Photo credit: Figleaves
Marilyn Monroe wore one in her movies, and Madonna had Jean-Paul Gaultier create one for her. Yes, conical bras are more Hollywood girl than plain Jane, but are current trends pointing the way to an era of pointers?
British department store chain John Lewis was reported to have experienced a 10 percent increase in sales of their conical bra Fantasie Belle in just about two weeks. Another brand, Triumph, also saw an increase of sales of their Doreen White bra by 33 percent and Doreen Powder bra by 7 percent as compared to last year’s figures.
Pointy bras were also highlighted in the runways sessions of Jean Paul Gaultier, Louise Goldin, and Dolce and Gabbana during the latest Paris Fashion Week collections for Spring/Summer 2010.
Pointy bras became highly fashionable in the 1950s, as popularized by Monroe and other Hollywood stars like Jane Russell. They waned in the mid-1960s and disappeared in the 1970s only to be revived again by the Material Girl in her 1980s Boy Toy tours.
“The trend for feminine pointy-shaped bras experienced a renaissance following times of a toughened economy, marking a return of unabashed femininity as women seek to have more fun with fashion as a form of escapism,” said a spokesperson from John Lewis.
The store chain believes that the re-emergence of pointy bras indicates that the horrors of global economic recession have come are receding and the fashion industry will now be facing better days.
As fashion stylist Crystal McClory put it, “the world’s top designers are moving away from recession inspired ‘less is more’ and offering more playful collections as the economy begins to recover.”
The Western woman has always been conscious about how her figure is perceived, and bras help influence that perception. According to Wikipedia, “the average American woman today owns six bras, one of which is a strapless bra, and one in a colour other than white,” and that ”consumers spend around $16 billion a year on bras.” (Jezriel M)
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