Cultural Lens | Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear
Underwear. When worn for health or hygiene it is something that is not usually discussed. When worn to manipulate the body the discussions are akin to engineering treatises. But when worn as a decorative fashion item, as a sensual and alluring look for the boudoir, well that’s when the conversations get really interesting!
Madonna single-handedly brought underwear out of the closet, so to speak, making it a staple of her on-stage wardrobe from the 1980’s on. And today, as the current fall 2016 collections reminded us, underwear has confirmed its role as a foundation of fashion. The shapes that have been defined over the eras by corsetry, petticoats and underpinnings have influenced current fashion silhouettes. For fall 2016 designers showed us that corsets are not just for undergarments anymore as they popped up on the runways as accents in a variety of shapes, lengths and looks that ranged from cinched and sexy to Elizabethan romantic to modern and architectural.
Early Madonna
Early Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier bustier
French designer Jean Paul Gaultier has been creating bespoke outfits for Madonna for more than 30 years
It is timely, therefore, that this month London’s V&A Museum has launched “UNDRESSED: 350 YEARS OF UNDERWEAR IN FASHION.” Featuring over 200 pieces from the 18th century to present day, this exhibition will look at the history of undergarments and their influence on fashion through the years. From corsets to petticoats, bustles to boudoir wear, the exhibit will delve into underwear’s role in decorating and manipulating the body and the ways that changes in fit, fabric and technological innovations reflect society’s attitudes towards gender, body image, morality and sexuality.
The thematic presentation features sections focusing on performance underwear, luxury lingerie and fashion underwear among others with pieces worn by a range of celebrities (is nothing sacred anymore???) including Kate Moss, Dita Von Teese, Gwyneth Paltrow and even Queen Victoria’s mother. Current fashions from Jean Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli, Alberta Ferretti and others help to illustrate the impact of undergarment design and structure on current fashion.
Short evening dress (robe du soir courte), Cristobal Balenciaga, 1958. Museum no. T.334-1997
Negligée, designer unknown, 1930s. Museum no. T.308-1984
Decorative corsets on display
Jean Paul Gaultier : Runway – Paris Fashion Week – Haute Couture Spring Summer 2016
Jean Paul Gaultier : Runway – Paris Fashion Week – Haute Couture Spring Summer 2016
Roberto Cavalli Fall 2016 – Winter 2017
Roberto Cavalli
Alberta Ferretti Fall 2016 – Winter 2017
Dita von Teese wearing a piece from her lingerie collection
Dita Von Teese models Star Lift lingerie line – Photos – Dita Von Teese models sexy lingerie collections
Dita partnered with retailer Bloomingdale to create a new “Madame X” line of lingerie
Kate Moss had modeled in the past for Agent Provocateur lingerie
Kate Moss had modeled in the past for Agent Provocateur lingerie
Kate Moss & Rihanna got a little risque for the February 2013 issue of V MAGAZINE
The exhibit runs until March 12, 2017 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
