Modern Glossy had the pleasure of interviewing Tracey Montford, the lingerie designer for the unique maternity line, Cake Lingerie.
Can you tell us a little about your latest lingerie collection, “Let Them Eat Cake”?
“Let them Eat Cake” is a collection designed to cater for all pregnant and breastfeeding mums. Within the collection we have two moulded cupped bras, which are prefect T-Shirt bras, we have a beautiful soft white bra layered with antique blue lace for everyday use, a rich plum red lace bra with a soft flexible wire constructed within the bra to give extra support and lift and a beautiful nightwear mix and match range designed for function and comfort.
You design for a more specialized client, can you explain what considerations you need to keep in mind when designing for maternity and nursing lingerie?
A nursing bra’s primary purpose is that it is a working bra and at Cake we never lose site of this. All our designs combine beautiful styling, function and most importantly comfort. Cake Lingerie is designed by mothers for mothers.
What kind of fabrication do you use for the majority of your styles?
We use a majority of stretch fabrics as these are the most comfortable to wear and stretch with the breast as the milk fluctuates in and out. We do however fuse the bottom regions of the cup for extra support and strength. All of our bras are cotton lined and seams are internalized to avoid any irritation to the breast area. No lace is ever directly on the breast tissue as this can also create irritation.
Cake Lingerie is said to have stringent product & quality expectations, what kind of standards do you adhere to as a designer?
All our garments are checked and adhere to a strict quality control. We also use eco tech fabrics and nickel free loops and hooks & eyes on all our garments to avoid any irritation.
You attended fashion school, can you tell us how this influenced you?
My background is actually in art and design. I was a High School Art teacher for 9 years. We moved to London for 3 years and during this time I took the opportunity to attend classes at Central Saint Martin’s and the London School of Fashion during the time my ideas for Cake Lingerie where evolving.
How do you find initial inspiration for each new season?
I pull inspiration from everywhere. In particular I am drawn to vintage styling. The colour choices and prints used are often inspired by old school glamour. Our imagery also has a strong feel for vintage pieces.
What are your future plans for this business?
Cake is still fairly new to the market place, as we have only been commercialized for 2 years now. We will continue to open new markets, push the boundaries and conventions of traditional maternity lingerie. We always take customer feedback onboard and strive to improve our garments. The sky is the limit!
