Bra thumbnail 1
Bra thumbnail 2
Not on display

Bra

1930s (made)
Artist/Maker
Roussel, John J. (designer)
Place of origin
France (made)

Brassiere of bobbin lace and buttonhole stitch in pink cotton with satin ribbons.

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read Knitted underwear Whether socks or swimwear, long johns or leggings, knitting has been as important to what we put on under our clothes as to the clothes themselves. Some of the earliest knitted items were underwear and the growth of the machine-knitting industry was based on underwear's popularity. Even on...

Object details

Categories
Womenswear
Lace
Fashion
Accessories
Object type
Bra
Materials and techniques
Bobbin lace and buttonhole stitch in cotton, satin ribbon
Cotton (Textile)
Bobbin Lace Making
Brief description
Brassiere of bobbin lace in cotton, designed by John J. Roussel, France, 1930s
Physical description
Brassiere of bobbin lace and buttonhole stitch in pink cotton with satin ribbons.
Dimensions
  • Bust measured inside garment circumference: 78.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Underbust measured inside garment circumference: 72.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
Gallery label
(16/04/2016-12/03/2017)
Knitted to shape

Around 1928 J. Roussel of Paris introduced a knitted bra which used a unique spiral whirlpool pattern to fashion the cups. The technique created a softly rounded, natural profile.

The company claimed that their bras fitted to the body like a glove and were supple, light and quick to put on and take off.

Brassiere
John J. Roussel
France, Paris, or Britain, London, 1930s
Silk and cotton, with silk satin ribbon
V&A: T.196-1989
Object history
Registered File number 1989/165.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.196-1989

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O368016/bra-roussel-john-j/
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