INTIMA'S ANNIVERSARY Back to 1957

EUROPEAN TAKE TO THE ROAD

Even if the average American had been driving around since the Model T Ford debuted in 1908, the automobile didn’t become part of everyday European life until the 1950s, when urbanization required a new means of transport; cars also became a symbol of economic prosperity during this period. In East Germany, the first Trabant – dubbed the “people’s car” – rolled off the assembly line in 1957, and was the only car available in the DDR for many years to come; it finally ceased production in the 1990s. In July 1957, Turin-based auto manufacturer, Fiat, launched the first 500, Italy’s answer to the VW Bug. It revolutionized the idea of utilitarian cars and became an international icon of industrial design.

THE RISE OF THE TEENY-BOPPER

In the peaceful-and-prosperous 1950s, for the first time in the 20th century, the majority of young people faced a future free from war and unshakeable poverty. While earlier generations moved from childhood straight into adult life and responsibilities, a new demographic sprang up – the teenager. Adolescents had the freedom to explore the world in shiny automobiles, listening to the latest music on phonographs behind locked bedroom doors, far from the family. A distinct teen culture emerged with its own music, celebrity idols and fashion. Young people embraced fads such as the Hula Hoop and the Frisbee, which was introduced in 1957. While many squeaky-clean teens hung out at sock hops and soda fountains, the 1950s also witnessed the emergence of a youth counter-culture that questioned authority and the hypocrisy of their elders, as evidenced by hit films like Rebel Without a Cause.

IN FRANCE: HAUTE-COUTURE REIGNS SUPREME

The 50s were the golden age of Parisian haute couture, as well as the birth of the prêt-à-porter industry. Chrisitan Dior, who created the New Look style that predominated 50s fashion, suddenly died in 1957 at the age of 52. His successor was a talented 21-year-old named Yves Saint Laurent. He created radically new silhouettes in the late 50s with his loose-waisted, proto A-line Trapeze dress and high-waisted, fluid Empire model. Hubert de Givenchy released his famous sack dress in 1957, which was waistless and shapeless. Couture became more accessible and less elitist; other standout designers of the decade include Balmain, Patou, Jacques Heim, Jacques Fath, Cardin and Balenciaga. There were also a surprisingly large number of female designers with their own fashion houses such as Nina Ricci, Maggy Rouff, Madame Grès, Lanvin and the most famous of all, Coco Chanel, whose famous, and perennially stylish, Chanel suit was released in the mid-1950s.

FASHION ICONS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

Marilyn Monroe With her perfect hourglass figure and doe-eyed visage, Marilyn Monroe was the sex symbol of the decade, if not all time. During the 1950s, she graced the cover of the very first issue of Playboy and shall be forever remembered for her iconic pose – in a billowing white dress above a subway grate – in the film, The Seven Year Itch.
Grace Kelly’s icy-cold, patrician good looks and aristocratic style skyrocketed her to fame after her debut as a leading lady in High Noon, alongside Gary Cooper. This Yankee blueblood also became the first American Princess when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco in the wedding of the century.  Audrey Hepburn formed her 40-year collaboration and friendship with designer Hubert de Givenchy when he dressed her for her breakout role in Sabrina. He continued to dress her in the 1950s and beyond, eventually creating the famous little black dress for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Audrey Hepburn’s hallmark style was thoroughly modern, defined by stripped-down minimalism, without ever sacrificing femininity.
Elizabeth Taylor The 1950s saw La Liz transition from child star to wide-eyed ingénue to full-blown diva, whose sultry sensuality was always tinged with a non-threatening vulnerability. She also forever became an icon to the lingerie community with her role as Maggie the Cat in the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hit Tin Roof, in which she spent a huge chunk of screen time in nothing but a slinky negligee.
Sophia Loren For the first time since the 1920s, Hollywood started embracing foreign actresses with exotic good looks, and none shone more brightly than the voluptuous Sophia Loren. With her Mediterranean curves and seductive accent, she brought a carnal, distinctly Italian, sexuality to her screen roles opposite Cary Grant, Anthony Quinn and William Holden.
Brigitte Bardot was France’s answer to the blonde bombshell –strikingly beautiful with an aura of aloof mystery. The term “sex kitten” was invented just for her. Her breakout role in Roger Vadim’s And God Created Woman catapulted her to international stardom. She popularized many fashionable styles, including the Bardot neckline – a wide, open neck that exposes the shoulders –as well as the bikini, capri pants, wide-belted dresses, gingham, ballerina flats, and an early incarnation of the beehive hairdo.

LINGERIE’S GOLDEN AGE
In France, just as for haute couture, the 1950s ushered in an era of change and evolution for lingerie. The industry’s leading brands were practically all replaced within twelve short years, from 1946 to 1958. Legendary brands like Libron, Silhouette, Star and Prestige all disappeared; the exceptions were historic labels that adapted to dramatic shifts in manufacturing and distribution, such as Cadolle, as well as Barbara, Lejaby and Scandale, who had their roots in the 1930s. New brands filled the gap: Lou, Boléro, and Empreinte in 1946; Rosy in 1947; Simone Pérèle in 1948; Chantelle in 1949; Lise Charmel in 1950 and Aubade in 1958. The situation was similar in Germany. Brands that survived the tumult of the war included heritage labels like Felina, Triumph, and Anita, which all date back to the mid-1880s. Triumph launched its famous Amourette model in 1954, which is still in production today, and Anita moved its headquarters to West Germany after the division of the country. In Italy, Imec was a well-known brand, and in 1954, the legendary La Perla was founded, which to many is the ne plus ultra in luxury lingerie, even today. Other brands that were popular on the world market include PrimaDonna (1865) Zimmerli (1871), Calida (1941) and Hanro (1884) from Switzerland, as well as the Italian Ragno (1879), Lisanza (1920) and Oscalito (1936), or the Austrian Wolford (1950). In the USA, Warner’s, which dates back to 1874, was sold alongside Maidenform and Platex, famous for its latex girdles. Finally, global megabrand Wacoal was founded in 1946 in Japan.

LINGERIE IN 1957
The French lingerie union, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Corseterie, set the following rules which had to be followed by its members in 1957: “The chest should be extended, the breasts round, the hips curved. Specialized bras and girdles are necessary to create a smooth and elegant shape, essential for the season’s new dresses.”
In 1957, two different silhouettes were in fashion: tight-fitted dresses, and dresses with a small waist and full skirt. French magazines at the time gave readers the following lingerie advice:
For a fitted dress, a one-piece corselet or a high-waisted girdle accompanied by a longline bra or bustier - For dresses with a full skirt and wasp waist, a basque to shape the chest and upper hips, or a corselet with attached garters.
Petticoat Junction
In order to give shape to full skirts, it was necessary to wear a petticoat. Made from rayon, cotton, or taffeta, a petticoat could be single or double-layered, and trimmed with ruffles or rigid lace. While they were often white, they were also available in bright colors and floral prints. In France, luxurious models were sold by brands like Hélios, Gui, Chesterfield and, especially, Neyret, whose production was almost at the level of haute couture. American girls often ordered petticoats from Sears and J. C. Penney catalogues. This style remained popular through the early 60s, and its most extreme form was a stiff, hooped crinoline.
Stockings Go Seamless
In the 1940s, creative women, dealing with war rationing, used to draw lines on the back of their legs to give the illusion of wearing stockings. In the mid-1950s, thanks to the circular loom, seamless hosiery was invented. Stockings had to be worn with the ever-sexy garter belt, until the invention of pantyhose in 1959, which covered the wearer from the waist to the toe – and whose appearance paved the way for the miniskirt.
Perky and Pointy
In the 1950s, a small waist with a pointy, ample bust that sat high on the chest was the ideal figure, both in Hollywood and at home. Bullet bras and longline bras helped create this coveted cleavage. In the USA, novelty items emerged to help women achieve the generous proportions that were stylish at the time.  Lingerie brand, La Resista, marketed a model named the Très Secrète, a push-up bra that could be inflated to different sizes with a straw. While the Americans used French-sounding names to add allure, the opposite was sometimes true across the pond. When the French label, Scandale, later introduced its own inflatable bra, they named it the Very Secret. In 1956, the French brand, Lejaby, launched the plunge bra, which was popular through the mid-1960s.
Smoothing and Shaping
The popular tight-fitting dresses of the 1950s required lingerie that smoothed out the figure. One-piece corselets offered maximum shaping, but were also a bit restraining. For those preferring separates, a high-waisted girdle, made from elastic and nylon, created a smooth line for the belly and back, while narrowing the waist. Bottom edges were elasticized to ease walking. Legged panty girdles were also worn under tight-fitting capri pants to provide a perfectly rounded shape. A slip was worn over bras and shaping garments to ensure there were no visible lines.
Naughty Nighties
In the closing days of 1956, a scandalous movie hit the cinemas, which also unleashed a new form of lingerie into the public consciousness that became all the rage in 1957. Time magazine dubbed the film, “Just possibly the dirtiest American-made motion picture that has ever been legally exhibited.” Based on the Tennessee William play, Elia Kazan’s work starred Carroll Baker as a sexually curious 19-year-old Lolita who spends her days lounging in a crib-like bed, sucking her thumb, clad only in a short, flared, Aline negligee. This style ended up taking its name from the film: Baby Doll. The look was actually invented during the 1940s, when war-time fabric rationing forced legendary American lingerie designer, Sylvia Pedlar, to get creative by making the traditional nightgown as short as possible. While the style was available for years, it remained under the radar until it exploded in 1957. It has remained a popular staple in intimate apparel until this day.