Londoner creates worlds first underwear collection for transgender children

By Deputy Chief EditorAugust 14, 2019

135 2 minutes read

The collection will launch this autumn (Picture: Carmen Liu)

In February, Carmen Liu launched a luxury lingerie brand specifically made for transgender women who have not had genital surgery.

The 27-year-old designer, who is the founder of GI Collection, has now ventured into a new area of fashion with a line created for transgender girls.

According to the brand, 1-3% of kids are affected by gender dysphoria – the medical term for feeling a disconnect between your biological sex and your identity – and the range aims to provide products that will help them feel less isolated.

The new range is currently still in the production stage but will be released on the GI Collection website this autumn.

From the beginning, an underwear line for trans kids was one of the first and more important products I wanted to design and launch, Carmen tells Metro.co.uk.

Unfortunately, I never lived my childhood as my true gender and this is something I can never get back. For me, to be able to provide the worlds first underwear line for the rapidly increasing amount of trans kids globally, is my way of helping them avoid losing their childhood as their true gender.

Not only do I aim to provide trans-specific products for kids, but I will also increase the needed awareness of the ever-increasing problems for trans children and their families.

I am already doing just this for trans women worldwide and now its necessary for me to expand my experience to trans children.

There are currently three colours available, including a yellow pair with daisies, a light blue option with white dots and a striped white and lilac pair with strawberries on top .

A pair of children's panties with lilac and white stripes with a strawberry pattern from Carmen Liu's GI Collection for kids — They are made from cotton and mesh (Picture: Carmen Liu)

A pair of children's panties in light blue with white dots from Carmen Liu's GI Collection for kids — The childrens products will not include a tucking option (Picture: Carmen Liu)

As for how the products will differ from other underwear lines for kids, they will be designed specifically for the needs of trans children and offer more support.

However, while the GI Collection for adults offers tucking, the kids range will not have this same function due to safety issues.

Carmen said: I have designed the kids underwear line with cotton and mesh fabrics, the designs differ from current kids underwear available on the market as they allow for a greater hold and support for the lower body parts and are designed specifically for the needs of trans children.