New Opportunities Are Emerging in the Intimates Industry

Every fashion week serves as a crucial barometer for the fashion industry. The recently concluded 2026 fashion weeks—spanning New York, London, Milan, and Paris—have reinforced a clear signal: the contours of the female body have once again taken center stage in fashion design. 

Designers are no longer relying solely on silhouettes to convey style; instead, they are increasingly borrowing from the design vocabulary of the intimates sector. Elements such as lace, corsetry structures, waist-defining details, and sheer layering are becoming integral components of fashion’s narrative. 

For the intimates and lingerie industry, these shifts represent more than just aesthetic trends; they signify new design paradigms and market opportunities. 

Viewed from an industry perspective, this season’s runways have signalled at least six noteworthy trends:

01 | Lace Reclaims Its Status as a Core Material

In the FW26 collections, lace made an appearance on nearly every major runway. 

From exquisite black lace gowns to details featuring lace spliced with fur, and even layered lace structures, lace has transcended its traditional role as a mere decorative accent to become a vital component of the overall look. 

Collections from Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, and Saint Laurent, among others, showcased the extensive use of lace across their designs.

l Fine Lace: Artisanal lace varieties—such as Chantilly lace and eyelash lace—are making a strong comeback.

l Sheer & Transparent Materials: The application scenarios for lightweight, transparent materials—including mesh, tulle, and sheer knits—are expanding even further.

l Layered Material Combinations: Exploring how to effectively pair materials of varying degrees of transparency and texture has emerged as a key new area of research and development.

In the coming seasons, lace is poised to appear not only in lingerie products but also with increasing frequency within ready-to-wear collections.

02 | The Structural Language of Lingerie Infiltrates Ready-to-Wear Design

Unlike the previous trend of simply wearing lingerie as outerwear, a more distinct trend has emerged in FW26: the structural language of lingerie is now being integrated directly into ready-to-wear designs. 

Elements such as bra cup structures, lingerie-style seaming, and corset-inspired tailoring have been translated across multiple collections into novel garment constructions. Distinct inspiration drawn from lingerie structures was clearly evident in the Fashion Week presentations of both Miu Miu and Prada.

This design approach goes beyond simply making lingerie “visible”; instead, it translates the structural logic of lingerie into a new fashion vocabulary.

For brands, this signifies that the boundary between lingerie design and fashion design is gradually dissolving.

03 | Sculpted Waistlines Emerge as a Key Silhouette

In Spring/Summer 2026, the use of corset elements rose notably. Emphasized sculpted waistlines provided a pronounced 3D body silhouette.

For instance, brands like Jacquemus, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Dior featured distinct “Basque waist” curves or designs accentuating the waist.

Modern corsetry shifts from historical styles by prioritizing comfort, elastic materials, and lightweight construction, giving rise to "Soft Corsetry"—flexible shaping structures.

04 | Material Contrast: The Coexistence of Strength and Femininity

The FW26 runways also showcased a fascinating interplay of materials: the juxtaposition of leather and lace.

In the collections of Khaite and Altuzarra, rigid leather was paired with delicate lace—for example, a leather jacket worn over a lace skirt, or layers of lace peeking out from beneath structured outerwear.

This combination generates a new form of visual tension: the simultaneous presence of strength and femininity.

For the intimate apparel industry, this trend suggests that lace and sheer fabrics may increasingly serve as inner-layer visual elements, thereby influencing the design of ready-to-wear garments.

05 | The Return of Decorative Lingerie Craftsmanship

Beyond materials and structural forms, the FW26 runways also placed renewed emphasis on decorative craftsmanship.

Elements such as fringe, beading, embroidery, and sequins appeared across numerous collections, transforming bra cups or corset structures into the focal points of the ensemble. In the designs of Area and Balmain, decorative lingerie elements with a distinct theatrical flair are particularly prominent.

This trend suggests that, after years of minimalism, designers are once again beginning to prioritize the value of craftsmanship and visual ornamentation.

For the industry supply chain, this implies that specialized techniques and materials—such as embroidery, beading, decorative trims, and fringe lace—are likely to garner renewed attention.

After years dominated by minimalism and functionalism, the inherent value of intricate, labour-intensive design is once again being recognized.

06 | The Return of Extreme Femininity

A key FW26 trend is a revived emphasis on femininity.

Lace, sheer fabrics, and soft silhouettes infused many collections, reintroducing lingerie-inspired aesthetics into ready-to-wear. The use of bras as fashion statements, sheer pieces, and exposed lingerie elements now aligns with female self-expression.

For example, Chloé layered lace and translucent fabrics for soft silhouettes; Erdem focused on embroidered tulle and lace, highlighting intricate detail. This aesthetic centers on active female expression and agency.

Lingerie now serves as both an external style and an emotional medium for the female body.

From Runway Trends to Market Opportunities

Together, these trends show fashion is adopting the language of lingerie.

Traditional intimate features—bra structures, corsetry, lace, elastic waists—are now key to styling. Lingerie is becoming a visible, expressive language.

For brands and retailers, this means new opportunities from design to storytelling.

Against this backdrop, Curve Shanghai remains a vital platform to see trends, discover brands, and track shifts. As fashion rediscovers lingerie’s role, the sector’s creative and commercial potential is re-emerging.