I’m turning my attention back to this blog after wrapping up a flurry of pre-orders for Autumn/Winter 2025. It feels like the year has barely begun, and yet we’re making decisions about new inventory almost up to the winter holidays. No small feat, in this era of uncertainty. Like the rest of the fashion world, most lingerie brands follow a twice-yearly seasonal cycle of Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, and calling dibs on newly launching and limited-edition styles must be done up to six months in advance. The large trade shows like Curve are held in February (and again in August), accompanied by virtual market appointments. Once the new products are unveiled, our team has to decide what to bring to Grail.

A brand’s product line is broken into two categories: “fashion” and “core.” Er, sort of. There really isn’t a universally-used term for “core;” it almost seems like every brand calls it something different. “Continuity,” “basic,” and “reorder” are all synonymous with “core” and used interchangeably. A core item or color is a permanent part of the brand’s product line that is produced continuously, on an ongoing basis, until they decide to discontinue that color or style. “Fashion,” on the other hand, indicates a limited production run. In the shop, we often call these “limited edition” items, to avoid confusion. Fashion pieces will always have limited availability. Only one batch may ever be made, and anything that we don’t preorder in advance might not be available to order after launch. Or, if we do get stock of fashion bras or lingerie, we might not be able to reorder additional items after those pieces are sold.

“Fashion” and “core” can apply to certain color variants or to entire styles. Popular bras and lingerie usually have core colors that are always available, and they tend to be neutral basics, i.e. beige and black. Then, seasonally, fashion colors will be offered to give a fun and fresh take on those styles. Fashion colors and prints are often brighter and more daring than core colors. Not all fashion items have a core counterpart, however. Bra brands like to experiment with unique designs without committing to ongoing production. Many styles are only ever available as fashion offerings, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

All of this has a handful of implications for the Grail team and our customers. Do we choose to invest in ordering a fashion-only bra style, knowing that we probably won’t be able to get it again even if we love it? If we want to bring in a new core style, do we take a risk with a fun fashion color or stick to a safe neutral core color? Also, fashion colors lose their price protection sooner. If a customer wants to place a special order for a color we don’t have in stock, which of the limited-edition fashion colors are still available? We’re always trying to predict what Grail shoppers will respond most favorably to, often before these products even exist. It’s a bit of a game, really: fun and stressful in equal measures.