You almost certainly have a powder-pink bra lurking at the back of a drawer, pulled out every spring without really knowing why. There is an explanation: lingerie is built around families, and those families return season after season — it is the fabrics and cuts that genuinely shift. As spring/summer 2027 approaches, we looked at what brands are preparing, and what your drawer already holds. Good news: three directions are emerging, and they are far more wearable than you might think!
Powder tones: the backbone of the drawer
Powder pink, dusky rose, ecru, nude, warm brown: this is the palette you pull on in the morning without thinking, and that is exactly why it lasts year after year. The winning formula has not really changed — soft cotton lined with lace, light gathers, a satin bow here, a scalloped edge there. For a Sunday morning, it is what works best, no question.
What has changed, though, is comfort. Non-wired bras have gained support, waistbands have softened, and GOTS-certified organic cotton has become established in everyday pieces. A bra in modal or Tencel, when the brand states the fibre's traceability, feels very soft. Enough to forget you are wearing lingerie — and that is a compliment!
The little retro detail still makes all the difference. A sky-blue style lifted with lace, a discreet beige print, an ecru piece with an openwork trim along the top of the cup: virtually nothing, and yet a basic becomes a piece you enjoy wearing. This is often where the gap opens between the three-pack bought out of habit and the bra you dig out first from the pile.
Acid brights: good cheer in tulle
This is the family with the most personality, and the one making a strong comeback for spring/summer 2027. Sheer tulle, high-waisted knickers, triangle bras: the shapes stay simple; the colour does all the work. Tangerine, coral, turquoise, bright yellow, floral prints on pastel grounds — the season clearly wants vividness.
Mind you, not all colours are equal. Yellow remains divisive — stunning on some skin tones, frankly unflattering on others. And if you try acid brights, what is the one move that changes everything? Wearing them in touches. A colourful pair of knickers under jeans, a coral bra peeking out from a vest: colour is easier to tame in doses than in blocks. Another useful habit: test how bright dyes hold up on the first wash, because some deep oranges and yellows bleed faster than you would think. A bold bet, once again — but one you can master.
Smoky tones: confidence in black
Black itself never really left the stage. Midnight-blue satin edged with black lace, tulle embroidered with pale green and ecru lifted with bows and pompoms, sporty sets embellished with lace: the idea remains the same — keep the support and add character to the silhouette.
Wondering why black always wins? Because it forgives everything. It sharpens the silhouette, accepts mix-and-match textures and ages better than a badly dyed bright colour. Openwork lace in arabesques, a string reduced to a thin strap, a well-cut balcony bra: all statement pieces that hold their own season after season. No wonder they return year after year!
The three-piece rule. One set you truly love is worth more than five bought on impulse. Choose a neutral colour you will wear without thinking, one colourful piece for days when you need a bit of energy, and one black lace piece for evenings that matter. The rest will follow.
What to take away for the season
So where should you start? What has changed is less the style than the offer: better size coverage, modal and Tencel more often traceable, recycled fibres, and non-wired bras that are now perfectly respectable. What has not moved is the logic of the three families — powder tones for everyday, acid brights for mood, smoky tones for confidence. Enough to build a capsule wardrobe from a few well-chosen pieces rather than a full drawer.
On materials, if you want to buy more cleanly without breaking the bank, two markers are enough. GOTS-certified organic cotton for everyday pieces: the label guarantees organic farming and environmental and social criteria throughout the supply chain. An OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 label for anything that touches the skin: it certifies compliance with limits on undesirable substances, not the ecological origin of the fibre — the distinction matters, because the two are often confused. Tencel and modal, when traceability is stated, remain soft alternatives, often presented as less water-intensive than conventional cotton; but the information must come from the brand to be verifiable. In other words, read the label before believing the promise.
Budget
In the UK, a decent pair of knickers can be found for £6-£18 in supermarkets or on the high street, and more like £22-£40 at a brand that really works with lace. For bras, expect £20-£45 for good cotton lined with lace, and £60-£130 for a premium style — the fineness of Leavers lace and the support of a deep cup push the price up. For a complete set, the rough figures therefore run from £35-£80 at the entry level, and from £100 to more than £180 at luxury houses.
Several factors move the price: the city and the point of sale, the size, the type of lace, and whether the style is sold as separate top and bottom rather than as a set. Where to look? Supermarkets, high-street names such as Marks & Spencer or Boux Avenue, and lingerie brands for basics and larger cup sizes; department stores and specialist houses for fine lace; online sites for cup sizes that are hard to find in store. Second-hand is also worth considering for styles worn once or twice — just check the state of the elastic before you commit.
One last practical point, because it makes a difference after six months. Fine lace and sheer tulle do not stand up to tumble dryers or high-temperature washes. A laundry bag, a delicate cycle, drying flat: three habits that extend the life of a set far more than you would imagine!
Chloé's verdict: yes, these three families deserve your attention for spring/summer 2027. On one condition — choose them for what they make you want to wear, not for the season's label. And to be honest, we are talking here about documented seasonal directions, not pieces tried on in a fitting room: the exact styles will arrive in store over the coming months, so judge each piece for yourself. If you only take one thing to heart, choose powder-toned cotton lined with lace — it is the piece you pull on without thinking, and often the one that lasts longest.
Update note: this article refreshes a lingerie selection originally published for spring/summer 2008; trends, materials and price markers have been revised for the 2027 season.
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