Huit
Joyeux anniversaire, Huit! Huit is a powerhouse of French avant-garde lingerie design,
and it turned 40 years old in 2008.
This exceptional French marque has now invested forty busy, design filled years into the
lingerie industry, and has emerged as one of the most powerful manufacturers in Europe. They've
climbed to their current position by combining brilliant design, high quality material, shrewd
investment and intelligent marketing.
Mai 68
1968 was a tumultuous year. There was civil unrest breaking out all over the Western world,
and there were destructive and bloody wars being fought in the East. France in particular was
undergoing an upheaval. Today, the unrest and protests in 'Mai 1968' are viewed as the source of
the modern joi de vivre, the spirit of freedom, which defines modern French culture.
It's in this turbulent context we find the kernel of sophisticated creativity which would
become Huit, and 1968 saw the first Huit range on the market. The thinking behind the new
lingerie reflected the contemporary philosophy of liberation, and was constructed from lightweight
materials and seamless, molded cups. It was a success, but only on a small scale. Huit
recognised that modern French women now wanted freedom, comfort, and style in their underwear, and
Huit wanted to give it to them. Their next range, the Titcha, was produced accordingly.
The Legendary Titcha Range
Huit was only two years old in 1970 when they launched Titcha, but their youth belied their
wisdom and the range would eventually sell more than six million units, marking it out as a
milestone in the history of lingerie design. It was available in various colours which made it
attractive to the newly liberated young French women, and the styling was supported by a strong
advertising campaign and an intellectual philosophy. The design of the Titcha was simple, but
exceptionally elegant, comfortable and desirable at the same time.
Two-Piece Swimsuit
Another two years later, in 1972, Huit again broke from convention by supplanting all the other
contemporary swimsuit manufacturers; by designing a two-piece swimsuit - the bottom half was
separated from the top and the two pieces could be bought separately. This is widespread now,
everybody recognises a bikini when they see one, but at the time no one was doing it, especially
not the way Huit were doing it. Based around the attitude that no two women are made the same,
the independent and interchangeable top-and-bottom swimsuits were extremely popular, and
strengthened Huit enough as a brand to make them international.
Building on these early successes, Huit have established themselves as a major European
contender in the manifold universe of lingerie design.
Styles & Design
Huit lingerie is aimed primarily at smaller-framed women. The sizes range between 32A and 36E,
and at present none of their lines are produced in larger sizes than these although they are
working on larger cups whilst maintaining their heritage.
Their designs are modern and feminine, but they're not overcomplicated or unnecessarily
intricate. The pretty, flirtatious designs are available in an often muted palette; generally
black, taupes and pinks or creams. They use hints of transparency and translucence - but only
hints - for a sophisticated, provocative sensation; it's a really effective look. There are some
delicate frills and flowing lace in some of the lines, but nothing conspicuous or flashy. Huit is
all about indulgence, but not at the cost of elegance
The more functional lines are designed to be invisible. Available in black or skin tone, these
underwear sets melt away under your clothes, leaving no trace. They accomplish this thanks to
innovative use of concealed under wiring, ultra-flat straps and sheathed seams. They're designed
to be worn everyday but still make you feel sexy.
Huit offer a choice of four types of bottoms to their lingerie sets; a g-string, a bikini
brief, a hipster short and a mini string, although there are variations in some of the lines and
not all the lines have the choice of all four styles. Prices average around £45 for a bra and
£30 for the bottoms, but this varies across the different ranges and lines.