March 13, 2008

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Death Becomes Her

The new UK lingerie line Bela's Dead conjures a seductive afterlife. By Ellie Hay

The posthumous adventure starts here—so suggests the new London-based lingerie line Bela's Dead, an alluring collection of modern romantic undies with a dark, mischievous undertone. "I like the idea of putting something spooky into luxury lingerie," says Jo Lynch, designer for the label. "It adds a slightly unnerving quality to it."

In preparing the collection, Lynch collaborated with Finnish illustrator Klaus Haapaniemi whose imaginative story-telling artwork offered an expressive and unexpected new layer to the fabrics and pieces. The current collection explores precarious aspects of nature, drawing inspiration from The Garden of Eden and forbidden fruit, a narrative that's harmonious with one of Jo's main design influences—music. She cites Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Nick Cave's tales of forlorn and lost lovers as key references.

Working out of her East London studio in Shoreditch, Lynch's constant fascination with the art of seduction resonates in the line's French knickers, demi-basques, teddy suits, even her everyday standard bra and brief sets. Even sexier, the little line of underthings was shot by Ellen Von Unwerth who captured Claudia Schiffer modelling the collection.

"I like to design pieces that combine elegance and strength," she says. "There is a '40s influence in the silhouette of the satin teddy and in the shape of the bra this season, but overall, the topless demi-basque, the falling straps and the touch and feel of the fluid black satin against the skin are about sex, and, of course, heightening the female presence."

For more information and availability, go to www.belasdead.com.

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