Pants: the new perfume

It all began with the announcement of David Beckham's recently launched collection of briefs, boxers and long johns, available at H&M. The line will soon be in 18,000 of its high street stores worldwide - and London's men (and women) have already been buying up the former England captain's pants at lightning speed.

Beckham is not alone in his quest to put knickers back on the map. Tomorrow retail guru Mary Portas launches Kinky Knickers, a range of pants intended to (ahem) support British manufacturing - to be sold exclusively by Liberty - and Kelly Brook's self-titled lingerie collection is currently on offer at New Look. Just in time for the Valentine's Day present-buying rush, no doubt.

Catwalk designers Phillip Lim and Alexander Wang have also made the decision to incorporate underwear into their offerings for this season.

While there may be little truth in the old adage
that healthy underwear sales equate to economic wealth, this influx of new lingerie lines is indicative of a change in retail activity. Taking their lead from Stella McCartney, who added a lingerie line to her CV in 2007, and supermodel turned entrepreneur Elle Macpherson, whose hugely successful lingerie label is among the best-selling brands on the planet, more and more retailers are ignoring the economists and looking at pants in the same way they once looked at perfume - as a way to boost their business.

It's little wonder, really. While very few of us can afford to splash the cash on a £700 blazer from McCartney's spring collection, the 30 quid required to invest in a set of her underwear does seem a far less painful price for a little something by one of our most coveted designers.

The future's pants.