A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How Shadowline Lingerie is Designed

Have you ever wondered about the lingerie design process behind your favorite Shadowline®, Velrose® or Dixie Belle® pieces?

After over 110 years in business, we like to think that we have perfected the art of creating comfortable, stylish, great-fitting underwear and sleepwear! Some of our designs have remained in production, entirely unchanged, for decades which is testament to just how much you love them. Other designs of course are newer, such as our latest Satin Touch sleep collection which seamlessly blends classic Shadowline® elements with contemporary styling.

So, what inspires a new product or collection, and how do we take it from concept to creation? Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes of our lingerie design studio in Pennsylvania, where the magic happens…

What inspires Shadowline Lingerie designs?

As a women’s lingerie brand with such a rich heritage behind us, we would be foolish not to delve into our extensive lingerie design archives when searching for inspiration! Whether it’s flicking through old catalogs and advertising illustrations, or analyzing the finer details of vintage Shadowline®, Velrose® and Dixie Belle® garments we have on hand, this is always the first place that our head designer Kim turns when beginning to dream up a new collection.

Particularly as we continue to revive the much-loved Dixie Belle® brand, we are bringing back original styles exactly as they used to be, as well as working on developing new ones which will share a similar aesthetic alongside the same focus on comfort, fit and excellent value.

Playing off of our own design history goes a long way towards giving Shadowline Lingerie its signature timeless look – we bring back old ideas again and again, though each time with a fresh new twist. It’s also why we’re one of the few brands still making styles that are increasingly hard to find elsewhere, such as a good nylon slip or a retro brief with a true full coverage fit.

How are new colors chosen for Shadowline Lingerie’s products?

Similarly, we’ve been creating lingerie and sleepwear long enough to know which colors our customers love most, from soft pastels to vibrant jewel tones. And when a color particularly resonates, we keep on making it! Our iconic Petals collection for example was originally released in Pink, Rosey Pink, Sapphire and Seafoam, and all four were such a hit that we still offer them today alongside other, more limited-edition colorways.

When it comes to launching a new color, we reference what’s trending, what’s popular in our other collections, and what you, our customers, are telling us you’d like to see through product reviews and social media. So don’t be shy about leaving a comment on Facebook or Instagram!

What are the key stages in Shadowline Lingerie’s design process?

Once Kim has an idea for a new garment, the next step is for her to develop the sewing pattern our factory will follow to make it. Nowadays, most companies use computer programs to take a style from initial sketch to finished pattern, but Kim likes to keep things old school.

“My favorite way to create a pattern is by draping directly on a dress form, allowing us to see exactly what the fabric will do. This is a fun and very hands on process,” she explains.

This is essential to achieving the perfect drape in a swishy robe, or a flawlessly-fluid fit in a satin nightdress. She also works with flat patterns, taking an existing pattern with a fabulous fit as a starting point and then seeing how she can modify it to change up the look.

After the initial pattern is created, the next step is to cut out the fabric and sew up a sample – a process which happens in-house in our Pennsylvania headquarters – so that it can be tried on a model to check the fit.

How does Shadowline Lingerie guarantee a comfortable, spot-on fit in every piece?

Whether it’s a pajama pant or a pair of panties, fit testing is the final, crucial step in our lingerie design process. We never release a product for sale before we’re 100% satisfied with the way it fits on the body.

This means anywhere up to 5 fit tests with our newly-made prototype, tweaking things here and there each time, until everyone in the design team and the fit model all agree that it’s both flattering and comfortable.

How does Shadowline Lingerie bring designs to life through craftsmanship and manufacturing?

Every Shadowline Lingerie design is a fusion of carefully thought-out design and precisely-managed manufacturing, to guarantee quality from one product to the next.

For example, one of our team members is responsible for making sure that our fabrics are consistently dyed to the same color time after time, so that your new robe purchase will match the coordinating nightgown you bought last year. And we have been working closely with the same factory for many years, ensuring unwavering quality thanks to seamstresses who know our designs every bit as well as we do!

Which fabrics and materials does Shadowline Lingerie use for quality and comfort?

Being the best lingerie company around means more than just creating products that look good – they need to feel good too, and that starts with the fabrics. No one wants to wear scratchy lace panties all day or go to bed in sleepwear that doesn’t breathe.

Our two signature fabrics, both exclusive to the Shadowline® brand, are our Opacitrique® and Satintrique® nylon tricots. The former a little heavier for great structure and opacity, and the latter offering a light-as-air fit and a touch of satin shimmer, we created these USA-made fabrics because we weren’t fully satisfied with the nylons that were already out there. Ours have been carefully developed to be silky-smooth, extra wrinkle resistant, and highly durable. You can rely on them to be easy-care and hold their gorgeous colors wash after wash.

Nylon Velrose® and Dixie Belle® garments are made from a similar 100% nylon tricot material (also made in the USA) and we also incorporate soft knit cottons, ultra-breathable cotton batiste, various elegant laces and a slinky, premium-grade satin charmeuse across our many collections. Head here to learn more about the Shadowline Lingerie fabrics.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how your Shadowline Lingerie pieces are brought to life! Why not take a look at some of our newest design launches?