Former Savage x Fenty lingerie model Nazanin Mandi Pimentel is chatting animatedly over the phone about her unmentionables.
There’s talk of black lace bodysuits, cherry-colored bralettes, silk slips, bedtime rompers and some sleep accessories, too (like eye masks), all part of Elle Reve, Pimentel’s new innerwear and sleepwear brand.
“This line is for anyone who wants to feel comfortable in their own skin,” Pimentel told WWD. “I want to evoke confidence, comfortability and my love of just really functional pieces. I love that my pieces can be worn from day to night. And the fabrics are super buttery: super soft, super moldable. It’s not going to have any grab and it just feels like you’re not really wearing anything, but obviously you are.”
The name Elle Reve — which means “she dreams” in French — was also part of the Pimentel’s inspiration.
“The name was super natural and very fitting,” she said. “I wanted a name that overall encompasses me as a woman. And I’ve always been a dreamer and I’ve always encouraged other people to dream and go after what they really want.”
Her track record proves it. Born in California, Pimentel’s résumé includes actress, singer, model and fashion entrepreneur. She got her first taste as a designer when she teamed up with swimwear and accessories brand Chynna Dolls between 2016 and 2017 to co-create swimsuits.
“I knew eventually I wanted to start my own business,” Pimentel said of the joint venture with InstaCo, a company that works with influencers and other creators to form brands. “Fashion has always been a love of mine, being a creative, and having lingerie follow a swimwear [collaboration] was just really natural.”
She’s also walked in the innerwear world before, quite literally, in 2020 when Pimentel and her husband, singer Miguel, were among the models to grace Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2, the lingerie extravaganza featured on Amazon. The duo has also worked as brand ambassadors for Savage x Fenty. Pimentel said she learned from the best at Rihanna’s lingerie brand.
“They’re a very well-oiled machine,” Pimentel said of the business co-owned by TechStyle Fashion Group. “It was one of the first brands that was inclusive, that had such a broad range of sizes and was for everyone and that is definitely inspiring. It’s so important that we, as women, no matter our size and skin color, that we see ourselves in the media and that we see options for ourselves. So, that was definitely, super, super inspiring.
“And, it’s run by very strong women, obviously,” she continued. “I was around women who knew what they wanted. I was around women who were creative and inspiring and it, of course, rubs off on you. How could you not be inspired by that?”
Savage x Fenty’s neon colors, graphic prints and hyper sexy silhouettes are a marked contrast from Pimentel’s own brand, however, which offers a more classic aesthetic with touches of piping on sleeves and pockets and muted colors. (The collection premieres in just three shades: red, black and nude.)
“My inspiration behind this was my love of simplicity and my love of just really functional, versatile pieces,” Pimentel said. “I have a piece that you can wear as a sports bra and work out. And I have this really beautiful lace bra that you can wear under a suit; it’s a great T-shirt bra. I feel like, if we’re spending money on lingerie, let’s make it count. We all work hard for our money and what we have.”
Elle Reve debuts tomorrow with the 11-piece Lush Collection, available at Ellereve.com. Pieces can also be purchased through Pimentel’s or Elle Reve’s Instagram pages. The initial assortment comes in sizes XS to XXL and ranges in price from $22 to $182. Pimentel said the plan is to add additional sizes and categories to the assortment, as well as the possibility of wholesale partners, later in the year.