As with so many other aspects in fashion, lingerie is changing in 2020.
With retailers noticing a marked drop in designs like the G-string and push-up bra, and our previous proclivity for satin and silk falling to the wayside as we fall for breathable cotton fabrics, the way we buy our intimates has changed drastically.
With a slew of new female-led brands, including Pansy and Les Boys Les Girls, offering a new take on what stylish lingerie looks like, we have a renewed temptation to restock our collections. Here, we round up the five lingerie trends that will define 2020.
The rise of cotton briefs

Lace and satin were the lingerie materials du jour in the ’80s and ’90s. Now, comfort is creeping to the forefront, with stylish brands like Pansy, pictured, opting for breathy fabrics like organic cotton. Meanwhile, local labels like Souszy are offering lace-look pieces that have the feel of cotton briefs, for more everyday-appropriate wear.
Image: Pansy
The rise of the soft cup

Painful underwires and outrageously padded ‘push up’ bras were often the only options available for women. Agent Provocateur co-founder Serena Rees proved lingerie is headed in a new direction when she launched Les Boys Les Girls (pictured), hew new venture, which deals exclusively with soft cups.
Image: Les Boys Les Girls
The return of the full brief

Sales of g-strings have “plateaued” and there is a “big growth in full briefs”, according to David Jones’s senior lingerie buyer, Angela Favaloro.
It looks as if customers are embracing their curves—as they should be—and looking for pieces that fit them correctly, that they also feel comfortable in.
Pictured: Araks
The death of neutrals

There was once a period where lingerie fell neatly into the ‘black or nude’ paradigm. In 2020, this is an outdated notion. Brands like Love Stories put the fun back in smalls with their bold clashing prints, while others opt for bright block colours.
Image: Pansy
Size diversity

The lingerie industry is no longer regulated to a limited number of sizes and cups, thanks to a growing contingent of smaller brands like Lonely Lingerie, pictured, who create desirable lace intimates with sizes ranging from 8A to 14E.
Image: Lonely Lingerie