Key Takeaways

• Fashion brands are increasingly expanding into intimate apparel categories.
• Zara uses lingerie to extend fashion trends closer to the body.
• Uniqlo focuses on functionality and long-term comfort through innerwear.
• Etam blends intimate apparel with everyday lifestyle expression.
• Intimate apparel is becoming a strategic growth category for fashion brands worldwide.

On April 24th, we published a post on Curve Shanghai's official WeChat account—Jos Berry, with her signature keen insight, captured an undercurrent in Zara's 2026 collection: "Lace is making a comeback, and fast fashion is entering a phase of 'luxury expression'."

The article received a lot of attention and shares, and one comment in the comments section was particularly intriguing:

"I've never paid attention to Zara's intimate apparel products before."

This question perhaps reflects the sentiments of many—and the answer is precisely related to our understanding of this industry shift.

For a considerable period, when we mentioned "underwear," we almost instinctively thought of brands that focused solely on it. Underwear was often considered a relatively independent category, hidden beneath ready-to-wear, serving function or aesthetics, but rarely becoming the core of a brand's narrative.

However, an increasing number of underwear brands are driving a significant narrative reversal: Intimate apparel is "worth looking at" and "worth discussing," no longer just an appendage neglected after ready-to-wear.

This isn't a lone brand's attempt to break into the market—

From designer brand Adrienne Vittadini officially announcing the expansion of its entire intimate apparel category, encompassing shapewear, loungewear, and sleepwear, with a planned launch in US and Canadian retail channels in August 2026;

to Copenhagen-based fashion brand Rotate collaborating with lingerie brand Love Stories to launch its first lingerie capsule collection;

and then to Maje's Fall/Winter 2026 collection bringing lingerie aesthetics into daytime styling, "turning private moments into public expression"—more and more fashion brands whose core business is ready-to-wear are extending into "the layer closer to the body."

From functional base layers to bralettes that can be worn as outerwear, from lace pieces to intimate layers that express emotions—lingerie is becoming a new entry point for brands to build deeper relationships with consumers.

This isn't simply a category expansion, but a more fundamental shift: brands are moving from "wearing something on the body" to "being closer to the body."

Underpinning this shift is a fundamental restructuring of consumer demand. From Miu Miu and Givenchy to Valentino, exposed bralettes have become a key styling element in their Spring/Summer 2026 collections. In the Chinese market, lingerie is upgrading towards functionality and design, with wearable sleepwear and backless bras showing remarkable growth.

In this consumer context, ready-to-wear brands are "growing inward," responding to demand and making a strategic choice.

Zara: Bringing Fashion Trends Closer to the Body

A Narrative of Letting Trends "Enter" the Body

In Zara's system, lingerie is not an independent segment but a natural extension of global fashion trends.

As Jos Berry observed, whether it's lace, exquisite imagery, or that "systematic expression," Zara's 2026 collection presents not just a few individual pieces, but a complete narrative—it's attempting to extend the aesthetic language from runways and social media to the intimate apparel level.

If Zara's ready-to-wear logic is "quickly capturing trends," then its lingerie line is essentially about "letting trends truly enter the body." Here, lingerie transforms from an intimate garment into an organic expression of style.

Uniqlo: Function Designed Around the Body

A Container for Functionality to "Get Closer" to the Body

Unlike Zara, Uniqlo's lingerie logic is built upon "function."

HEATTECH and AIRism no longer emphasize visual presence, but rather focus on temperature regulation, breathability, and comfort to respond to the body's most direct needs.

This ultimate experience of "more comfortable than not wearing anything" perfectly aligns with Uniqlo's "LifeWear" brand philosophy—clothing is not for viewing, but for wearing over extended periods.

Therefore, in Uniqlo's system, lingerie is not a category, but rather the ultimate projection of its brand logic. The connection it establishes is not a style endorsement for a particular season, but a long-term reliance on "function and trust."

Etam: Bringing Everyday Emotion Back to Intimate Apparel

A Mediator for Everyday Life to "Return" to the Body

Zara represents trends, Uniqlo represents function, while Etam offers a path closer to everyday emotions.

As a brand that has long spanned both lingerie and ready-to-wear, Etam doesn't deliberately emphasize boundaries, but rather allows the two to blend naturally. Lightweight lace, soft materials, and tailored cuts that don't overemphasize shaping—it embodies aesthetic expression while remaining relevant to everyday wear.

In Etam's system, lingerie isn't a choice for special occasions, but a part of life. It carries a more relaxed and self-consistent expression.

From the "outer" to the "inner," what is the brand changing?

When we look at the paths of Zara, Uniqlo, and Etam together, we find a common trend:

• Zara: Bringing trends into the body

• Uniqlo: Making function close to the body

• Etam: Returning expression to the body

The paths differ, but the direction is the same—brands are extending towards more private, more everyday, and more frequent levels.

Behind this extension lies a profound shift in consumer relationships: from "being seen" to "being perceived," from "style expression" to "body experience," from "occasional purchases" to "frequent companionship."

Against this industry backdrop, intimate apparel is no longer a neglected niche category, but rather an indispensable structural force in brand strategy.

For brands, "growing inward" is not merely about extending product lines, but also about establishing more authentic and lasting connections in the area closest to the body.

This is precisely the direction Curve Shanghai continues to focus on—

When lingerie is no longer just lingerie, it opens up a whole new space for reshaping style, experience, and business relationships.

And that moment when "we had never paid attention to Zara's intimate apparel before" tells us that the more easily overlooked a category is, the more likely it is to become an entry point for building long-term relationships with consumers.

We extend a formal invitation to you. Curve Shanghai 2026 will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on October 13-14. We sincerely invite you to join us in opening a new chapter of "growing inward" for your brand.