Erik von Gutenberg recommends what katie did!

This November, the UK’s first designer of elegant, faux-vintage lingerie celebrates her 10th anniversary. What Katie Did is a company born from one woman’s love of vintage underpinnings, and her fascination with the way they had changed, almost unrecognisably, in the last hundred years. A decade down the line, she now has a flagship store in Portobello Road and her signature bullet bras and suspender belts can be found in Topshop, ASOS and Liberty of London; not to mention on A-List celebrities on the covers of glossy magazines.

From the circle-stitched bullet bras, faithfully recreated from originals, to period perfect fully-fashioned seamed stockings, the entire collection screams old fashioned sophistication. What Katie Did’s steel-boned corsets are also widely regarded by burlesque artistes and pin-up girls nationwide as the very best you can buy off-the-peg. Each one is a marvel of design and engineering, with a version to suit every figure; whether you want a gentle curve, or a Dita von Teese-esque 6-inch reduction that would set a lesser mortal’s eyes watering.

The What Katie Did A/W 09 collection introduced the Josephine range – a semi-sheer cheetah print that will have any vintage vixen embracing her inner Bettie Page – as well as new additions to the favourite scarlet satin and black lace Lulu range; plus some opulent new Showgirl corsets. What Katie Did’s classic styles – the black satin Maitresse, gorgeous peach Harlow and sheer organza Cabaret lines also make a welcome return.

But there’s one more thing Katie does better than anyone else: sexy shapewear. Forget the dreadful, flesh-coloured monstrosities endorsed by so-called TV style gurus, the aptly-named Glamour foundation garments will not only smooth you out and ensure your vintage dress fits the way it should; you’ll feel like a silver-screen siren wearing them. The Glamour range comes in both black and vintage peach, ensuring they work under any outfit. And boy, do they work!

Vintage style and sophistication but with modern technology and comfort – could there be a better combination?

Notes to editors:
The UK’s best-known faux vintage lingerie label What Katie Did is celebrating its 10th birthday in November. The A/W 09 collection features their signature satin, lace and organza confections, which are joined by a brand-new range of cheetah print lingerie inspired by 20s cabaret artiste Josephine Baker. Their famous steel-boned corsets are now available in more designs and colours than ever, and the range now includes the decadent new Showgirl corsets, alongside the sophisticated Glamour range of shapewear. The new collection is currently available to purchase from What Katie Did’s flagship London Boutique and whatkatiedid.com; as well as from Liberty of London, TopShop, ASOS and other selected online retailers.

Contact:
For more information about What Katie Did, please contact katie@whatkatiedid.com, or call +44 (0) 845 430 8743.

If you’ve ever felt like modern underwear has lost the glitz and glamour of yesteryear, then you’re not alone. But, when she launched her company What Katie Did, ten years ago, Katie Halford could never have dared to dream that her lingerie designs, born from her life-long love of vintage shapewear and ‘proper’ hosiery, would appear in Vogue magazine. Yet appear they have, and not only in Vogue – her creations have also graced the pages of Harpers Bazaar, Look, Pop and many more; even mens’ magazine Esquire recently featured Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley in a Maitresse bullet bra. But, not content with taking the fashion world by storm, Katie, along with the UK’s top retro photographer Tony Nylons, is now set to conquer the literary world.

The launch of A Serious Study of Mid-20th Century Lingerie coincides with What Katie Did’s 10th anniversary, and is a gorgeous, glossy retrospective of lingerie in the last century. Lavishly illustrated with full-colour photos by Nylon Flash creator Tony Nylons and cheeky pin-up sketches by artist Charlotte Thomson, this beautiful book details the development of what we would describe as ‘modern’ underwear – from the decline of the heavily-boned corset to the invention of the bra, the rise and fall in popularity of foundation garments and the history of stockings. Katie also details the story behind the pin-up girls of the 40s and 50s, and the exotic fetish scene which launched icons like Bettie Page.

The book is divided into five sections: lingerie, shapewear, stockings, pin up and exotic, each featuring Tony Nylon’s signature photographs. Playful cheesecake pin-up is interspersed with old Hollywood glamour, and rounded out with the darker, more fetishistic shots; all featuring the UK’s top burlesque artistes and pin-up models. Charlotte Thomson’s delightful illustrations pepper the pages, making this book a must-see for fans of lingerie, fashion history, photography and design alike.

A Serious Study of Mid-20th Century Lingerie (100 pp., A4 softcover, £20 RRP) is being launched at this year’s Goodwood Revival (September 18th, 19th and 20th 2009), and signed copies will be available for sale at the What Katie Did onsite shop (some info about the shop); and it will be available for purchase from whatkatiedid.com and the company’s Portobello Road retail shop from the 21st September.

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Note to Editors:
Faux vintage lingerie designers What Katie Did, pin-up photographer Tony Nylons and artist Charlotte Thomson have teamed up to launch their new collaboration – a beautifully illustrated book entitled ‘A Serious Study of Mid 20th-Century Lingerie’. It features the story of lingerie, corsetry and stockings from the early-mid 20th century, plus a history of pin-up and fetish photography and art. It is being published by Jeep Promotions Ltd, and available online and in selected retailers from the 21st September 2009.

Contact details:
For more information about the book, to arrange a book-signing or interview, please contact katie@whatkatiedid.com, or call Katie on: +44 (0) 845 430 8743. For promotional images, please email tonynylons@nylonflash.co.uk.

ISBN: 0-9534470-7-3

To place orders, please contact Jeep Promotions Ltd,

5 Chestnut Avenue,

Wheatley Hills,

Dncaster,

South Yorkshire,

DN2 5SW

United Kingdom

Website: www.jeepworld.co.uk

Te: +44 (0)1302 739000