GENIUS FEMINA. Cont'd.
Mary
Phelps Jacob
,
Inventor of the Bra Design.
In 1913, the first modern brassiere to be awarded a
patented was invented by a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob. Mary
had just purchased a sheer evening gown for one of her social events. At that
time, the accepted undergarments were corsets, stiffened
with whaleback bones and steel rods. Mary found that the "whalebone-spocked" out
visibly around the plunging neckline and under the sheer fabric, so with two
silk hankerchiefs and some pink ribbon, the first bra was invented. Mary's new
undergarment went well with the new fashions being introduced at the
time
and demands from friends and family were high for the new brassiere. On
November 3, 1914, she was awarded a patent for the "Backless Brassiere".
Caresse Crosby was the business name Jacob used for her brassiere production.
However, Jacob did not enjoy the business, so she sold the brassiere patent to
the Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut for $1,500. The
Warner Brothers Corset Company made $15 million dollars from the bra over the
next 30 years. The undergarment name "brassier" was derived from the old
french word for "upper arm". Her patent was for a device that was lightweight,
soft and separated the breasts naturally. The following describes the bra's
evolution:
Mary Phelps Jacob After decades of stuffing themselves into seemingly barbaric undergarments of a mostly corset-like nature, women around the world finally began to get fed up. In 1913, a New York socialite decided to do something about it: the first modern brassiere was created by Mary Phelps Jacob. She patented her design, and now the brassiere is a standard part of nearly every modern woman's wardrobe.
Jacob came up with the idea for her brassiere after she bought an evening
gown for an event she was planning to attend. At the time, women wore corsets
stiffened with whaleback bones and steel rods. She tried on the dress with one
of these corsets, however, and found that the whalebones poked out visibly
around the plunging neckline and under the sheer fabric. Jacob had a better idea. She took two silk handkerchiefs and some pink
ribbon, and fashioned herself, with the help of her maid, the very first bra.
Family and friends almost immediately asked Jacob to create brassieres for
them, too. One day, she received a request for one of her contraptions from a
stranger, who had offered a dollar for her efforts. She knew then that this
could become a viable business. On November 3, 1914, she was awarded a patent
for the "Backless Brassiere". The undergarment name "brassiere" was derived
from the old french word for "upper arm". Then, Jacob set up a business, using the name Caresse Crosby instead of her
own. Later she sold the brassiere patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company
in Bridgeport, Connecticut for $1,500. The Warner Brothers Corset Company made
$15 million dollars from the bra over the next 30 years.
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