Hepburn and Leigh

We have a problem; not all our pictures are up to our standards – could you help?

 

We have some truly beautiful images supplied by many of the brands we work with, but we also have some that for various reasons don’t work for us.

Brands both big and small sometimes cut costs by providing cut outs or plain shots, which we’re not keen on – great for seeing the detail of the product, but not so much for knowing what it will look like on people. Some of our brands are usually aimed at a customer group who are younger than ours, so their models can be a little too youthful for our personal tastes!  Last but not least, sometimes a brands shots are aimed at creating an atmosphere rather than seeing a product, which means the information you need is lost to lensflare or similar effects.

All of these pictures and products are beautiful in their own right, but they’re just not quite perfect Hepburn and leigh!

 

So, for some time now we’ve been thinking; we need a photoshoot. It’s hugely expensive, but we think you’re worth it!

We already know the photographer we want to use – Morgana, of Iberian Black Arts, whose home studio in Ipswich creates the amazing images you see for Kiss Me Deadly, Bibian Blue, Betty Blue’s Loungerie, Lulu and Lush and many more – but we need to find a selection of models too. We are looking for:

A variety of dress sizes – for some shots we will need the sample sizes as if we are shooting ina dvance of items arriving, we can only have the sample size, which is a 34B and a size 8-10. But we’d like to shoot some of the styles we have staying for more than one season, by What Katie Did, Fraulein Annie, and Kiss Me Deadly amongst others. Anything from an 8-18 easily fits into our range at the moment.

Our bra size range (at the moment) goes from A – G, so anywhere in that means we can have you modelling! We’d love to show off the D+ cups more.

Someone who knows their poses, their angles, and where the light is! Modelling does take some know-how, and while we’re not looking for full on pro models, we do need to know that you can get a good shot.

It probably goes without saying that you would need to come to Ipswich for the shoot, and that you need to be comfortable with photographs of you in your lingerie being shown online.

And what would you get? Apart from a professional shoot with Morgana and all the high res images from that, as much lingerie and swimwear as you can manage to take home with you! Seriously, we’ll give you a £1000′s worth of lingerie and swimwear. So we’ll probably courier it to you, because otherwise you’d have to bring a suitcase just for your new lingerie wardrobe.

What do you need to do to enter?

Email us some pictures! We’ll also need to know your sizes (you can never tell from pictures) and that you can get to Ipswich. Send the pictures and info to ema@hepburnandleigh.co.uk

Obviously it helps if your pictures involve a Heburn and Leigh garment but we won’t love you any less if it doesn’t.

If you haven’t worn a suspender belt or big knickers before, you might want to try them – so when you put in “strikeapose”  at the checkout here you get 20% off.

We’ll be putting your pictures on facebook,tumblr and pinterest to see which get the best response, though people absolutely won’t be allowed to criticise your body. We’re not at home to people being rude about each others figures or faces, and anyone who starts will get banned. But do want to find women that Hepburn and Leigh people want to see more of and who they are interested in.

We would like all of the pictures to be sent by August the 15th, and we’ll be announcing the winners at the start of September so that we can shoot the new Autumn collections – because that’s always the best season, don’t you think?

Many of you already have questions so here goes:

 

Does it matter what age I am?

No, as long as you are over 18. We’d be very happy indeed to hear from women over 40 as we know some of our customers are in their 70′s.

Does it matter if I am signed already (to a modelling agency)?

Yes – they may not want you to do modelling outside of contracts they negotiate, which could mean extra fees for us. Talk to them about it and get back to us.

Does it matter if I have scars?

No. Everyone has scars or stretch marks or bruises or skin problems for quite a few of us, all of the above. You might find you get an appreciative audience, or that you can work round them, or that we mutually agree to work round them. Part of this exercise is to see what people like seeing and there’s so many variables in scars and people that we don’t know.

Does it matter if I have tattoos?

No. I suspect that our current customer base doesn’t much like them, but I could be wrong, and it will probably depend hugely on the nature of your artwork and how you style it!

 

 

If you haven’t acquainted yourself with the stunning work of Fraulein Annie we suggest you take a look, then fill your basket.

Just this week one of our rather buxom team declared that the Mein Herr fuller busted bra was currently her favourite bra in the world and possibly the best one she has ever owned.

When pressed about her enthusiasm she explained how often she had no option but to buy moulded cups and never thought that a soft cup could be so supportive, light and shapely.

Even more amusingly, not one to read descriptions too closely, she hadn’t even realised that the straps can be unhooked and made into a halter as the connecter clasps are so strong and pretty she thought they were simply part of the very creative detailing. From that we can conclude not only is this a wonderful multiway item, but that it is constructed in such a way that there is absolutely no chance a wardrobe malfunction.

She was incredibly pleased to discover that this soft black and smoky grey art deco inspired number, with sheer panel details, proved her assumptions about bra options for the fuller bust to be completely unfounded in such a wonderfully surprising and stylish way.

Our collection of matching bras, girdles, suspenders, knickers and pantygirdles from Fraulein Annie are a wonderful treat perfect for everyday and special occasions. The smaller sizes do come with soft sewn padded cups, which could be too bulky in larger sizes, and shows how well Fraulein Annie really understands the different comfort needs of different sizes.

The Falling In Love collection is also proving to be a roaring success as the flattering detailing, variations in design and a variety of colours can be combined to suit every body shape and preference. From the delicious warm brown chestnut to the bright mulberry and wonderfully light pearl set there is a colourway for every mood and outfit.

Thankfully we are not confined to underwear as we also have the wonderful fully reversible Ahoy Sailor mix-and-match bikini set and swimsuit that feature a light blue and white stripe pattern on one side and a vibrant yet tasteful blue retro inspired pinup style print on the other. Perfect for when you need to pack light or fancy a quick change.

The best news is that we have just taken delivery of a whole new set of new styles and colourways perfect for any outfit and occasion.

- Miss Hepburn

Last month we paid a visit to the Paolita and Kiss Me Deadly boutique in central London to discover the stunning work coming from Ava Corsetry who are responsible for these stunning pieces and to talk to Danielle, the creative force behind it.

With a degree and a number of years experience working in fashion and  costuming, Danielle is hard to match when it comes to technical skill and enthusiasm about corsetry.  An absolute delight, she told us about the selection of corsets, intricately constructed stays and a stunning corset-based evening dress she had on display.

She had even brought along a deconstructed corset showing all of the layers and pieces that make up these amazing shapewear items, highlighting the craftsmanship required. Everything is considered; for instance they are carefully constructed so that the bottom of the busk where the corset joins at the front won’t lift away from the tummy, as happens with some mass-produced ones.

At Hepburn and Leigh we are both lucky and proud to be  one of only three retailers able to offer the gorgeous Blue DeVille, the Plum Silk Dupion, and Tempest Rose corsets knowing that these made to order items are of the highest quality.  We are also pleased to have a number of lingerie pieces and stockings to perfectly compliment them.

So which will you be ordering?

Due to the time needed to make these stunning pieces, if you want yours, or that present for someone, in time for Christmas you have to place that order soon. Today was to be our deadline date but we have luckily been allowed to extend the Hepburn and Leigh corsetry order deadline for a week,  this means that the last order date for Christmas 2012 is the 16th November.

- Miss Hepburn

Halloween and bonfire night have been and gone, the air is decidedly crisp, and it’s time to think about Christmas. I’m already looking forward to my Christmas dinner, but I’m sure most of you will be thinking mainly of your presents – perhaps even your Christmas stockings!

Please be aware that our services may be disrupted between Friday 21st December and Wednesday 2nd January, firstly because Royal Mail will not be delivering on many of those dates and secondly because we’d quite like a holiday too! We will work as hard as we can to minimise any backlog of orders, but of course almost every postal service will be doing the same thing, so orders placed after Christmas may still take slightly longer than usual to arrive.

Below are the last recommended ordering dates for Christmas deliveries, which vary by which part of the world you’re in. These are designed to correspond to the last recommended Royal Mail posting dates, but are not guarantees, as we cannot control the progress of an order once it has left our warehouse. We’ll be posting up reminders both on the main page of the shop website, and also on the blog.

 

Wednesday 5th December: Asia, Australia, Far East (including Japan) and New Zealand.

Friday 7th December: Africa, Caribbean, Middle East, South & Central America.

Monday 10th December: Eastern Europe, USA and Canada.

Wednesday 12th December: Western Europe

Thursday 20th December: UK

 

Any orders placed by 09:00 GMT on  Friday 21st December will still be posted before the warehouse shuts, but cannot be guaranteed to arrive before Christmas. Orders placed after 09:00 GMT on Friday 23rd December will not be posted until Thursday 27th December at the earliest. As always, we’ll do our best to keep you updated via your order statuses.

~~~
Miss Leigh – your source for practical tips and information on classic lingerie.

Shapewear is often a girl’s best friend when looking for smooth lines, particularly under that lovely outfit you have just bought, but why are they often so dreary, or heavens forbid beige? Always on the look out for beautiful and flattering styles, we knew we absolutely had to get hold of some of the winter collection from Rosy the moment we set eyes on it.

The gorgeously detailed shaping Sensual brief, the glamorous higher rise Charleston brief and the delicious plum Precieuse basque which perfectly compliments the Mimi collection from Kiss Me Deadly and the Mulberry Falling in Love set from Fraulein Annie are here and ready for you to order.

The style and shaping capabilities of the Sensual brief has really impressed us, and from the enthusiastic and positive response we have had on our Facebook page from our customers we know we aren’t alone.

The stunning lace details and panels make the Sensual brief a great combination of slinky, sexy and shaping. They’re not high-waisted knickers in the manner of Kiss Me Deadly pantygirdles, but they do come to around the natural waist. They happily accommodate our testers “decidedly round” buttocks and showed no evidence of creeping. A light control garment that looks even lighter, they definitely smooth out a few wobbles, but don’t expect to lose inches (get a corset for that!).

The fabric is beautifully soft, it looks and feels more like lace than powernet or control wear spandex, and our tester said she’d be stealing a pair for herself!

It is in stock now – and we seem to be the only people in the UK who have it.

So will this masterpiece in slinky glamour technology be making its way to your wardrobe?

- Miss Hepburn