Catching up with With Love Lingerie's Carrie Russell

It seems like a lifetime ago that I interviewed the very talented Carrie Russell of Canadian Lingerie Line "With Love Lingerie". It was three years ago that I interviewed Carrie and hosted a Bustier Giveaway on Clothes Line Finds. My how time flies!

Don't we all love beautiful lingerie and designed by one very fabulous Canadian?! Many of Carrie Russell's designs are inspired by her background in Visual Art and English Literature. After earning her B.A. at the University of Western Ontario, she continued her education in fashion arts and construction. Since her graduation, she has worked with several North American lingerie companies, evening wear designers and private labels. She has been one very busy fashion designer! On top of all this, she was recognized by Flare Magazine's Fall 2012 issue as one of the top 25 up-and-coming Canadian Designers.

Carrie started "With Love Lingerie" in 2010 and has continued the line in addition to all of her other design endeavors. With Love Lingerie "is about evoking glamour and intimacy through underpinnings that are made with love." The collection is designed and manufactured solely in Canada.

Check out the first interview I did with Carrie Russell in 2014 and here is our latest!

AT: I've browsed through your latest Dankia 2014 capsule collection and love the beautiful lacey black kimono (featured below). What was your inspiration for this stunning piece?

CR: I loved the idea of something that is effortless and easy. The lace is just so lovely it was so nice to showcase the whole motif in this piece. It is also a great addition to the layer over an existing fav piece already in your top drawer that might need a refresh.

AT: I have never seen garters like the ones you design (featured below). They're a great update of the traditional garters we know of. How did this design come about?

CR: This design is my effort to make the leg garter more like a piece of jewelry rather than something to be hidden away. I have this amazing pair of Pretty Polly tights (Oh I am a stocking-a-holic by the way) and they are faux gartered. One day I wore the stockings under a black velvet dress and kept thinking that it would be so fantastic to see just a bit of brass against the nylon and voila! The new mini line of leg garters were born.

AT: The Willow Collection of Spring Summer 2014 (featured below) consists of delicate and light colored hughes and quite the contrast to the dark lacey Dankia Capsule collection. How were you inspired by each collection and how are they different?

CR: I have always loved fashion and jumped all over the place with different looks and styles. And sometimes that leads to some collections that at first glance seem distinctly different. Both Willow and Dankia work for a super femme woman or bridge but who choose to accentuate their femininity in a different way. Dankia is simple, easy, and confident while Willow is also confident but free, flowing and fresh. Both are a piece of fantasy and are unrestrained but while Dankia is smoky I feel like Willow is whimsical.

AT: What's next and upcoming? Tell us about what's in store for With Love Lingerie!

CR: Well right now I'm sewing like crazy for our Ce Soir collection F/W 2014 to be featuring in this year's Fashion Arts Toronto on Friday April 25th. I am so excited to show these designs, they are really show stopping pieces that feature silk chiffon, digital print and a lot of hand beaded appliques and details. The inspiration is English fashion at the turn of the century and has hints of East meets West. Goosebumps just writing about it, haha.

Beyond the creative side and onto the business side, our clients can expect more special pieces being featured on our online shop regularly and more small release capsule collections. I have vowed to stay on top of our studio newsletters to keep everyone updated with what With Love is up to next!