Bustiers, nighties, no pants briefs, lace or second-skin jersey… There are many variations on the boudoir aesthetic found in the Spring-Summer 2026 collections. For some, this is merely a showy act that should remain hidden. For others, particularly designers, it is a manifesto, the result of a long process of emancipation for intimate apparel. Created to conceal, adjust and contain, lingerie has finally come into its own.
A look back at the phenomenon that will define our wardrobes this spring and its history through the centuries.
The legacy of the near-naked
The origins of underwear, whatever its form, date back to Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece (3000 years before our era). At the time, there was no erotic dimension to it. Far from lace, women used strips of linen around their chests and cloth loincloths between their legs to protect themselves from the chafing of rough fabrics. A utilitarian and sometimes even social function.
It was in the 14th century that the first ‘lingerie’ made its appearance, from which the word ‘lingerie’ would derive centuries later. In the Middle Ages, the long linen shirt served primarily to absorb sweat beneath ceremonial garments, the corset to shape the figure, and the knickers to indicate social status based on their whiteness.
It was not until the 1850s–1890s that undergarments became objects of beauty. Lingerie evolved from a domestic craft reserved for the elite into a fully-fledged industry, becoming a common consumer product. The boned corset was embroidered, the slit knickers revealed, and nightwear emerged with a touch of eroticism.
A hundred years later, the corset gave way to comfort thanks to Paul Poiret and then Coco Chanel. In 1914, Mary Phelps Jacob invented the modern bra and, in 1930, glamour entered the scene: moulded cups, high-waisted knickers with detailing and nylon stockings.
Iconic Corset
It would be another few years before lingerie appeared on the catwalks. In the 1990s, Jean-Paul Gaultier launched the decade of ‘visible lingerie’ with Madonna’s iconic corset. Helmut Lang and Tom Ford at Gucci, Mugler and Versace joined the movement, championing transparency, fishnet and the bodysuit as the main garment.
The 2000s continued this fascination with visible thongs, micro-tops revealing the bra, and so on. From then on, there was no longer any reason to hide that famous second skin. Today, it is even experiencing a radical renaissance with the rise of specialised mainstream brands such as Savage X Fenty and Skims.
A form of manifesto
For the coming season, we’re no longer just talking about a flesh-coloured sculpting body or sexy lace for the boudoir. Creative directors are now urging lingerie to shed its status as a second skin and establish itself as a garment in its own right. A manifesto, a stylistic language that transcends the simple notion of clothing to become nothing less than one of the major trends of spring-summer 2026. In the women’s wardrobe, the top is being replaced by a bra worn on its own or under a blazer, as seen at Amiri and Versace.
The nightie is embraced in the collections of Dior, whilst pyjamas feature in those of Dolce&Gabbana. We dare to go no-pants at Christian Siriano and will even go so far as to reveal our anatomy with Blumarine’s sheer dresses.
Men, meanwhile, remain more demure this spring. Although Demna at Gucci has his models pose in briefs and Louis-Gabriel Nouchi in sheer second-skin garments, few have followed this revealing trend in men’s fashion.
Could this then be a purely feminine statement? One that shifts the power of the gaze? Certainly. Long designed to seduce in secret, lingerie is now on full display. No longer to please, but to assert oneself, reclaim sensuality and reject the censorship of the body.
An article written by Tom Kuntz, featured in issue 14 of OniriQ Magazine.
Translated by Bethszabee Garner
