Stumbling around the internet the other day, I came across a brand of bra that I had never heard of, Lepel Lingerie. I love a good fact-finding mission, so I set out to find out more about the brand. They’ve been around for almost a decade, so how could I have missed them?!
Lepel bras are designed in the UK, and their raison d’être is to provide fun, fashion-inspired lingerie and swimwear with a perfect fit. They cater to an A to J cup and their styles usually come in band sizes up to 38. The brand has been around at least since 2009, as far as I can tell. They’ve made more of a splash in Europe, but are relatively unknown in North America.
I haven’t managed to get my hands on any Lepel bras yet so I decided to do something in line with what I did when I first heard of Delimira, and have a look at some Lepel bras being offered online and see what people were saying about some of their most popular bras, both good and bad.
Often, you get what you pay for when it comes to bras. Shelling out $20 for a bra brand you don’t know well can make me feel as apprehensive as shelling out $50 for a brand that I don’t have much experience with. Given how pretty these bras look, and their affordable price point, I had to put my ear to the streets. (That sounded a lot better in my head)
Lepel 93229 Fiore Underwired Lace Full Cup Non Padded Full Coverage Bra
What Lepel Says:
“Our most popular Fiore range in a full cup shape. Featuring striking all over textronic lace*, ribbon trellis and fully adjustable straps.”
*3D/multilayer lace
What people like:
- Cute design and detail
- Comfortable to wear
- Great selection of colors
What people dislike:
- Only has two hooks in larger sizes
- Gore is uncomfortable
- Short Straps
- Sizing issues (generally too big)
- Not very supportive in larger sizes
Lepel Women’s FIORE Plunge Floral Everyday Bra 93200
What Lepel Says:
“Our most popular Fiore range in a deep padded plunge shape. Featuring striking all over textronic lace, ribbon trellis and fully adjustable straps.”
What people like:
- Number of fun color choices
- Good value for money
- Comfortable
- Creates a nice flattering shape
- Removable padding
- Natural appearance
What people don’t like:
- Small band
- Small cup
- Seam shows through shirts
- Not enough side support
- Short straps – limited adjustability
Lepel Fiore Balcony Bra
What Lepel Says:
“Our most popular Fiore range in a balcony shape. Featuring striking all over textronic lace, ribbon trellis and fully adjustable straps.”
What people like:
- Pretty design
- Comfortable fit
What people dislike:
- Cup is on the small side
- Itchy fabric
- Fabric too stretchy
- Pointy shape
- Very delicate – need to handwash exclusively
Lepel Victoria Underwired Lightly Padded Balcony Balconette Bra US
What Lepel Says:
No blurb available
What people like:
- Look and colors
- Smooth seams
What people dislike:
- Band runs small, very thin
- Stretchy fabric on band
- Underwire comes up high
- Cheap feeling
So would I risk it?
For myself personally, I wouldn’t. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive and other bloggers who have actually tried the bras agree. There’s lots of positive fit comments for women with smaller band sizes and bigger cups, or smaller band sizes and smaller cups. Not a whole lot of positivity from women like me who are big on both counts.
I’m also not a big fan of lace generally. I don’t mind some lace detailing here and there, but all-over lace has always been a hard sell to me, and a lot of their best-selling bras use a lot of it.
Given the types of bras I normally flock to (sturdy, well-built bras), I don’t think Lepel is for me. If you’re looking for a showy bra and don’t need a whole lot of heavy lifting to be done, I can certainly see the appeal of a Lepel bra. Over and over, I kept reading about how pretty they were. The sizing of the bras looks to be a bit wonky—definitely measure yourself and don’t go with your usual sizing from another brand.