Sisters Alice Holloway-Smith and Sophie Holloway are introducing the world of burlesque to upcycling.
Eco-undies for Modern Burlesque Dancers
While re-using materials to make clothing has been around for a long while, most people don’t associate it with lingerie or being sexy but these sisters are here to change that with Holloway Smith Noir.
The East London duo has created pasties using recycled old car seats for backing and leftover lace and silk for decoration. They are reducing waste and making something beautifully unique.
When asked why they pursue this niche product Sophie Holloway told The Ecologist: “Ethics are important to us. Quality and ethics aren’t our USP – we do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Holloway Smith Noir try to move away from the high street lingerie chains using burlesque as their starting point. “Our ESP is burlesque, vintage glamour,” Alice told The Ecologist.
“People buy into burlesque because it’s new but also old, but then at the same time, we’ve come so far since the heyday of burlesque. It’s not about ‘look at my body’; it’s about the tease so it’s intimate and translates better to the bedroom. Both men and women can buy into it.”
Recently the pair launched a collaboration of pasties and tassels with Miss Polly Rae. Alice told Burlexe, “The tassels are completely Swarovski crystal and thus rather hypnotic.”
They’ve also created an organic cotton velvet mermaid dress for Lady Alex at the Wam Bam Club. As well as burlesque costumes for Cabaret Rouge for their Red Room routine.
The sisters also set up an open studio in the Cockpit Arts Centre in Holborn on 25th, 26th and 27th of November. Alice enticed customers with promises of, “Gingerbread pasties and gin to celebrate our little business being one year old.”
You can shop online and check out what we’re especially looking forward to: their eco-luxe silk knickers in February.
(Image from The Ecologist)
Check out our latest interview with Alice Holloway-Smith.
Burlexe is a sensational London burlesque show inspired by the women who created the genre and perform the art. It fuses burlesque performance with storytelling, dancing with acting.
Find out more about our unique burlesque show and join our mailing list.
(Main image from Holloway Smith Noir)
