Behind the Icons Campaign with Lucy Litwack
We stole a few moments with Lucy on the shoot of the 2022 Icons Campaign, who shared her vision behind the campaign, and the brand.
Tell us about the campaign and concept of the female gaze …
There is something very moving about the female gaze - we are able to get closer somehow. I believe this inspires women everywhere. It’s why we only work with all-female teams on our shoots. This female gaze is hugely important, even more so with intimate items such as lingerie. There is a trust and confidence in the female interpretation of sensuality which is inspiring.
Last year’s campaign with Helena dove into the feminist concept of The Ultimate Female Gaze, and it was so wonderful to see Helena take the reins in every sense - everything about the way she was viewed was up to Helena and it was an inspiring experience, such a wonderful reminder of the range each woman possesses within, and was a beautiful celebration of this.
This campaign brings the female gaze to a new level of iconic as a result of the collective success within this team of extraordinary women, with glamour, femininity and a sense of complete empowerment as the focal ingredients to the campaign.
Women’s sexuality has been perceived through the male gaze for far too long, and it usually feels reductive and performative rather than something authentic to the female experience. Women’s sexuality runs so much deeper than how the male gaze perceives it - it is a deeply personal connection women have with themselves first, before any partner.
Female pleasure exists in so many forms - I believe that shooting through the female gaze and giving women the confidence to choose how they want to be perceived is inspiring to women everywhere.
How do you prepare for a shoot like this?
Well it was incredibly hot! It was the hottest day on record, so we had all sorts of practical logistics to consider, with buckets of water, suncream and umbrellas on standby! Getting the team of women to the location was thankfully straightforward, but poor Helena had nightmares with air travel, so that was slightly stressful, but we all made it in the end! Working through that heat to create such incredible images really felt like such a wonderful team effort and I am so thrilled that we managed to pull together such a wonderful team - it's certainly a shoot I will not forget and for all the amazing reasons!
Which are your favourite pieces from the Icons Collection?
I love all of them! The designs are so different and have such wonderful characters, evoking different elements of femininity, so the Icons Collection as a whole brings something for everyone. But this year we have created Hera, a new design using a wonderfully delicate French Leaver's lace - it looked sensational on Helena and I can't wait to see how our customers react to it as well, it really is so beautiful.
What for you, makes great lingerie?
It's a combination of high quality materials and intelligent design with perfect finishes - a great piece is intricate to the eye yet structurally strong.
What sets Coco de Mer apart from any other lingerie brand?
The quality and considered design of our products, combined with our commitment to authentically empowering female pleasure, I think that consistent mix has created a powerful brand offering. When you then consider the collaborations we have created over the years, the names we have worked with, and also the intrigue and experiences created through our boutique on Monmouth Street, that combination reinforces the Coco de Mer vision to push boundaries in a safe, joyous way.
How should wearing Coco de Mer make you feel?
Empowered, sensual, liberated, elegant, confident and alive.
What underwear should every woman own?
Black lace is a classic, but every woman is so unique, they should own what feels great for them.
What makes something iconic for you?
Something that stands the test of time and beyond, with an impact that resonates beyond more than one sense, be it music that moves the core, a taste that awakes a memory, a look that evokes more than just visuals - an unmatched level of greatness. Completely inimitable.
The 2022 Icons Collection: The Female Gaze Redefined.
Choose from four Icons; Seraphine, Athena, Hera and Sylph; an all-black collection of refined silhouettes in luxurious and opulent textiles.