Horst P. Horst's 1939 photograph of a model in a lace-up corset designed by Mainbocher transcends time, being a perfect example of sensuality, elegance and style.
The image is indeed charged with visual fantasy and eroticism and could be used as one of the milestones to tell the story of lingerie.
Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), mentions this image in her introduction to the volume Exposed: A History of Lingerie (Yale University Press).
The book - written by Colleen Hill, Associate Curator of Accessories at FIT - is actually the catalogue for the eponymous exhibition currently on at the museum (open until 15th November 2014; visit it online at this link) and could be described as a photographic journey through the history of lingerie.
Steele's introduction briefly traces the main changes occurred in underwear from the Middle Ages on, but Hill's short descriptions accompanied by adverts, archival illustrations and images of the garments included in the exhibition shot by Eileen Costa, are an accessible way (especially for students and amateur lingerie fans) to get introduced to this topic.
Exposed opens with a rare quilted petticoat from 1765 and a sky-blue silk corset with decorative ivory ribbons from 1770, but page after page readers will be confronted by handmade bandeau bras, elegant dressing gowns, elaborate peignoirs (that is combing dresses, wrappers and morning robes), whimsical stockings embroidered with playing cards, light combinations (a single garment joining a camisole and drawers), romantic nightgowns, lavish tea gowns trimmed with mink fur and exotic lounging pyjamas.
There are actually fascinating topics linked with lingerie: exploring early underwear is already interesting, but quite a few readers will find more intriguing looking at the architectural importance that some of these elaborate understructures had throughout the decades in shaping and reshaping the female silhouette - think about a bustle from 1880, employed to emphasise the posterior, or a bust supporter from 1905 that reveals the secret behind the "monobosom" silhouette.
The book and the exhibition feature quite a few highlights including a "Delphos" tea gown by Fortuny in a burnt copper shade; a silk crepe chiffon nightgown by esteemed designer of couture lingerie Juel Park (whose clientele included Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor); a 1949 Poirette bra matched with a Dior petticoat, key items to achieve the "New Look" silhouette; Rudi Gernreich's "no bra" made with sheer nylon to highlight the natural look and Erica Tanov's white minimalist linen pyjamas.
Towards the end of the volume the author hints at the transition of lingerie from foundation garment to outerwear, looking at designs such as Fernando Sanchez's dressing gown, that could be used as an evening dress as well, or Suki Cohen's sculptural bodysuit and bolero jacket in stretch nylon and neoprene.
Most of the designs included were made in France, the USA and the UK, and while you wish there would have been a spotlight also on Italian lingerie (Emilio Pucci's 1969 body stocking for Formfit Rogers makes an appearance and an ensemble by La Perla from 2014 gets a mention, but La Perla was sold to an American company in 2008), there are enough contemporary brands included (Victoria's Secret, A. F. Vanderhorst, Agent Provocateur and L.A.M.B. for Hanky Panky) that will get younger readers interested.
The history of fashion is long and features iconic garments and designers, but so is the intimate history of lingerie and Exposed, with its cherry red corsets, yellow silk chiffon nightgowns and pink lace bras and decorative silk appliqué motifs, provides a good introduction.
Image credits for this post:
1. Book cover;
2. Corset (stay) - silk, silk ribbon, whalebone, c. 1770, possibly Europe;
3. Bandeau bra - silk crepe chiffon, lace, satin, silk charmeuse, ca. 1924, possibly France;
4. Bust supporter - Natural linen, cotton trim, ca. 1905, France;
5. Corset - Wool, silk, steel, whalebone, ca. 1880, possibly France; Bustle - printed cotton, steel, ca.1880, USA;
6. Poirette overwire bra - nylon lace, stretch satin, 1949, USA; Christian Dior petticoat - nylon net, horsehair net, silk taffeta, 1951, France;
7. Rudi Gernreich for Exquisite Form "No Bra" - sheer nylon, ca. 1965, USA, and Half Slip, printed nylon tricot, ca. 1965, USA;
8. Valerie Porr Lounging Pyjamas, printed silk, 1976, USA.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Comments