Hello! We’re a proud UK-based family business specialising in beautiful lingerie and hosiery, and our story is one that’s close to our hearts.
It all began back in the 1960s when the owner’s mother started collecting special pieces from charity shops. She loved connecting with fellow collectors across Europe and the USA, swapping letters and treasures. Over more than 50 wonderful years, that passion grew into an incredible family collection of over 5,000 pieces of hosiery and lingerie – spanning from World War II right up to today.
If you’re as fascinated by vintage and retro styles as we are, we’d love for you to take a look! We’ve started sharing and documenting parts of our family collection on Pinterest – pop over and have a browse.
In the 1990s, we wanted to share our love of these timeless pieces with others. With the exciting arrival of the internet, we launched our first online shop at sheernylons, focusing on buying and selling vintage hosiery and lingerie. Many of our wonderful customers have been with us since those early days – we’re so grateful for their loyalty!
By 2006, our little passion project had grown so much that we formed Sheer Innovations Limited (UK) trading as Whatliesbeneath.me. The rise of burlesque and vintage fashion gave us the perfect opportunity to expand into the retro-inspired world, bringing in gorgeous brands like Ballerina, Cervin, Charnos, Dita Von Teese, Girardi, Gio, and Miss O.
We take real pride in offering the very best in retro and vintage hosiery and lingerie – we see ourselves as true curators of exquisite, high-quality pieces that make you feel special.
And now, in 2026, we’re thrilled to have fully launched our exciting new personalised hosiery service called ‘Signature’! It brings back those cherished old-school manufacturing traditions with a modern, made-just-for-you twist. Keep an eye out – there are lots more new products and surprises coming soon!
Thanks for being part of our journey. We’d love to help you find something truly special.
With love from the team at Whatliesbeneath.me 💕