Sheer ridiculousness?

• Source: Global Times
• [23:55 December 15 2009]
• Comments

Chan Kraemer loves tights and wants you to love them too. Photo: e-MANcipate

By Joanna Wong

Small but growing numbers of Chinese men are hiding a secret in their trousers. It's sheer, it's here, it's – men's pantyhose. Or as some like to call it, "mantyhose."

"Some men buy pantyhose because it is comfortable, some want to wear it in winter instead of wool thermal underwear, and some like it because they think it looks good," says Ms. Xia of the uniquely named Chinese hosiery producer, "Doyeah."

Doyeah's men's tights sell steadily – both the classic style with a "male comfort panel" that keeps everything tucked in tight, and an "open trunk" version, which lets men wrap their package up in a snugly fl esh-colored sock.

"There are some male customers who become very interested in pantyhose after watching trapeze artists," says Xia. "Then they really want to get a pair of tights."

China is one of the world's largest producers of hosiery, and men want in on the nylon action. Over the past two years, growing demand for pantyhose among men has led to the growth of an outcropping of online shops, including Shanghai-based distributor Confi rmay.

Writes the husband and wife team at Confi rmay: "While the world continues to debate the need and appropriateness of men wearing pantyhose it must be admitted that more and more women accept that men are wearing pantyhose, and that men are increasingly inseparable from their pantyhose."

Internationally, American hosiery retailer Comfi lon (whose Activskin line is advertised as "This is NOT your mother's pantyhose"), reports that the company's website has seen a spike in visitors from China since June, with hits from over 266 separate Chinese cities.