English Version | Come out of your shell

Chrysalis or pupa. The stage of a butterfly's life cycle in which it passes into the final step of metamorphosis to become a fully developed butterfly. Many women spend years at this stage. And sometimes, to emerge from it, you just need the right lingerie.

It's an old tale, this one of female self-confidence - or the latent lack of it. The way to go until we foster a healthy self-esteem in women also seems to be in its infancy, but we already know enough to remind ourselves, whenever possible, that this self-confidence comes from within and not from the outside. And saying from within is also discussing underwear. The one that hugs us without judgment, that makes us feel comfortable and sexy at the same time, the one that exudes provocative sensuality, even under a basic combo like jeans and a t-shirt. Because the secret is not (only) in the pieces, but in the woman who wears them and feels better with them.

It's no wonder that Intimissimi's latest campaign for autumn/winter 2022-23 focuses on the silhouette of women: with a casting of stars that reflects how varied the spectrum of the female figure is, the purpose of the bras and underwear from the Italian house is not to shine per se, but to make those who wear them shine. And this perfect symbiosis happens because the brand has the right sizes, designed for any body, now introducing cups up to F in different models and offering proposals for all tastes and shapes. High waists, bralettes, bras with and without underwires, in short, the looks that you love to choose from to feel good in all dimensions when looking in the mirror - and even when you don't look - are now available in a wider alphabet, so that every woman's self-love can be taken to the letter. The novelty also has repercussions at the digital level, since the options with these larger cups allow, when browsing the online store, to be seen in its various wearability, which means that each customer can better find out about the details of the piece and witness as it is based on different types of figure.

Feeling good also has resonance at the level of consciousness: this collection of lace basics is made with 100% recyclable polyamide yarn, a particularly soft, comfortable and elastic material, adaptable to larger cup sizes and all pieces with this novelty are part of the #intimissimicares project, that aims to constantly improve and reduce environmental impact. The lace contains a degradable polyamide fiber produced in an eco-friendly way, with the reuse of water used in the production process and the treatment of greenhouse gases. For transparency, each piece includes a QR code for the Intimissimi website where you can find detailed information about this new fabric. But that’s not all: within this hashtag, there is a focus on “traceability”: on intimissimi.com, each piece has a technical sheet, with more extensive information about the factory, the stages of production, the brand’s commitment to sustainability and the stories of those who are part of the production of the articles. The union between the brand's sustainability philosophy and the characteristics of the supply chain made it possible to take a step forward in terms of transparency towards customers. Around 94% of the items sold in Intimissimi stores are produced in factories belonging to the brand, in Italy and abroad, which makes it possible to coordinate production management with other stages of the supply chain, eliminating intermediaries. And so it is also possible to maintain high quality at an affordable price, while being a business model that involves significant investments and vast employment opportunities, particularly for the local communities where the factories are located. In this sense, it is possible to guarantee an excellent working environment within the factories and respect for the human rights of those who work there.

And all this literally has good consequences not only in terms of personal self-esteem, but also in terms of support for human and planet sustainability. Is there a better butterfly effect than this one?

Translated from the original on The Butterfly Effect issue from Vogue Portugal, published October 2022.Full story and credits on the print issue.