In the waiting room of the UCSF Parnassus imaging center, all browns and 70s decor, I browsed Instagram while my dad got ready for his PET scan to see how well his tumor has been reacting to chemo. Scrolling fast, a post jumped out at me—a Studio PIA sale.
I’ve been curious about Studio PIA for quite awhile, but the price point always made me hestitant. With beautiful embroidery, cruelty-free silk, small collections, and an amazing design sense, I’ve been following them enthusiastically on Instagram for quite some time. What other brand uses green as a core color in their collections? Their sensibilities speak to me, and I truly believe they live by their ethical statements. That type of dedication comes with a price, so while it makes it challenging for me to get something, I understand it completely.
That’s why, when I saw the chance to try out the brand in a sale, I jumped on it. Still in the hospital waiting room, I clicked on that purchase link, did some quick research about sizing, and processed my payment. The whole transaction lasted about 5 minutes at most.
Before I could even fully process it, I found myself the new owner of the Liana Soft Cup Bralette and Liana Strap Thong. Size 3-4 (M). When my dad got back, he caught me smiling and asked what I was looking at—I told him I just purchased a set from a brand I’ve been excited about, and he laughed. Who knew technology would get to a point where I could purchase a luxury lingerie set from the UK from a hospital waiting room in San Francisco?
When I picked up my package from the post office, I was surprised by how small it seemed. Studio PIA did a great job packing everything securely and compactly, saving money, saving packing materials (which didn’t have any plastic I might add), all while sending it to me safely. I’m a fan.
Tucked tightly together in tissue, the beautiful green silk straps, and light-as-air tulle with gorgeous embroidery peaked out at me. The hand-feel and vibrant visuals of this set make it stand out, even though I bought two of the pieces with the least amount of material. I’ve never been so in love with a thong.
While the sliders are a bit of a challenge to maneuver over the silk-cased elastic, it means that once you get your sizing in place, it stays. And the gorgeous 24k gold hardware made me swoon. I’m not one to swoon over hardware. I don’t usually even wear jewelry, but this set made me love gold. The easy, secure, and beautifully different back clasp simply cemented the knowledge that Studio PIA cares about all their materials. While I don’t have many embroidered sets in my collection, I could instantly tell that this embroidery stands a head above most. It’s flawless.
If there is one thing I can say that isn’t perfect, it’s just that my boobs are a bit big for the bralette—they don’t fall out, and it looks beautiful, but they are probably a bit smooshed. However, as someone who would rather not show off her butt (I feel like I suffer from flat butt syndrome, unkind I know), I was ready to bare all in this thong. I don’t exactly know how or why, but I felt it was probably the most flattering thong I’ve ever worn.
Studio PIA continues to be a brand to dream about. I most likely won’t be able to regularly purchase sets from them, but when I fall in love with one of their sets, I feel like it will be worth it to save up and purchase. I now know their quality, and I feel confident quality remains paramount in everything they do.