Start a lingerie business on a shoestring budget -- perhaps that should be a bra strap budget -- or spend tens of thousands of dollars. Your costs depend on several factors, including whether you're making the lingerie, wholesaling or selling it at retail. Where you sell the lingerie, how much inventory and equipment is required, marketing costs and, of course, licensing all affect costs.
The lingerie market at the turn of 21st century was driven by the advent of modern technologies and fabrics that help in designing innovative products such as laser-cut seamless bras and moulded T-shirt bras. Designers are putting greater emphasis on rich-looking fabrics, laces, embroideries and brighter, more daring colors.
The global lingerie market in 2003 was estimated at $29 billion, while in 2005, Bras accounted for 56 per cent of the lingerie market and briefs represented 29 per cent. The world’s largest lingerie retailer, Victoria's Secret, operates almost exclusively in North America, but the European market is fragmented, with Triumph International and DB Apparel predominant.
Also predominant are French lingerie houses, including Chantelle, Aubade and Simone Pérèle, each with a long history and a commitment to innovation and French style.
Since the mid-1990s, women have had more choice in bra sizes; the focus has changed from choosing bras in an average size to wearing bras that actually fit perfectly. In the UK, for instance, the media is fuelling an awareness campaign about the need for each woman to have a proper bra fitting before every purchase.
Typology:
- Babydoll, a short nightgown, or negligee intended as nightwear for women. A shorter style, it is often worn with panties. Babydolls are typically loose-fitting with an empire waist and thin straps.
- Basque, a tight, form-fitting bodice or coat.
- Bedjacket, worn over a nightgown or negligee for warmth and modesty.
- Bikini, a style of panty with fuller coverage in the back and a higher leg.
- Bloomers, baggy underwear that extends to just below or above the knee. Bloomers were worn for several decades during the first part of the 20th century, but are not widely worn today.
- Bodystocking, a unitard. Bodystockings may be worn over the torso, or they may be worn over the thighs and abdomen. They are typically used by women in order to appear slimmer.
- Bodysuit, a leotard-like undergarment, usually skintight or formfitting. Another form of shapewear.
- Bodice, covers the body from the neck to the waist. Bodices are often low cut in the front and high in the back, and is often connected with laces or hooks. Bodices may also be reinforced with steel or bone to provide greater breast support.
- Boy shorts, a style of panties, so named for their resemblance to male shorts.
- Brassiere, more commonly referred to as a bra, a close-fitting garment that is worn to help lift and support a woman’s breasts
- Bustier
- Camisole, sleeveless and covering the top part of the body. Camisoles are typically constructed of light materials and feature thin "spaghetti straps."
- Camiknickers, camisole and knickers joined as one garment. Most commonly referred to as a teddyand, most recently, as a "romper."
- Cheeky, a term used to denote that the garment exposes the bottom part of the buttocks.
- Chemise, a one-piece undergarment that is the same in shape as a straight-hanging sleeveless dress. It is similar to the babydoll, but it is fitted more closely around the hips.
- Corset, a bodice worn to mould and shape the torso. This effect is typically achieved through boning, either of bone or steel.
- Corselet, or merry widow, combined brassiere and girdle. The corselet is considered to be a type offoundation garment, and the modern corselet is most commonly known as a shaping slip.
- Corsage, similar to a corset. While corsets are commonly constructed of bone or steel, the corsage utilizes elastic.
- Drawers, a pant-like garment worn during the 19th century for modesty and warmth. Some drawers were split-leg, in that the crotch seam was left open.
- French maid, a form of ladies' fantasywear. One of many popular costumes used as lingerie.
- G-string, or thong, a type of panty, characterized by a narrow piece of cloth that passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips. A G-string or thong may be worn as a bikini bottom or as underwear by both men and women.
- Garter/Garter belt/Suspender belt (British), used to keep stockings up.
- Girdle, a type of foundation garment. Historically, the girdle extended from the waist to the upper thigh, though modern styles more closely resemble a tight pair of athletic shorts.
- Granny panties, a nickname for panties that are high waisted and cover the buttocks considerably.
- Hosiery, close-fitting, elastic garments that cover the feet and legs.
- Jersey nightshirt, a long, loose T-shirt made of cotton, polyester, nylon, or diaphanous chiffon. Another name for a babydoll or camisole.
- Knickers, an alternative word for panties.
- Negligee, a dressing gown. It is usually floor length, though it can be knee length as well.
- Nightgown, or nightie, a loosely hanging item of nightwear, may vary from hip-length (babydoll) to floor-length (peignoir).
- Nightshirt, a shirt meant to be worn while sleeping. It is usually longer and looser than the average T-shirt, and it is typically made of softer material.
- Panties, underwear that come in all shapes, fabrics and colours, allowing you to have lots of coverage or barely any coverage at all.
- Peignoir, a long outer garment which is frequently sheer and made of chiffon or another translucent fabric
- Petticoat, an underskirt. Petticoats were prominent throughout the 16th to 20th centuries. Today, petticoats are typically worn to add fullness to skirts in the Gothic and Lolita subcultures.
- Pettipants, a type of bloomer featuring ruffles, resembling petticoats. Pettipants are most commonly worn by square dancers and people participating in historical reenactment.
- Robe, a garment worn to cover the body. A robe may be floor-length, knee-length, or shorter, and it is commonly worn over and as lingerie.
- Slip, typically worn underneath clothing. Originally, slips were worn to prevent underwear from showing through thin clothing and to help clothing to hang properly on the body. Slips are found in both full and half styles, and are typically made of smooth fabric like silk or satin.
- Spanky-pants, Spankies, or Spanks, a type of shapewear most commonly worn by cheerleaders. Spanks help to create the illusion of a slimmer figure, and are often worn as shorts, tanks, or girdle-like bodices.
- Stockings, another term for hosiery.
- Stringbody (sv), a tight, benlöst full body garment whose lower tail consists of a narrow piece that goes between the buttocks. The garment has been developed from the much older bodysuits.
- Tanga, a type of panty featuring full back and front coverage, but string-like sides that are typically thicker than those found on a string bikini.
- Tap pants, a type of short typically made of lace, silk, or satin.
- Teddy, an undergarment that resembles the shape of a one-piece bathing suit because it is typically sleeveless, and sometimes even strapless.
- Torsolette, a shorter version of the corselette. It is very similar to the Basque, and is sometimes called a merry widow. The Torsolette may also feature detachable garters.
- Undergarment, a garment which one wears underneath clothes. Also known as "underwear."
- Unitard, a one piece, skin tight garment. Though not typically worn as lingerie, a unitard is considered a type of shapewear.
- Babydoll, a short nightgown, or negligee intended as nightwear for women. A shorter style, it is often worn with panties. Babydolls are typically loose-fitting with an empire waist and thin straps.
- Basque, a tight, form-fitting bodice or coat.
- Bedjacket, worn over a nightgown or negligee for warmth and modesty.
- Bikini, a style of panty with fuller coverage in the back and a higher leg.
- Bloomers, baggy underwear that extends to just below or above the knee. Bloomers were worn for several decades during the first part of the 20th century, but are not widely worn today.
- Bodystocking, a unitard. Bodystockings may be worn over the torso, or they may be worn over the thighs and abdomen. They are typically used by women in order to appear slimmer.
- Bodysuit, a leotard-like undergarment, usually skintight or formfitting. Another form of shapewear.
- Bodice, covers the body from the neck to the waist. Bodices are often low cut in the front and high in the back, and is often connected with laces or hooks. Bodices may also be reinforced with steel or bone to provide greater breast support.
- Boy shorts, a style of panties, so named for their resemblance to male shorts.
- Brassiere, more commonly referred to as a bra, a close-fitting garment that is worn to help lift and support a woman’s breasts
- Bustier
- Camisole, sleeveless and covering the top part of the body. Camisoles are typically constructed of light materials and feature thin "spaghetti straps."
- Camiknickers, camisole and knickers joined as one garment. Most commonly referred to as a teddyand, most recently, as a "romper."
- Cheeky, a term used to denote that the garment exposes the bottom part of the buttocks.
- Chemise, a one-piece undergarment that is the same in shape as a straight-hanging sleeveless dress. It is similar to the babydoll, but it is fitted more closely around the hips.
- Corset, a bodice worn to mould and shape the torso. This effect is typically achieved through boning, either of bone or steel.
- Corselet, or merry widow, combined brassiere and girdle. The corselet is considered to be a type offoundation garment, and the modern corselet is most commonly known as a shaping slip.
- Corsage, similar to a corset. While corsets are commonly constructed of bone or steel, the corsage utilizes elastic.
- Drawers, a pant-like garment worn during the 19th century for modesty and warmth. Some drawers were split-leg, in that the crotch seam was left open.
- French maid, a form of ladies' fantasywear. One of many popular costumes used as lingerie.
- G-string, or thong, a type of panty, characterized by a narrow piece of cloth that passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips. A G-string or thong may be worn as a bikini bottom or as underwear by both men and women.
- Garter/Garter belt/Suspender belt (British), used to keep stockings up.
- Girdle, a type of foundation garment. Historically, the girdle extended from the waist to the upper thigh, though modern styles more closely resemble a tight pair of athletic shorts.
- Granny panties, a nickname for panties that are high waisted and cover the buttocks considerably.
- Hosiery, close-fitting, elastic garments that cover the feet and legs.
- Jersey nightshirt, a long, loose T-shirt made of cotton, polyester, nylon, or diaphanous chiffon. Another name for a babydoll or camisole.
- Knickers, an alternative word for panties.
- Negligee, a dressing gown. It is usually floor length, though it can be knee length as well.
- Nightgown, or nightie, a loosely hanging item of nightwear, may vary from hip-length (babydoll) to floor-length (peignoir).
- Nightshirt, a shirt meant to be worn while sleeping. It is usually longer and looser than the average T-shirt, and it is typically made of softer material.
- Panties, underwear that come in all shapes, fabrics and colours, allowing you to have lots of coverage or barely any coverage at all.
- Peignoir, a long outer garment which is frequently sheer and made of chiffon or another translucent fabric
- Petticoat, an underskirt. Petticoats were prominent throughout the 16th to 20th centuries. Today, petticoats are typically worn to add fullness to skirts in the Gothic and Lolita subcultures.
- Pettipants, a type of bloomer featuring ruffles, resembling petticoats. Pettipants are most commonly worn by square dancers and people participating in historical reenactment.
- Robe, a garment worn to cover the body. A robe may be floor-length, knee-length, or shorter, and it is commonly worn over and as lingerie.
- Slip, typically worn underneath clothing. Originally, slips were worn to prevent underwear from showing through thin clothing and to help clothing to hang properly on the body. Slips are found in both full and half styles, and are typically made of smooth fabric like silk or satin.
- Spanky-pants, Spankies, or Spanks, a type of shapewear most commonly worn by cheerleaders. Spanks help to create the illusion of a slimmer figure, and are often worn as shorts, tanks, or girdle-like bodices.
- Stockings, another term for hosiery.
- Stringbody (sv), a tight, benlöst full body garment whose lower tail consists of a narrow piece that goes between the buttocks. The garment has been developed from the much older bodysuits.
- Tanga, a type of panty featuring full back and front coverage, but string-like sides that are typically thicker than those found on a string bikini.
- Tap pants, a type of short typically made of lace, silk, or satin.
- Teddy, an undergarment that resembles the shape of a one-piece bathing suit because it is typically sleeveless, and sometimes even strapless.
- Torsolette, a shorter version of the corselette. It is very similar to the Basque, and is sometimes called a merry widow. The Torsolette may also feature detachable garters.
- Undergarment, a garment which one wears underneath clothes. Also known as "underwear."
- Unitard, a one piece, skin tight garment. Though not typically worn as lingerie, a unitard is considered a type of shapewear.
Location
A home-based lingerie business requires only a few boxes to store samples and a corner for your home office.The costs involved are minimal if there are any location costs at all. Opening a retail lingerie shop requires a first and last month lease payment, security deposit and signing a 12-month lease. Lease rates vary from a thousand dollars a month to several thousand. If your business doesn't succeed, you are obligated for the remainder of the lease. Kiosks, those free standing carts in the center aisles of shopping malls, are an alternative that doesn't require as much funding as a full size retail store. Costs vary depending on the city and mall. You might consider selling your lingerie through a website. If that's the case you'll need to pay for hosting, web design, domain registration, graphic design and copy. Costs range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
Inventory
A nightgown costs from less than $10 to over $100 depending on the material -- silk is expensive while polyester is cheap, decoration and embellishments. If you're in the custom lingerie business, say making wedding night lingerie, you won't have much in the way of inventory, since each gown is produced individually. If you sell lingerie on the party plan -- where guests gather at the hostess's home and the guests order from you -- you need samples and catalogs but you don't have to carry a full range of sizes and colors. Selling lingerie on the Web gives you time to order the lingerie from your wholesaler and have it delivered. The most costly alternative is selling lingerie from a retail store. You'll need a full range of colors and sizes, as well as a variety of different types of lingerie such as panties and bras, sleepwear, lounge wear, nightgowns, robes and pajamas.
Equipment
Making custom lingerie requires a commercial-grade sewing machine, fabrics, sequins, embroidery threads and appliques. A retail store requires the most in the way of equipment from display racks to point of sale terminals and software for tracking vendors, payments, sales and inventory. A computer and Internet connection is necessary to sell lingerie online. A business phone is always a good idea even if your business is home-based.
Marketing
Every business needs marketing strategies and those strategies cost money. Depending on your lingerie business you may need a brochure and cards to give to potential party hostesses, a brochure demonstrating your custom lingerie work or advertising for a retail shop. Costs range from less than $100 for business cards to several thousand dollars for advertising.
How to Start My Own Lingerie Business
If you would like nothing more than to arrange drifts of soft underwear, delicate brassieres and silken nightgowns into attractive displays for shoppers, consider starting your own lingerie business. Beginning in the 1980s, lingerie emerged as a lucrative specialty retail sector, according to the Mind Branch.com online report summary, “U.S. Market for Women's Intimate Apparel (Lingerie).” The industry generated revenues of $11 billion in 2009, according to IBIS World.com in the online reports summary, “Lingerie, Swimwear, Uniform & Bridal Stores.”
Step 1
Research the local competition. Visit area shopping centers to identify existing lingerie shops, including large corporate lingerie retailers. Scope out inventories, look into pricing scales and look for potential niches. Maternity bras, plus-sizes and mastectomy bras are all examples of lingerie sectors that may not have cropped up on your competitors’ radar, according to Business Ideas.net in the online article titled “Opening a Lingerie Store.”
Step 2
Apply for permits. You will need a business license, tax identification number and retailer’s license to get your lingerie business started, according to Internet Based Moms.com in the online article titled “Start a Lingerie Business.” You may also need special permits for selling lingerie at trade shows, flea markets or online to out-of-state customers. Purchase liability insurance.
Step 3
Stock your inventory. Contract with wholesalers, private label designers and manufacturers to purchase lingerie inventory, as described in the Style Career.com online article titled “Lingerie Store.” Purchase a variety of sizes, and include a range of lingerie items to satisfy broad customer tastes in both conservative and racy lingerie. Also include any additional retail items, including stockings, slippers and novelty items appropriate for bachelorette parties or bridal shower gifts. Keep men in mind with silk boxers or robes, as described by Entrepreneur.com in the online article titled “Lingerie Shop.”
Step 4
Market your business by asking customers to sign up for your online newsletter as they complete purchases. Send notices of upcoming sales, photos of the newest trends or customer loyalty program incentives. Offer free bra sizing, lingerie consulting or trousseau packages to customers as a way to market your superior customer service. Direct mail catalogs and lingerie parties are other marketing ideas suggested by Entrepreneur.com.
Things Needed
- Business license
- Tax identification number
- Retailer's license
- Liability insurance
- Lingerie inventory
- Men's items
- Online newsletter
- Customer service offerings
- Franchise fees
Tips
- Diversify your inventory by including high-quality lingerie items made of satin and silk and also less-pricey polyester blends to attract a variety of customer demographics, as described in “Start a Lingerie Business.”
- Consider buying into a lingerie franchise as a way to tap into a brand name, customer base and training access to training, as described by Gaebler.com in the online article titled “How to Start a Women's Underwear & Lingerie Wholesale & Manufacturers Business.” Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay franchise fees and may have less control in designing your lingerie store’s look and offerings.
Warnings
- Avoid being left with armfuls of unsold items in uncommon sizes by tracking popular sizes purchased by lingerie customers and ordering only small amounts of less-common clothing sizes, as described by “Opening a Lingerie Store.”
- Lingerie shopping can be a sensitive and intimate experience, so make customers feel comfortable by forbidding male customers accompanying their wives or girlfriends from entering the dressing room, and approaching anyone who appears to be making customers feel uncomfortable and asking them to state their business or leave.
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