It seems like there are two kinds of lingerie shopping sprees. There's the utilitarian Bay binge in which you stock up on bras for work and the gym. A chore more than anything, this task is usually performed when you've got nothing better to do and can't go another day in your stretched-out Triumph, warped wire and all. But then there's the sexwear splurge that you do right before you consummate a new relationship. Though infinitely more fun, this indulgence is not very practical, for you can't wear the ultra-pushed-up lacy number under a regular garment without creating unsightly bumps and lumps.

Buying apparel, however, is a totally different story–the possibilities are endless. You can layer, mix 'n' match, work cutting-edge styles, or rock the retro. It's that sense of playfulness that Nikki Dekker and Maayan Zilberman wanted to capture with their lingerie and trench-coat line, the Lake & Stars.

"I think that it's kind of fun to think of lingerie in terms of fashion, colour, and detail, rather than just 'What do I want to wear in the bedroom?'" says Zilberman. The New York–based Vancouver native recently sat down with the Straight to talk about her undergarment collection, which has been featured in almost every fashion magazine that counts, including Vogue and Nylon . "I mean, why can't these things that you put on your body and wear all the time be modern and cool-looking? It's like you've got to switch gears when you go shopping for lingerie: 'Okay, I'm going to go buy lingerie, so I'm going to have to start thinking in terms of coquette or basic.' That's why with us, it's more about making designer clothes that are underclothes."

The name of the label comes from an obscure Victorian expression that refers to a woman who rocks in bed. (As in, "She gave me the lake and stars last night.") Almost every tongue-in-cheek name is inspired by something in their lives. The Divorcée series, for instance, is an in-joke about Dekker's marital status.

"Nikki is divorced…for the best," says Zilberman with a laugh. "We always joke that she's a divorcée because she's kind of a kid. I mean, you'd never think that she's been married because she looks like she's 22."

But instead of the Divorcée knickers ($55) and bralettes ($115) looking like hunting accessories for cougars, they are a whimsical take on beachwear; in fact, the pieces are made from a lightweight swim-inspired material. The bikini briefs, which are particularly cute in petal pink with walnut trim, have little flying-fish ornaments that dangle at each hip.

The Dutch Baby line is probably the least practical ginch in the whole collection. Made from a silky knit fabric, the underwear (Canadian price yet to be determined) comes with belt loops and a sash that ties in a bow at the back–exceptionally sweet-looking in bamboo neutral with a cherry-red belt.

"This is more like a cute thing you'd wear around the house for your boyfriend," admits Zilberman. And just like in the regular fashion world, where the biggest style crime you can commit is matching your purse to your shoes, L&S tops aren't meant to match the bottoms (though you should stay within the series).

"We don't like really matchy-matchy, like it shouldn't look like you bought a little outfit that goes together," says Zilberman, whose collection (with or without the high-end Opportunity trench coats [US$545]), will make its Vancouver debut the first week of June at Holt Renfrew (737 Dunsmuir Street). "But if your boyfriend's buying it, then he knows, 'Okay, I should really buy this with this'–it's a no-brainer. But it doesn't match match."

In short, it's a win-win situation for everybody.