When Alexandra Popa launched her lingerie brand, Bordelle, in London in 2009, she was simply looking to create something she would wear. At the time, she found that lingerie was either cute and romantic or overly focused on fit. She wanted to create something edgier and more opulent.
“I thought, ‘What is missing?’” Popa tells Observer. “Lingerie was very advanced in terms of molded cups and no seams and sports bras, but if I looked at what was there in terms of directional design or something that was experimenting with design with kink and done to a very high-end level with taste, there wasn’t really anything around.” She was particularly inspired to add tasteful bondage elements, like strapping, body harnesses and garters. It’s these features that have made Bordelle so recognizable.
Since then, Bordelle has expanded globally (Popa says California, New York and Texas are the top markets in the U.S.), and Popa is preparing to launch a swimwear collection early next year, in 2026. She personally tested the products while on holiday in Crete last summer and plans to continue testing them this year.
“It’s something that we have been asked for by our customers and by our wholesale clients for many years because we have such a specific, recognizable look,” Popa explains. “This has been in development for quite some time, so there’s been a lot of research, not only on the fabrics, but on the finishings. We’ve also thought about how we can tone down the look because Bordelle is all about strapping and 24-karat gold-plated accessories. How can we tone that down, but also translate it into swimwear? It will take you seamlessly from day to night, so you can be on the beach or by the pool or on the yacht, and then you can cover up with something and go to a party or go to the club.”
Bordelle’s popularity comes both from the ornate design, which includes elements like glow-in-the-dark thread and gold-plated hardware, and from the signature straps. The straps are decorative as well as functional, and came from Popa’s desire to have adjustable sizing on all of her products.
“That came about out of necessity,” she says. “I’m not technical, so I could have cut only so many sizes per style. I just thought, ‘Well, why don’t you just make it adjustable? Why are people not doing this?’ Initially, I only had sizes small, medium and large, but with a lot of adjustments on each style.”
Bordelle’s next collection arrives in June 2025. Popa plans to continue developing and evolving Bordelle, shifting its offerings and aesthetic over the years. The brand’s bridal line has become very popular, and Popa has found that women are interested in pastel and cream colors, as well as the original bolder tones.
“Initially, it was very much about body con styles, which was the trend at the time, and there were a lot more bodywear pieces I started with,” she recalls. “That’s still very much the DNA of the brand, but I also wanted to develop a more toned-down look for people. It has evolved and matured a lot with me, so now it has more of a generalized Bordelle look. It’s still very recognizable because of the adjustment and the strapping, but there’s definitely much more choice in terms of product and styles.”
Here, the London-based designer shares her essentials with Observer, from her favorite skincare to the must-haves from her own line.
Alexandra Popa’s Essentials
Skincare routine
I like to keep it quite simple. I always remove my makeup before bed and try to keep a healthy lifestyle and diet. I don’t like anything invasive in terms of products. I love Victoria Beckham’s Daily Double Cleansing Protocol for effective removal of all makeup while also hydrating and moisturizing. It’s really good for removing all sorts of makeup. The first step is you apply it all over your face, including eyelashes, eyebrows, everything, and then you gently wash it off. The second part is like a tonic that is rubbed into the skin and washed off. In terms of creams, I like to alternate between two brands. I like the classic La Mer La Crème Régénération Intense—the really thick one. I also use Omorovicza’s Rejuvenating Night Cream and their Miracle Facial Oil.
I do facial massage myself. I try to fit it in once a week or every 10 days. I also like an ice mask, whether that’s a mask I put in the freezer and apply to my face or just slowly immersing my face into a bowl of ice water. I try to do that every 10 days or so. I should do it more often, but I just don’t have the time. Ideally, if I could do this daily, I think my face would look amazing.
La Crème Régénération Intense.
La Mer.
Wellness routine
I haven’t eaten red meat since I was a child. I tend to eat more fish and vegetables and fruit. I have some workouts I do in my garden or in my home, like Pilates and basic Ashtanga yoga, that I do two or three times a week. Every now and then, I throw in a session of resistance training using kettlebells. I dread the resistance training every time, but do it to maintain bone health and muscle mass. I tend to bulk up quite quickly, so I limit this to once a week. I have two young children, so being able to rest and get a full eight hours of sleep and eat healthy and drink water is important. If I do those three things, instantly, my skin looks so much better.
Workout essentials
I wear this English brand called Sweaty Betty. They’ve been around for a very long time, and at first, I refused to buy from them because I thought the name was awful. But they have great products.
Favorite vacation spot
Hands down, Ibiza. I’ve been going there almost every year for the past 20 years. I know the island really well. I love the centrally-located Santa Gertrudis. It has a very good community vibe. It’s kind of the Notting Hill of Ibiza. But I also like the more quiet, northern part that’s so removed from the island’s more generic party vibe. The island has so much to offer, and every time I go, I discover new places. I’ve also shot a couple of campaigns for Bordelle there with my team, and the last one that we shot for our SS25 Collection is currently online. We went all over the island. We went to various beaches. We used a beautiful villa up north. We went into town. Apart from being the most fun shoot we’ve been on, it’s also been really well-received and successful. I try to mix business and pleasure and end up in Ibiza as much as possible. We’re looking at Greece as the next destination.
Ibiza, Spain.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Travel must-haves
There are two things that I always have to pack anywhere that I go. I have to have my Twinings Earl Grey tea. I cannot start the day without it. I take it everywhere. I’ve tried loads of different brands. I find that Twinings does Earl Grey really well because it’s such an aromatic tea. I have so many friends of mine who laugh at how I can drink it because it’s like perfume. It’s very strong. I also need my Athletic Greens powder. Again, I take that absolutely everywhere.
Twinings Earl Grey tea.
Twinings.
Lingerie favorites
Half of my suitcase when I travel is Bordelle lingerie. Since I am not so well endowed, my everyday go-to bra is the Signature Silk Push-Up Bra, Bordelle’s take on the T-shirt bra but with adjustable under-band straps. I also love the Tierra Longline Bodice Bra from the current SS25 collection, as it is such a showpiece, and the dusty blue colorway embroidery is made with glow-in-the-dark yarn. If you charge it up with your phone [flashlight], then turn off the lights or go into a club or in the bedroom, it starts glowing. I think we were the first lingerie brand to do this a few years ago, and it’s something that we do quite well with.
Bordelle’s Signature Silk Push-Up Bra.
Bordelle
Wardrobe essentials
I love a perfectly cut Yves Saint Laurent blazer. I pair that with sheer chiffon Yves Saint Laurent tops and shirts that I can wear with my lingerie to offer a hint of what lies beneath. I love Frame denim in all lengths and colors, and Issey Miyake coats. My Castaner wedges are my summer staples.
Castañer.
Castañer
Reading list
At the moment, I’m taking a little bit of a break from screen time because I’m always on my computer or phone. So I’m not watching anything. I’m currently reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It’s about his experience in the concentration camps. He was a famous Austrian psychologist, neurologist and philosopher, so it’s written through his professional angle. I think more than anything, it’s a story of survival and hope, which is why I’m really loving it. I haven’t finished it yet. I’m halfway through, but it’s very serious and very inspiring and it just makes you love and appreciate life.
Current playlist
I’m listening to a bit of a mix. I’m listening to Otis Redding at the moment. I’m in that chilled-out mood, and it instantly relaxes me. I love these quite melodramatic Anohni and the Johnsons albums. For something more upbeat, I love listening to DJ Solomun. He has this Boiler Room Set from Tulum that I always listen to during a workout or in the car. Other than that, I prefer a relaxed vibe.
London favorites
We’re based in Ladbroke Grove, and our studio is really close to Notting Hill. One of my favorite places to eat in London is Straker’s in Notting Hill on Golborne Road. It’s funny how the reservation system works, because you just have to book online as many slots as possible and you don’t find out for a while if you have gotten it. You’ll suddenly get a notification that you have a table at this time, and you have to reply straight away. When I do get a table, I am there in a heartbeat. It’s got a great local atmosphere and a must if you’re a real foodie.
I absolutely love the Kensington Roof Gardens, which recently reopened. The gardens at the top of the building are amazing. You’re in central London, but you feel like you’ve been transported somewhere in Morocco. It’s just beautiful, and it’s so quiet, and it’s great for going in late spring or early summer.
For a party vibe, I like 5 Hertford Street and Loulou’s in Mayfair and KoKo Club in Camden. I don’t go out dancing as much as I used to because I have two children, but I do try to. They’re at an age now where they can be left alone more with a nanny or with their father, so I’ve started going out a little bit more now. But before I had children, I would be out all the time.
Notting Hill.
AXP Photography/Unsplash
