Article: Chantal Thomass Abysse in Citrus: What Our Fitters Want You to Know
Chantal Thomass Abysse in Citrus: What Our Fitters Want You to Know
Citrus is a bold choice. Chantal Thomass has always made bold choices — which is exactly why the Abysse set works in it. The Abysse Demi Bra and its matching Ruffle Bikini are the kind of pieces that look like you thought about them. Here's what we want you to know before you shop it.
About Chantal Thomass
Chantal Thomass began designing on Boulevard Saint-Germain in 1967 — where Brigitte Bardot was among her earliest customers — and formally founded her label in 1975. The brand became one of the most recognized names in French lingerie, built on an aesthetic that sits at the intersection of pret-a-porter and intimate apparel: theatrical, feminine, and unambiguously Parisian. Fishnet, frills, ribbons, ruffles, and embroidery are her signatures. So is a playfulness that makes the work read as composed rather than merely provocative.
A 2001 retrospective at Marseille's Musée de la Mode included 230 pieces spanning three decades. After a dispute with her Japanese majority owners led to her departure from the label in 1995 and its subsequent bankruptcy, Thomass reacquired her name in 1998 and relaunched the brand in 1999 — the Chantal Thomass we stock today. She has also consulted for Wolford and Victoria's Secret. The aesthetic has stayed consistent throughout: fashion-forward lingerie with the craft to justify it.
The Abysse Demi Bra
Abysse Demi Bra — $125
Available in 32B–38F (European sizing)
The Abysse is immediately readable as Chantal Thomass: fishnet body, mesh frills at the cup edge, and embroidery that grounds the construction. Pleated, adjustable straps and a hook-and-eye back closure. The demi cut sits lower on the bust than a balconette — less uplift, but more of the lace and fishnet work visible above the cup. In Citrus, the color reads as a warm golden yellow — lighter and more wearable than a primary yellow, but still a genuine statement.
From our fitting room: Demi bras reward medium-set to slightly wide-set busts — the lower cup depth means the construction sits flat without gaping at the sides. Because the cups are unlined, the mesh frills add visual presence at the cup edge, which reads particularly well on narrower busts. The fishnet body is semi-sheer. This bra is intended to be seen.
A note on sizing: the Abysse runs in European sizing. The band numbers (32, 34, 36, 38) are the same as US, but the cups diverge above D — EU E equals US DD, EU F equals US DDD or F. If you wear a 34DD in a US-sized bra, shop 34E here.
The Abysse Ruffle Bikini
Abysse Ruffle Bikini — $65
Available in XS–XL
The Abysse Ruffle Bikini finishes the set with matching mesh frills along the waistband and leg openings — the same construction as the bra's cup frills, which makes the pairing feel designed rather than approximated. The cut is a high-leg bikini: more coverage than a tanga, less than a full brief. In Citrus, it coordinates exactly without being matchy.
From our fitting room: The Ruffle Bikini runs in US dress sizing, XS through XL. Chantal Thomass sizing tends to run slightly smaller than US equivalents — if you're between sizes, size up. The high-leg cut elongates the leg line and the ruffle trim adds presence at the hip without bulk.
Shop the Abysse Ruffle Bikini →
Who This Set Is For
This set is for the customer who wants her lingerie to say something. Citrus is not a color for staying quiet, and neither is Chantal Thomass. The fishnet, the frills, the embroidery — all of it is made to be worn, not stored. The construction is French and well-made, and the silhouettes are flattering across a wide range of body types.
Hand wash in lukewarm water with a gentle lingerie wash and lay flat to dry. The polyamide holds well but heat will distort both the embroidery and the mesh frills. Treat it accordingly and this set will go the distance.
Both pieces are available now as part of the Chantal Thomass collection at Journelle.
