by Jasmin Malik Chua


You know what they say: it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Just ask Daisy Hartmann and Elizabeth NeSmith, the creative force behind a new made-in-Brooklyn line of racy underpinnings. Made in New York City from low-impact fabrics such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, Tencel (a cellulosic fiber derived from wood pulp) and Modal (beech trees), their namesake collection of mesh-paneled bra and knickers, elegant lace garters, and cheeky peekaboo camisoles are as sophisticated as they are sublimely indiscreet.


UNDERCOVER AGENTS
Hartman and NeSmith, who met as students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, designed their first Daisy & Elizabeth collection during senior year. “As we were doing our market research, we came to the conclusion that there was far too much of a disconnect between the small bubble of the intimate apparel industry and the real world that surrounds it,” they say. “While we both greatly appreciated our traditional training, we were rarely taught to be mindful of the waste we created or to think about the sources of the materials we used or the life cycle of what we produced.”
But before their unmentionables pool into crumpled heaps on bedroom floors everywhere, Hartman and NeSmith have one hurdle to conquer: funding.
The girls certainly know saucy from strumpet, but one hurdle remains before their unmentionables can pool in crumpled heaps on bedroom floors everywhere: funding. Although Daisy & Elizabeth is scheduled to present at Nolcha during New York Fashion Week in September, they’ll have to pony up $15,000 just to cover show costs, purchase fabrics and trims, grade patterns, craft samples, and rent workspace.
That’s where you and Kickstarter come in. “You can donate as little as a dollar, or as much as a million!” they quip. Pledge $1 and get a personalized thank-you note; pledge $100 and snag a Daisy & Elizabeth mini-calender. Offer $10,000 or more and you’ll get all that, an invitation to their Fashion Week after-party, a tank top, and a design named after you. Being nice has never been so naughty.

(Source: www.ecouterre.com )