Mary Phelps Jacob's modern brassiere
Sujetador moderno de Mary Phelps Jacob
- Date
- 1914 · confidence high
- Place
- New York, United States
- Credited to
- Mary Phelps Jacob (Caresse Crosby)
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A backless brassiere made of two silk handkerchiefs and ribbon, patented on 3 November 1914 as the 'backless brassiere'. It gave a light, boneless design that replaced the rigid corset.
Who 'invented' the brassiere is debated: there are patents and prototypes from the mid-19th century on (and Cadolle, 1889). Jacob obtained the first US patent for the modern two-cup design. The year reflects the grant; the application dates from 1913.
What it led to
- abandonment of the corset during the First World War
- sale of the patent to Warner Brothers and industrial bra production
- A-D cup sizes (1930s) and modern lingerie