Named after a Victorian euphemism for a woman’s skill in the bedroom, The Lake and Stars intimates balance provocation and humor, intelligence and sensuality, for a new vision of feminine style.
Streamlined lingerie and swimwear find a place among more traditional lingerie essentials, for creative pairings that revive the classic and redefine the seductive. Designed to stand alone or in complement to other clothes, the pieces themselves embody a broader view of lingerie as fashion expression, rather than costume. Their clean lines and assertive detailing describe unique stylistic characters all their own, making them as personal as they are diverse, and as accessible as they are luxurious. They are intimates meant to be seen—reflecting, as a fashion statement, on the open and sophisticated tastes of their wearer.
For Autumn/Winter 2012, the designers took inspiration from female leads in Japanese films such as the satire thriller Hausu (1970) and futuristic Battle Royale (2000), and juxtaposed their heroine with more masculine figures from contemporary videogames such as Battlefield 3 and Metal Gear Solid. Their tough/cheeky female always taking the lead, The Lake & Stars designers looked to current social events and found strength this season in their Japanese avatars leading a Youth Revolution.
Key pieces include soft bustiers and bodysuits in perforated Op Art microfiber and floral jacquard to bridge the gap between anime halftone and traditional Eastern brocade. Delicate Chantilly laces on powermesh mirror the depiction of ultra feminine characters in Japanese film who transform into ultimate warriors. Scarlet, caramel, and teal rest against textures in black, borrowed from the palette of these films and games. Combined in soft silhouettes without corseting, the collection offers a relaxed take on a harder, more combative approach to femininity.
BIO
Motivated by the notion that lingerie could play an active role in their wardrobe without having to stand alone as a costume in the boudoir, designers Maayan and Nikki launched The Lake & Stars after meeting in New York City in 2007. Having designed previously at mass and boutique brands respectively, together they sought to create a collection that would bridge the gap between special occasion and everyday lingerie. Serving as a counterpart to their ready-to-wear designer contemporaries, the brand would be inclusive, friendly, and lighthearted- designer lingerie meant to be worn everyday, as a statement of personal style.
Nikki Dekker was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota and went to school in Minneapolis before designing for Target, then moved to New York. Maayan Zilberman was born on a Kibbutz in Israel then lived in Vancouver, Canada before moving to New York for art school. The two live and work in Brooklyn.
Some recent honors include the 2011 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award for Womenswear, Jezebel’s 25 Most Influential Women, and a retail space in BOFFO’s Building Fashion series.