Date: c. 1920s
Origin: Great Britain
Fabric: Jacquard Cotton Blend
Brand: Unknown
A very simple early bra, designed to bind and flatten the bustline to emulate the 1920s fashionable silhouette. The main fabric is a relatively heavy weight rayon/cotton blend jacquard floral weave. It is simply constructed, with four small darts on the bottom edge of the front panel for shaping. Seperate panels form the ‘wings’ of the garment, with each tapering down into a point that leads to a twill tape ribbon tie. These ties can be either tied in a bow around the back or wrapped around the front of the body, giving some flexibility in fit.
The bra is almost entirely machine sewn, with machine stitched twill tape binding on the top and bottom edges. The shoulder straps made of a fixed length rayon ribbon. At the bottom edge of the centre front, a loop of twill tape ends in a hook that would have originally attached to foundationwear on the bottom half of the body, keeping this garment in place throughout the day. The centre of the bra is embellished with a small piece of Schiffli embroidery appliqué, which has been carefully sewn in place by hand.
The first manufactured fibres, developed from cellulose in the late nineteenth century, became extremely important to manufacturers of women’s underwear and hosiery in the 1920s and 30s. Originally known as artificial silk or ‘art silk’, viscose was used in the production of underwear extensively in the 20s and became known as rayon in 1925. Bra wearers would have been extremely aware of these new fibres because the chemical companies advertised to end consumers as well as fabric and clothing manufacturers. They encouraged consumers to believe that rayon was not an inferior replica of silk, but a desirable fabric in its own right.
From the collection of Karolina Laskowska
