Rudi Gernreich for Exquisite Form bra and panty, 1967

  • By The Museum at FIT
  • In Objects
  • On 2 Oct | '2014
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Rudi Gernreich for Exquisite Form bra and panty / Printed polyester tricot, 1967, USA | Photo: Eileen Costa copyright MFIT

Rudi Gernreich for Exquisite Form bra and panty / Printed polyester tricot, 1967, USA | Photo: Eileen Costa,© MFIT

Rudi Gernreich is widely considered to be one of the most innovative designers of the 1960s, owing in part to his provocative designs for lingerie. Many of his ideas centered on a desire to liberate women’s bodies from constricting garments – a concept Gernreich first developed during the 1950s, when he eliminated padding from women’s bathing suits. The designer’s interest in soft, unstructured styles continued into the following decade, when many of his bras for Exquisite Form were constructed from mere triangles of stretchy fabric.

Gernreich’s designs for lingerie and stockings were sometimes part of matching clothing sets, resulting in a style he referred to as “the total look.”1 This giraffe-print bra-and-panty set coordinated with an outerwear ensemble made from a similar fabric.

1. “Fashion: Up, Up and Away,” Time (December 1, 1967).

Valerie Porr lounging pajamas, 1976 arrow-right
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