It’s that time again, ladies.  Our Summer Sale starts Friday, July 3rd, with discounts of 30-50% off Spring merchandise from VPL, Araks, Elle MacPherson Boudoir, Stella McCartney, Wundervoll and The Lake and Stars.  We will be closed on Saturday, July 4th for the holiday, but will reopen on Sunday, with the sale going strong all month long!  This First Friday art exhibit showcases embroidered work by local designer Emily Katz.  Most of you know Emily from her eponymous sustainable clothing line, which has been featured in countless local fashion shows and is sold at stylish boutiques nationwide.  If you haven’t yet seen her artwork, you are in for a treat.  Her sweet freehand embroidery features woodland creatures embracing and other tender moments that are sure to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.  Stop by between 7-9pm to check out the work and get a jump on the sale.

I have kept this one under wraps for so long (there are spies lurking!) but now that our Spring order is en route and Lille has secured exclusivity, I can finally share the news with my loyal LIL readers.  Hoff by Hoff Copenhagen is a sophisticated collection of lingerie and swimwear that has never before been available in the US.  Lille Boutique is the very first shop in the country to carry this eponymous line founded by designer Mette Hoff in 2001.  It is comprised of silk bras and panties, vintage-inspired bathing suits and luxurious loungewear with a distinct Scandinavian look, inspired by classic French tailoring and made with modern women in mind.  A brief peek at the lookbook is all you need to see how perfect this line is for Lille! The prints are reminiscent of Princesse Tam Tam, but the designs are taken to a whole new level of elegance…and just wait until you see the Fall collection!  We are positively giddy with anticipation of the forthcoming package - my poor UPS driver is probably getting a bit annoyed with my constant nagging question- is it here yet?!  But it’s not every day that we get to be the exclusive importers of a flawless lingerie collection.  Click through to peruse the photos and revel with us in the glory of another shining example of Danish design. (more…)

Can you believe it has been almost two years since Lille’s grand opening?  It’s gone by so fast!  As a way of saying thank you to all of our loyal patrons, we are honoring the two-year anniversary with “April in Lille,” a full month of sales, events and parties.  We will kick off the celebration with an opening reception for our First Friday art show on April 3rd from 6-9 pm showcasing select works by local favorites Sarah LaBarre, Ryan Jacob Smith, Emily Katz, Seth Neefus, The Christopher Twins and Carla McHattie.  The festivities continue through the weekend (4/4-4/6) with a sample sale of high-end European lingerie on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  The following weekend (4/11-4/13), Lille will be holding a Buy Two, Get One Half-Off Sale on all non-sale items in the store.  The big event of the month will be the Two-Year Anniversary Party, to be held on Saturday, April 18th from 7-9 pm.  Anyone who makes a purchase (over $50) between April 1st-18th will be entered into a drawing to be held that night (must be present to win, please RSVP) for a variety of free prizes, including gift certificates and merchandise from Lower East End businesses.  And finally, to wrap up this glorious month of pantymonium, please join us at the Portland Mercury’s 5th Annual Fashion Show, where Sarah Wizemann’s new Gatsby collection will be unveiled alongside such venerable local designers as Adam Arnold, Elizabeth Dye, Kate Towers and Holly Stalder, to name a few.  If you’re not among the lucky Portland residents who can visit the shop in person, don’t worry.  We haven’t forgotten about you.  Each day in April, we will choose a different item in the store to be featured on the webstore for a 24 hour sale - once it’s gone, it’s gone, so check back often!

I always reach a point each season when I am just tired of looking at the same things every day, and that’s when I know it’s time for some serious markdowns.  Today, I slashed prices on all Fall Araks, VPL, Dessous, Guia Lab and Stella from a mere 20% off to a staggering 50% off!  With Spring styles steadily rolling in and Fall ‘09 market this weekend, I figured it’s time - I’m almost out of hangers.  Fortunately for you, there are still many sizes left of popular styles like the Jasmine Hipster or the B-Fractional Bra, so you can take advantage of these sweet deals and not have to squeeze yourself into the wrong size, justifying the purchase because it’s on sale (we’ve all been there - I even have some 36Bs in my drawer that were too pretty to pass up!)  At 50% off, you can’t afford not to stock up now!  Enjoy…

SALE!!!!!!!!

The Online Sale is now live and going strong. Save 20-50% on VPL, Araks, The Lake and Stars, Poet, Bodas, Dessous, Eres, Guia Lab, Sabrina Nadal, Elise Aucouturier, Lyell and more. As an added bonus, Life In Lingerie readers can apply the coupon code JAN09 for an additional 9% off your entire order. Just a way of saying thanks for your support, and welcome to 2009!

Happy Boxing Day!  It’s time to make way for Spring ‘09, and that means it’s SALE time once again here at Lille.  Starting today, all the stock from Fall ‘08 that is not a basic or repeat item (does not include Holiday or Resort items) is marked down 20% off for in-store sales.  Those of you who read the blog religiously already know about the super secret discount code for December orders, so you can take advantage of that deal now since the sale won’t be live online until January.

We are open today! In honor of Arctic Blast ‘08, we are offering 30% off storewide, today only. Just print out a copy of this blog post and bring it in for 30% off your entire purchase, including sale items (up to 70% off) and a free gift with any purchase (minimum $20.) Lille feels a bit like that frozen rose up there, (image courtesy of Alan Wizemann) encased in ice, but toasty warm and full of lovely things. We hope to see you soon!

We’re always excited to receive new colors of The Lake and Stars Opportunity Trench, but this time is particularly thrilling because the long pebble style that just arrived is one of a kind! Made from a water-resistant cotton twill with fuchsia satin lining, it features a removable zippered fleece liner to keep you cozy in the dead of winter. It is only available in Medium, and once it’s gone, you won’t see it again! This classic coat is perfect for the pragmatist who wants her garments to do double (or triple) duty, working equally well on a crisp Fall day, a freezing Christmas morning, or a soggy April afternoon. Pictured above with a gorgeous dress and boots from Frank James, paired with our Vintage Silk Stockings in Navy. Click here for more photos:

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In these troubled economic times, some of my customers are expressing concern about whether or not it is responsible to buy fancy lingerie in the middle of a credit crunch. My response is usually that it depends on how much you love it and/or need it. If you aren’t that crazy about lace, then you certainly don’t need the Chantilly Bra by Sabrina Nadal. If rompers seem complicated and fussy, then I would discourage you from trying on the new Silk Tapsuit by Lyell. Maybe you love Eres and Stella McCartney, but you need one or two simple staples that you will be able to wear for months, like the Bodas Smooth Tactel Underwire Bra or the Poet Chloe Chemise. Or perhaps you are like me, and you have a lingerie obsession. (more…)

I’m so over this summer already. I can’t wait to pull out my cardigans and wool skirts and don my stockings again! For Fall, I’ll be dying the vintage silk knit thigh-highs the most gorgeous shades of charcoal, navy, olive, espresso, and maybe even an orange to coordinate with the forthcoming VPL B-Fractional Bra pictured above. To make room for all our fabulous new Fall styles, we’ll be marking down all Spring/Summer merchandise 30-70% off over the next week. The official End of Summer Sale starts next Thursday, but you loyal LIL readers can email me if there’s something you need first dibs on. Happy Bargain Hunting!