The air is fragrant; scented candles light the room, while rose petals decorate the hardwood floor. On the lilly white plush bed is a red heart shaped box delicately perched against a dozen oxblood roses. Sigh. This clichéd movie scene could only mean one thing… it’s Valentines Day ladies!

The truth of the matter is, Valentine’s Day gestures tend to be unoriginal. How many stuffed bears holding hearts can one girl get? So, to add a little originality to the mix, we’ve rounded up a selection of must-have lingerie brands unlike any seen in the mass of rom-coms currently trying to weigh influence on your underwear drawer.

Buy them yourself or wait to unwrap them in a gift box, either way, you can’t go wrong with our round-up of year round gems. After all, nearly naked is in trend; see Victoria Beckham looking cheeky in her lacey knickers on the cover of this month’s Elle UK, and then check out her hubby modelling his bodywear line for H&M in our men’s underwear story.

BE A TEESE

Von Follies by Dita Von Teese is vintage glamour lingerie adorned with eyelash lace trimming and velvet ribbons.

Von Teese designs for the classic curves of a woman, offering sizes that will flatter a wider range of body types. She believes every woman needs the perfect set of lingerie; worn not for a man, but for her own indulgence in the beauty of being a woman. That said, should there be a man in the picture, a one-on-one burlesque show in one of Von Follies’ balconette bras paired with high waisted briefs and garters, would be sure to impress.

Launched last February exclusive to Target Australia, the line’s latest collection is now available internationally at stylebop.com.

DON’T BE CAGEY

Structured, line-based and domineering, the Chromat’s line is fashion architecture rolling playfully in the experimental and avant-garde. The bralettes and harness bras with boning are for confident women that know what and who they want. Madonna wore the Kimono Harness on stage for her MDNA tour – need we say more?

And the line’s revealing harnesses are only the start; from cage dresses, garters, masks, Mickey mouse ears, and bowties, there’s enough gorgeously twisted items to create an ensemble that will have your special someone feeling as if they fell down the rabbit hole into Tim Burton’s sexual fantasy.

Bras and caging can be customized just for you…as well as your dark fantasies. But be warned, if you remotely relate to Jess from New Girl, we do not recommend this lingerie for you. Remember the scene from “Bad in Bed?” The title is self-explanatory.

A FRIENDLY FIT

Stella, the newly launched lingerie line by Stella McCartney, is comfortable for everyday wear. Simple and stylish, this is what someone like Mila Kunis’s uber confident and laid-back character  in Friends with Benefits (one of our V-Day film recommendations) would wear while hanging out with Justin Timberlake’s character before moving to the bedroom.

This lingerie emits a carefree vibe, best accented by some self-love. And, in typical McCartney style, the Stella line is spreading the love around tinged with the colour green. Made of recycled and organic materials, these cozy undergarments show the environment you care. Plus, the cutting edge technology behind these bras and panties offer a seamless fit and optimal support, making them the perfect choice for hanging out and wrestling with your guy “friend.”

CAN I GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH?

A rose theme for model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s first lingerie collection — Rosie for Autograph — could not be more fitting for Spring 2013. The rose-prints, pastel pinks, delicate lace, and Swiss-designed couture embroidery are sweetly coquettish in charm.

As one who has always stressed the importance of fit throughout her long career of modeling lingerie, it’s no wonder the line’s attention to tailored comfort with bras going up to size G. The line’s Art Nouveau rose motifs, along with its 1930s-inspired nightdresses are a reflection of Huntington-Whiteley’s love of vintage lingerie, reflected in her own collection of camisoles and slips.

Unfortunately for ladies living outside of Europe, this line is sold exclusively at Marks and Spencer. Our recommendation: have a distant cousin buy and mail it to you, it’ll be worth the effort to be as pretty in pink as Rosie.

FORGET ME NOT

Looking for modern lingerie that leaves all your nightmares of frills behind? La Fée Verte forgoes typical floral lace and standard prints for tied dyed silks, sheer galaxy prints and island tribal patterns, while burnt reds, midnight blues and pale pink satin keep it classy and sensual.

A line that knows the meaning of peek-a-boo, La Fée Verte lace bras and seductive rompers are unforgettably revealing. If you in lingerie is what you’re planning on gifting this Valentine’s Day, then the unflinchingly cool feminine prowess of one of La Fée Verte slips is what you want to make an everlasting memory.