"From Function to Emotion: The Next Revolution in the Lingerie Industry – Observations from Jos Berry's Speech at Interfilière New York

February 5, 2026, New York.

At the Interfilière New York trade show forum area, a woman slowly walked onto the stage. She playfully adjusted the microphone and said with a smile, "I always walk around during my presentations, which isn't very sound engineer-friendly—but I have to look at you all."

She is Jos Berry. A leading authority on lingerie trends, a mentor to generations of designers, and one of the few in the industry who dares to say on stage, "I don't know where to find sexy lingerie for young girls."

For the next 45 minutes, she didn't showcase any color swatches or announce next season's trending silhouettes. She did something increasingly rare in this industry—she spoke the truth.

Below are eight key industry insights we've gleaned from this speech. About women, about generations, about fabrics, about things we thought we understood, but which have already changed."

01 Saying Goodbye to "Functionality First": Lingerie Enters the Era of Emotion

"For the past 25 years, we've only done one thing—make bras as big and comfortable as possible," says Jos Berry. "And then?"

Then, the market was flooded with countless "24-hour wearable" bras that felt like nothing. Comfortable, safe, correct—but also boring.

"We have too many boring products now," she says. "We have to shift from function to pleasure."

She proposes an upgraded version of the "24-hour wardrobe" concept—not a garment to be worn 24 hours a day, but a single fabric, multiple styles, all-day adaptability. From haute couture to everyday base layers, from lingerie to outerwear, the boundaries of fabric are disappearing, and the barriers between categories are crumbling.

The core concept is no longer "what it can do for you," but "what you feel when you wear it."

02 Women Don't Dress by Category, They Dress by Emotion

This was a key quote throughout the event.

"You design by category, but they don't wear by category," says Jos.

Women choose their clothing based on mood, occasion, and desire. Lace for gentle days, cotton for calm days, and silk for indulgent nights. They are not loyal to any particular category; they are loyal to the person they want to be at that moment.

Jos summarizes women's current emotional needs into several directions : gentleness and nostalgia, calmness and protection, confidence and expression, indulgence and a sense of ritual. She mentions the retro romance brought by the Marie Antoinette exhibition—ribbons, bows, and small floral prints—young girls are "crazy" about it.

Underwear is no longer something "worn underneath and unseen," but rather an extension of one's emotions.

03 The Younger Generation: Humor is Language, Retro is Attitude

Jos mentions her two granddaughters—representatives of Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

"This Christmas, I played the world's stupidest game with them. I really didn't understand the fun, but they loved it."

Her conclusion is: Humor is the language of young people.

They live in an uncertain era. Climate crisis, economic fluctuations, the impact of AI—humor is not escapism, but a coping mechanism. They dislike being lectured seriously, dislike being told "you should wear this" or "you're wearing the wrong size." 

They want: 

• Secondhand clothing—"They go through my old sample closet with the excitement of an archaeologist." 

• DIY upcycling—"Making your own face cream? They actually do it in the kitchen." 

• Animal prints—teddy bears, dogs, horses. "I spent four hours with the marketing team at BHS London just to discuss how big the teddy bears should be."

That effortless, playful, and edgy sexiness.

04 Sustainability: From Label to Narrative

"Sustainability isn't just a slogan on a tag," Jos repeatedly emphasizes.

True sustainability is about thinking across the entire value chain, from fiber selection and fabric development to design logic and usage scenarios. It's not about how much recycled material you use, but whether someone would want to keep something for a lifetime.

She listed several noteworthy areas of innovation:

• Natural Materials: "One piece of fabric can be used to make T-shirts, leggings, and haute couture—from high-end to thermal underwear, it can do it all."

• Women's Engineering Design: A Swedish brand, under the name "Women's Engineering," develops functional underwear for menstruation and menopause. "They don't just alter men's sizes; they consult doctors, fiber experts, and real users—designing from scratch."

• Cashmere Underwear: "I saw cashmere underwear in Paris, 300 euros a piece. You think nobody bought it? It sold very well."

Fabric is no longer a cost item, but a carrier of emotion.

05 De-Seasoning of Color: Pink is Back

"When I entered the industry, major American brands would call me and ask: What color will you use for back-to-school this year? Not anymore."

Color is no longer a slave to the seasons, but an expression of brand emotion.

Pink—once considered out of the running—has made a strong comeback. Not just girly pink, but a pink with attitude. Natural, spicy, and calming colors coexist. There are no more "trendy colors," only "your color."

“These colors have been with us for five seasons,” Jos said. “Not because they’re ‘in season,’ but because they’ve always been.”

06 Crossover Inspiration: From Interior Design to Resort Wear, From Male Dominance to a Female Perspective

Jos observed that more and more lingerie brands are drawing inspiration from interior design. Fabrics, colors, and embroidery from the Paris Furniture Fair can be directly made into lingerie without looking out of place.

Another severely underrated sector is resort wear.

“You wouldn’t dare wear these clothes in the city, but you’d dare wear them on vacation. The boundaries between swimwear and lingerie are disappearing.” A garment can be a swimsuit, an inner layer, sleepwear, or outerwear—the decoupling of scenarios brings about a rebirth of the category.

At the same time, she sharply criticized the long-standing male-dominated perspective of the outdoor industry:

“I walk into an outdoor exhibition, and all I see are men, hiking boots, and windbreakers. I ask: Where are the women? Where are the women in this system?”

Men are the ones sweating, men are the ones cycling uphill, and the design of windbreakers is men’s. What about women?

Women are not a niche market. Women are the market itself.

07 Communication Revolution: AI, Animals, Stories

“We can no longer let women feel like ‘I’m wearing the wrong size.’”

Jos harshly criticized the marketing scare tactics employed by the industry in recent years regarding “women wearing the wrong bra size.” “How can you turn consumers into recipients of negative information?”

The new communication approach should be:

• AI-generated campaigns: Input emotional keywords, pattern, and model image, and AI can assist in completing the entire campaign. “You get the most beautiful results. You can capture those incredible moments, those incredible images.”

• Animal elements: Dogs, bears, horses—making the visuals light and approachable. “Putting a dog in the frame makes the whole thing less serious.”

• Story-first: Don’t talk about parameters, talk about “why you made it,” “how you made it,” “how you feel wearing it.”

“Young consumers don’t want to be educated. They want to be moved, amused, and understood.”

08 New Market Forces: China, the US, the New Generation

Jos specifically mentioned several market signals:

• China: Young designer brands are emerging at Interfilière & Curve Shanghai. “Aren’t these things I saw in Shanghai beautiful?” High-end local brands are taking shape.

• The US: Actress Sydney Sweeney's lingerie brand is high-priced, retro-styled, and emotionally resonant. Jos frankly admits, "I hadn't heard of her at first. That was my ignorance"—but this is precisely proof of emerging forces breaking through industry boundaries.

• Europe: Emerging niche brands in Italy and France are returning to handcrafted embroidery and high-end fabrics. "A brand helmed by a former La Perla designer was bought by two young people, who continue to make haute couture lace. High luxury isn't dead."

The pyramid market structure is being rebuilt.

"We lost the top of the pyramid in the past few years," she says. "Now it's back. High-end leads, penetrating step by step—that's what luxury should be."

Summary

Jos emphasized that her thoughts can transcend generations and cultures. This isn’t just about theoretical discussions on stage; her team itself is proof of her views.

“I have recent graduates and colleagues who have been with me for twenty years. They come from four different countries. We are multi-generational and multicultural.”

In her view, only such a team can understand women of different ages and backgrounds.

“Young people bring technology, humor, and aesthetics. Older people bring craftsmanship, connections, and judgment. All are indispensable.”

She pointed to the audience: “You are too. You are not fighting alone.”

At the end of her speech, Jos pulled a small gift from her pocket—a horse figurine.

“A Chinese friend gave it to me. They say 2026 is the Year of the Horse, symbolizing prosperity.” She held it up and waved it at the audience.

“But for me, it doesn’t symbolize prosperity; it symbolizes emotion, a gift, and a connection between people.”

She paused, then continued showing off the Labubu items she’d received over the past year.

“My granddaughters roll their eyes when they see me wearing this: ‘Grandma, you’re so old-fashioned.’ I don’t care. They don’t understand where this charm came from, who gave it to me, or why I cherish it, but I know.”

She looked at the audience.

“Fashion shouldn’t be something you consume and then throw away. It’s an emotional relationship between you and the fabric.”

We’re not selling lingerie.

We’re selling emotions, memories, identity, and the person you want to be in that moment.

This article is based on a transcript of a speech by lingerie trend expert Jos Berry at Interfilière New York on February 5, 2026. Interfilière Shanghai 2026 will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on October 13-14. Ms. Jos Berry has confirmed her attendance, will personally create a trend zone, and will deliver a keynote speech.

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*Views in this article are from Interfilière New York.