The reason why I chose bra design is because the bra not only meets the female functional needs, but also is a manifestation of sexuality, which satisfies the emotional needs of women.
The different designs of women's bras in different periods also illustrate the social status of women and the inner awakening of women.
16-18th Century: "Armored Corset"
At that time, European civilization had just experienced the dark period of the Middle Ages. The appearance of a corset was an inevitable reaction to this social form, like a armor, all made of hard metal to keep the body in an upright form.
19th century: "Hourglass type corset"
In the 19th century Victorian period, the aesthetic was characterized by the “hourglass” shape. The purpose of designing the bra was changed to the aesthetic standards of the time to strengthen the physical characteristics of women, such as highlighting their waist, chest and hip. The material used was changed to whale bone, rattan and cowhide, and the waist was tightly stretched to suppress the chest.
20th Century: "Comfortable Bra"
In 1912, the first patented bra in the United States was a social invention called Mary Phelps Jacobs. When she attend the ball, she used the maid's two silk cotton quilts and pink baby-made belts to make new close-fitting clothes. This is the prototype of modern underwear.
21st Century: "Functional Bra"
Women's choices in bras are already vary. For example, when running, they will choose sports underwear, and when they are dating or attending a party, they will use underwear that is gathered or supported. The annual Wei Mi underwear show also confirms that the design of underwear is also a fashion art.
In my design, I combined the characteristics of each period:
The 16th century "armor bra" is characterized by a hard metal material, so the most basic material in my bra is the iron wire.
The 19th century “Hourglass type corset " is characterized by restraining the female figure and highlighting the woman's chest and waist. So, in my design, I used the hemp rope to tie the waist tightly with the Japanese rope technique. Highlights the beauty of the breast.
The biggest feature of the 20th century "comfortable bra" is comfort, freedom, and respect for women's rights, so in my design, the overall shape of the bra is based on female feelings.
In the 21st century "functional underwear", I chose the functional features of the decoration, and the beauty of the underwear. In my underwear design, a lot of decoration was applied like the design of the Victoria underwear.
