When Liam designer and Ruby general manager Emily Miller-Sharma set out to create her first lingerie collection, she wasn’t following a formula – she was breaking one. “I didn’t train as a lingerie designer, so over the years I always assumed there was a ‘right way’ to make a bra,” she says. “I just accepted that they had to have a centre-back fastener.”
While designing low-back dresses for Liam, Miller-Sharma found herself facing the same recurring frustration: every bra she owned disrupted the clean line of her garments. Her short-term solution was practical – building support into the dresses themselves – but eventually, a new idea emerged. “I realised I was solving the wrong problem,” she recalls. “Instead of hiding the bra, why not design one I’d be proud to see the back of?”
That thought became the foundation for Liam Lingerie, a considered edit of wireless bras and knickers available in sizes 4 to 24.
The collection introduces three tiers of support – low, mid, and full – each designed to suit different preferences and body needs. The lightest styles, Carnation and 90210, are what Miller-Sharma calls “the whisper of a bra,” offering gentle shaping and subtle coverage. The mid tier adds structure with dual elastic bands beneath a single layer of lace, while the full Support style (named after Dolly Parton, of course) combines a layer of lace and mesh with thicker straps and a wide under-bust band for a secure, comfortable fit.
In keeping with Liam’s thoughtful design ethos, every detail is considered: gold-toned stainless steel hardware, a cobalt O-ring accent, scalloped lace trims, and a fit system that celebrates the individuality of each wearer. Then there is the knicker range which spans from a recycled nylon mesh G-string, through to a full recycled cotton spandex brief.
Even the collection’s name, Mary, carries layered meaning. A nod to both Mary Magdalene and Mother Mary, it reflects the dichotomy of how women are expected to be. “I wanted to create pieces that offered choice.” Miller-Sharma explains. “Do you want to feel sexy, or safe, or both? Are you wearing it for yourself or for a lover? There’s no single right way to wear or experience these pieces.”
To bring the collection to life, Miller-Sharma and her team undertook an intensive six-month testing process involving more than fifty Aotearoa women, ranging in size from 4 to 24.
“I could have gone on fitting and refining forever, but at some point you have to release it into the world. And while I know we’ll keep learning and evolving, I feel really good about how these pieces fit.”
The process revealed how fluid the human body is, with some participants’ measurements shifting by up to a full size during the trial period. That insight reinforced the collection’s focus on adaptability: adjustable bands that can move up to two sizes, soft fabrics that flex with the body, and designs free from restrictive underwires.
“I intentionally chose not to use wires for a few reasons,” Miller-Sharma explains. “To create a size range that spans 4 to 24, we couldn’t rely on wires because they’re so prescriptive. Removing the wire gives wearers more flexibility within their own shape. And finally, it’s about comfort. When I’m wearing an underwire bra, taking off my bra is the first thing I do when I get home. With these, I don’t even think about it. They’re that comfortable.”
For Miller-Sharma, the launch represents the final point in what she calls the Liam triangle: Ready Made, Lingerie, and Patterns. “My five-year-old son told me the other day that triangles are the strongest shape, and that’s exactly how I feel about adding lingerie to Liam,” she says. “It makes the brand stronger in what it offers people: whether they want to make their own clothes, have them made for them, or now, choose what they wear underneath. It completes the picture.”
