Lingerie is a tricky thing to shop for, despite the wealth of options. Some brands skew too basic, especially for those seeking fun colors and silhouettes. Others prove to be too sexy for everyday wear.
That’s the conundrum that Hattie Tennant faced while she was in university. Finding herself in a house with eight girls, they’d leave a drying rack for their clothes out. Tennant realized quickly that everyone’s underwear was disconnected from the rest of their wardrobe. “It felt like there was space for something softer, less serious, and more reflective of how our friends actually wanted to dress,” she said. That a-ha moment served as the source of inspiration for Fruity Booty, the sustainable lingerie, swimwear, and loungewear brand that has become immensely popular among fashion editors.
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Consisting of colorful bras, briefs alongside knickerbocker shorts, button-ups, bikinis and one-pieces, the brand describes itself as a source for not just clothes but also all of the little things that go with them. Based in Hackney, a neighborhood in London, everything is designed and developed there using primarily deadstock and responsibly sourced fabrics.
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In that vein, Fruity Booty does drops consisting of small batches, in order to minimize waste. That attention to their core values also extends to the way Tennant markets the brand. “From the beginning, we’ve always approached the brand from a very female perspective. Visually we’ve avoided a lot of the traditional lingerie language — we never shoot in bedrooms, we don’t retouch images, and we’re not trying to create this hyper-sexualized fantasy,” she said.
That relatable aesthetic resonates deeply with Taylore Scarabelli, a New York City-based consultant and fashion writer behind the Substack Excess, “I discovered Fruity Booty via Instagram and I was a sucker for their soft girl iPhone imagery,” she said. She said Tennant’s approach, which never feels prescriptive and polished, is very appealing to her peers. “There’s a hole in the market for clothing that is cozy, youthful, affordable and well-made. Small women-owned brands like Fruity Booty, Tank Air and Gimaguas are dominating it. They have enough aspirational basics in the right colorways to fall into that under 25 to 40-year-old cool-girl territory.”
The brand recently opened their New York City pop-up in NoLIta, marking the second time they’ve set up shop. For those new to the label, Tennant offers a few suggestions of their most popular styles: “Black underwear is always incredibly strong for us — people really treat it as part of their everyday wardrobe. Our double-layer tops are also consistently bestsellers because they’re easy and flattering.”
Meanwhile for Scarabelli, she prefers the less conventional both in silhouette and color. “I walked away [from the pop-up] with what might be their weirdest silhouette: a pair of puffy booty shorts that hug my hips in just the right way. Also, it’s really all about neon again this season.” But whichever way you lean aesthetically, chances are Fruity Booty has it.