Fitted units from the 1950s display dainty lingerie. Pastel-coloured dildos stand in a row like objets d’art and the free-standing, golden bathtub in the middle of the shop gets your imagination going. A place of pleasure – that was Diane-Sophie Durigon’s aim when she founded Le Pop Lingerie twelve years ago.
“Back then, shops like this were only focused on appealing to men. I didn’t like the look of the products at all,” says the native Frenchwoman, who has a background in lingerie and fashion trade fairs. So she opened a shop that had chicness, charm, cheerful colours and a mission of breaking taboos and celebrating female sexuality. The idea was a hit. “As soon as my customers come through the door, they get that feel-good factor. And many of them leave with a big grin on their face. Those are the moments I love most!”
Bags of self-love. Often a mere buzzword, it’s given form here, lots of forms, in all sorts of colours and materials. Bright and soft, beautiful and fragrant. And there’s something for everyone. “Our aim is to offer a range of brands and sizes that includes as many people as possible. With more than 50 cup sizes, for instance, for all genders,” Diane-Sophie tells us. “We don’t want anyone to feel left out.”
Her work in the shop gives Diane-Sophie a first-hand insight into how closely private and political matters are intertwined. “Many of my customers only started exploring feminism after coming here,” she says.
“Many of them leave with a big grin on their face. Those are the moments I love most!”
Diane-Sophie Durigons, founder of Le Pop Lingerie
Besides sex toys, lingerie, loungewear and swimwear, the shelves are filled with select products and designer items. Books about feminism. Gifts like sex-quiz card games. Music from Cologne labels, lubricants from Provence, scented candles, socks – lots of lovely things with one common goal: having a good time by yourself.
Doing our bit for world peace
Diane-Sophie wouldn’t go as far as to call lacy underwear a symbol of empowerment but her intention does go deeper. “A nice set of lingerie,” she says, “can help you feel more comfortable about yourself, which gives you a more confident air. And the right sex toys help you get to know yourself better so that you can tell partners about what you’ve discovered.”
If you need some practical guidance after you’ve made your purchases, you can book a Le Workshop experience and spend an evening developing your “lust expertise”. When sex therapist Suzi Schütze gives her introduction to the art of vulva massage, Diane-Sophie likes to think of it as “doing our bit for world peace.”
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