Date: c. 1930s
Origin: Unknown, possibly Germany, Austria or Switzerland
Fabric: Rayon
Brand: Fina
A sling style bra that offered gentle lift and shaping to the breasts, with the exposed top cup allowing the nipple to give a gently pointed bust silhouette. This lightly lifted and pointed shape was in line with the relatively form fitting fashions of the 1930s.
The main supportive panels of this bra are crafted from a floral brocade rayon lined with a woven cotton, encasing two small steel bones per breast. The rest of the bra is largely constructed from rayon satin ribbons, with an additional small piece of elastic at the back for fit flexibility, and a cotton twill tape lining at the front half of the underbust strapping. The garment would have originally fastened with a button at the centre back. There is a small woven label at the centre back of the bra with the brand “Fina” and the text ‘marke ges. gesch.’. and number ’82’. The text is an abbreviation for the German phrase ‘marke gesetzlich geschützt’, translating approximately as ‘brand copyrighted’. The number 82 refers to the size of the garment, which is most likely intended for a 82cm bust measurement.
Sling style bras of this style continued to be manufactured as foundationwear into at least the 1960s. This sling shape is still seen in contemporary design, but tends to be marketed more as erotic or boudoir wear.
From the collection of Karolina Laskowska
