Date: c. 1930s

Origin: Great Britain

Fabric: Silk satin, silk georgette

Brand: Fenwick Ltd.

 

This circa 1930s silk teddy by Fenwick, Limited is decorated with silk appliqué, exemplifying the delicate luxury of early 20th-century underpinnings. The bust is rendered in softly pleated peach silk georgette, while the neckline is trimmed with blue floral appliqué and finished with a curvilinear, scalloped edge: a decorative motif that is also echoed on the legline of the garment. Sky-blue shoulder straps, and matching adjustable side ribbons provide both structural support and a gentle shaping function. The body of the garment continues in the same peach tone as the bust, but is rendered in a shiny satin, subtly contrasting the matte pleating above it.

Fenwick, Limited is a British department store group that was founded in 1882 by John James Fenwick in Newcastle, England. The shop originally sold textiles and trimmings, later developing into having full scale fashion departments. In keeping with common department store practices of the 20th-century, this teddy was likely designed by an anonymous maker, possibly with one under contract with Fenwick, and sold under their private label. Such arrangements were customary for women’s hosiery and undergarments. The highly adorned, finely-crafted nature of this teddy aligns with the luxury-oriented merchandise associated with department store retail, distinguishing it from less luxurious garments sold at a lower price point, which often omitted elaborate decorative elements and would have been made of artificial silk, such as rayon. 

Also commonly referred to as a “step in,” the teddy was a women’s undergarment worn from about the 1910s through the 1940s. Constructed as a one-piece garment which fastens at the crotch, it functioned similarly to a contemporary body suit, by offering a smooth foundation layer beneath clothing. The teddy or step in, was a relatively ubiquitous undergarment though almost the entire first half of the 20th-century.

Teddies were often rendered in feminine laces and satins, and sometimes included unusual cut outs, as seen in another circa 1930s example from the Underpinnings Museum collection. Some earlier garments, such as a circa 1920s teddy also from the museum’s collection, are even adorned with colored silk flowers. These highly-decorative variations were popularized by film stars in the 1920s and 1930s such as Jean Harlow, in glamorous on-screen boudoir settings.

 

From the collection of Karolina Laskowska

Many thanks to Liv Elniski for the object description and research.

Museum number: KL-2025-008