SA designer knickers with lace are big in Japan

Tag : lace factories


LUST is a four-letter word”, says the Ruby brand website— and foreign fans are panting to get hold of the fununderwear, which is complemented by beaded fashion accessories andsold in some of the world’s leading boutiques.

Ruby was created by Cape Town-based Robyn Lidsky six years ago whenshe decided to put theory into practice after exploring beadwork asa source of job and wealth creation for the thesis for her mastersdegree in political science. The Small Business Development Centrehelped her tap into a network of Khayelitsha beadworkers and shestruck a deal with Levi’s to customise women’s jeans.

Initially operating with a partner, Lidsky manufactured fashionaccessories such as beaded earrings, bangles and handbags,retailing through YDE stores. She soon realised there was a hugegap for fun, contemporary lingerie — retail brands such as LaSenza had not yet entered the SA market.

Having done a course in pattern-making several years previously,Lidsky designed her first range of French knickers —“an instant hit” — and sent samples to leadingpublications. Business boomed after magazines such as GQ, SL andFHM carried scantily clad models on their covers wearing herbest-seller satin and velvet bow-at-the back knickers.

She’s also participated in SA Fashion Week for the past sixyears, using the beautifully lit images of catwalk models showingher lingerie for the catalogues.

Lidsky was confident there would be overseas interest in her“unique, interesting and well-priced” brand and gotsupport from the trade and industry department (DTI), SA FashionWeek convenor Lucilla Booysen, and Martin Viljoen of the SA TextileExport Council.

A strong believer in trade shows, she applied for a sponsored standat the South African pavilion of the ASAP show in Las Vegas fouryears ago. Part of the world’s largest fashion marketplace,Magic, it was not ideally suited to her product — buyerssought manufacturers with huge production capacity. She built upknowledge about overseas requirements, however, developing contactswith top agents and distributors. She attended three ASAP tradeshows, the DTI covering her airfare and stand space.

Though this exposure, Lidsky discovered the ideal productshowcase, the Pool trade show, started privately in the HiltonHotel. She took part through the DTI’s individual exhibitorscheme: a manufacturer is first approved then pays for the boothspace and airfare. About three-quarters of the costs are reimbursedthree to six months later.

“It’s important to know what trade shows are happeningand where you should pitch your product. I believe in a lot ofresearch before you commit to a specific show, even if you do itall online.

“It can cost a small South African business a fortune toairfreight samples. It can take at least three months from an orderto production, then your agent needs another month for payment, soyou wait at least four months till payment. This can affect yourcash flow and local business.”

The “interesting journey” to exports was worth it , asthe Pool trade show led to orders from over a dozen top-end USboutiques. These included Fred Segal, a leading fashion and beautydestination in Los Angeles, plus New York’s La PetiteCoquette. Ruby underwear also sells in Canada, Japan and Australia,often cross-merchandised with the beaded accessories.

The lingerie is manufactured in established Cape CMT factories andairfreighted to Washington. A Vancouver-based distribution agentworks on a commission and distribution-fee basis. UPS collectspayment to ensure COD.

Lidsky’s range is based on 80% comfortable, consistentlyselling styles and 20% creative, edgy designs. Always innovative,she’s developing a bra that offers support but does away withexpensive underwiring, and regularly introduces new colours andtextures such as blue cotton denim matched with red lace. Theaccessories range incorporates new materials such as laser-cutperspex, hand cut-out lace and silk thread.

She recently launched “Men United”, the undies brotherbrand to Ruby, at this year’s Magic trade show in Las Vegas.The men’s cotton lycra underwear is available in six styles,including boxers and tailored trunks. Designs sport graphic printssuch as vintage sports cars and handyman tools, plus non-printedoptions in contrast- colour combos.

“We’re using humour to break down barriers men haveabout buying underwear,” she says.

Lidsky’s noted a strong demand for natural fibres and organiccotton, and customers increasingly want to know if products havebeen manufactured in an ethical environment with fair tradeprinciples. She plan s to acquire space in Khayelitsha as a workbase for the 16 beadworkers, and as a home for her “amazinglytalented” BEE partner Andita Shaweni.