The two guys behind Heist Studio, the North London-based hosiery brand launched in 2015, were smart enough to realise that they didn’t actually know anything about tights. So they approached 67 of their female friends to ask them what makes a perfect pair. “We’re obviously not the traditional target customer for tights, so we had a wonderful opportunity to approach an everyday product without any preconceptions,” remembers co-founder Edzard. “We asked our 67 friends what they loved and what they hated about their tights. Whether they were spending 5 or 50 euros on a pair, they were unanimous about what they disliked: uncomfortable waistbands, itchy yarn, the unsightly seams running through the tights and the dreaded gusset…”

The duo then flew to Castel Goffredo, a medieval town in the hills of northern Italy that also happens to be the historic home of tights. Heist tights are made in collaboration with a small Italian manufacturer, the only one out of the 30 teams the two entrepreneurs met who shared their passion for innovation. One year and 197 samples later, voilà: the Heist tights were born. With an endless waistband – which doesn’t roll up or dig in, but instead moves with the body thanks to a technique borrowed from Italian sportswear – and a super stretchy yarn, the tights are completely seamless: a single tube is knitted from toe to toe, using a 3D knitting technique. No lines whatsoever!

We know the niche lingerie trend is all the rage, maybe now it’s time for hosiery to shine? “I think people worldwide are becoming far more discerning in their purchases,” analyses Edzard. “They seek out quality over anything else, opting to buy fewer items of better quality, rather than spending widely on more throwaway items.” That’s enough to make us dance for joy – in tights!