns to spandex and lace turns to cotton,” said Prim. “There is something backward to thinking that a woman can dress in a sexual manner and it’s all about attracting a man. So, having a company exist that isn’t about women seeking validation from men was important to me.”

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Prim, who received a business degree from Parsons but doesn’t have any design experience, created an 11-piece capsule that’s made in New York using French lace and Italian leather. The line includes a thong that retails for $50; a lace jacket that retails for $315; bras that retail for $150 to $215, and a corset back panty that’s $90. Prim said each piece was made to be seen. She designed bras that were sexy but had enough coverage to make them appropriate to be seen under a blouse. The collection is currently available on the Lenoir e-commerce site, lenoirlingerie.com.

She’s marketing the brand with an outdoor ad campaign posted throughout New York City and is hoping to host pop-ups that allow her to interact with her consumer. She has plans to expand into ready-to-wear and interiors.

“It’s not meant to be a consumerist enterprise,” said Prim. “I really want to be a servant to women and support them throughout whatever they do. Listening to them is going to be integral to this company.”

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