The thong is similar in that we're seeing more customers and more money.'' The outer-underwear trend was rejuvenated recently when teenage girls began exposing bra straps under dainty tank tops. Since then, slips, corsets and bandeau-style lingerie have also gone mainstream. Undergarments are being accessorised to form outlandish fashion statements, Mr Julian said. The latest twist encourages women to adorn an exposed thong with bejeweled clips. Marketing professor Dominique Hanssens of the University of California, Los Angeles, said that fashion trends, including lingerie, usually work in cycles.
Retailers create trends on a small scale and later sell their popularity to a larger audience.
Because of the difficulty pushing widespread appeal, some trends fizzle before they have a chance to take off, he said. Copyright 2000 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.