Speaking of a pair of knickers what exactly do we refer to? To a piece of lingerie or an object d’art? To a target of research or an instrument of seduction? Looks like Melanie Probert (alias Strumpet) and Lisa Z. Morgan (alias Pink) knew the right answer when started their own lingerie brand back in 2002, and despite that now, in 2015, their darling no longer exists we’re still thrilled to grope for the answer in their body of work, a body wearing breathtaking knickers.

Strumpet & Pink’s heritage is four dozens of models or so. A common bottom drawer would easily hold such an amount, but there’s no storage unit enough to hold the subtle sense of humour along with all the ingenuousness and inspiration behind these models designed and hand made in limited editions by two friends, two artists from Great Britain. Their oeuvres keep a watchful eye on fellow creatures made of synthetic lace, retailed all over the world broadcasting a synthetic sex appeal, whilst S&P’s insinuations are whispered in another language. Its basic definitions include: tiny buttons running all along the center front and back (waiting to be undone), silk mohair flowers blossoming out on cheek meadows, tiered ruffles (as airy as air-headed is the wearer) and silk bows to be untied. Each model has a frisky name: Private Function, Nude Eve, Pussy Willow, Hunting Through the Ruffles etc., and the only text you can find on S&P’s website that isn’t purely informative is a quotation from John Keats’ “The Eve of St. Agnes”: “Her rich attire creeps rustling to her knees.”

“We tend to focus on the embodiment of a feeling, a narrative, and different pieces explore distinct ideas. The woman who wears the knickers discovers something within herself simply by wearing them. Strumpet & Pink embody the sensibilities of the flower i.e beauty, fragility, sexuality and joy and combining these with the sensuous qualities of pure silk crepe, satin, chiffon and tulle.
The knickers are cut on the bias in such a way as to trace and disclose the contours of the female form. Our knickers brim with contradictions; they are beautiful, humorous and playful; they feel sexy and sensual.”

According to the late Melanie, starting S&P used to be one of her happiest memories. Neither her nor Lisa were not afraid of breaking the mould and created each pair of knickers consistent with the story it holds: a story that begins with a physical feeling of pure silk fabrics touching the bits, and goes on with the fantasies originated from this feeling, be it a ‘hunting through the ruffles’ game, an ‘open that door’ one (there’s indeed a model with a tiny buttoned door on the front) or a ‘discover the mother of pearl’ one. S&P is a never ending bedtime story, a desired wish, a lingering lingerie dream. It’s a (self-)discovery one has to make if looking for the right answer about women’s knickers. If only there is one.

As there’s no S&P’s e-shop, I was lucky to purchase a ‘Maiden’s belt’ model on eBay for a mere $250 with a free postage within the US (NB: Lisa and Melanie used to tag their masterpieces (dismiss the second meaning) £250-550, and few pieces available now on AHA Life cost $950-1700).

I used Shipito to get my parcel forwarded to Russia, and it costed me another $3. In 10 days or so I couldn’t wait to unpack the long-awaited parcel: classic knickers in pure silk with buttons running all along the center front and back, and the ‘maiden’s belt’ itself with a beautifully beaded silk flower. A small envelope with a hand-written ‘M’ (for medium size) contained directions of use. Both pieces are hand made of pure emerald silk making your heart palpitate with excitement.

Both pieces are hand made of pure emerald silk. This softest, delicate fabric makes your heart palpitate with excitement.

I’m between the sizes, and knickers are a little too big for me, yet it gives me just the right amount of excuse for eating the cake before going to bed, because that’s my secret plan to put on some weight so that the knickers fit me like a glove.

Lisa Z. Morgan, a pure epicure, keeps a blog thepinkinvestigator.blogspot.ru and arranges meetings with the museums about having S&P’s pieces in their collections. By the way, S&P’s ‘Rosette Cheeks (exploded and capped)’ is already part of the permanent collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.