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These Are the Brands Redefining, Modernizing, and Making the Best Bras
Yes, the bra is being discussed, and 2021 is full of fresh attitudes about what defines the best new bras. The styling staple’s recent omnipresence could be attributed to collective consciousness that soon, it will be time to get dressed again. Or because some aren’t quite soft enough right now. Or because men still make the most money selling them (though several of the brands below could help shift that in the future).
As for its history, the bra’s genesis is fuzzy. Romans are depicted in early mosaics wearing bandeaus while playing sports, and 1893’s “breast supporter” and 1914’s “brassiere” patents were issued to Marie Tucek and Mary Phelps Jacob, respectively. (Both, interestingly, were New Yorkers.)
If safety concerns fuel the conversation, apparently, many are outdated. “There were studies performed in the past that suggested women who didn’t wear bras were somehow healthier—that has ultimately been proven not to be the case,” says Dr. Heather Richardson, who specializes in breast health issues at her Beverly Hills practice. She adds that underwires don’t concentrate cell phone signals, and there’s no evidence that sleeping in a bra is harmful. Day to day, some individuals “may have less neck or back pain if they have proper support.” Like those Roman athletes, support’s still got it. London’s Sarah Shotton, Agent Provocateur’s creative director, considers the bra “a personal choice” and relies on it to prevent backaches. “I don’t think the bra is over, far from it,” she says. And for AP’s 1990s-born lingerie line, which just added an “All Hours” range of more relaxed options, Shotton says racier silhouettes are thriving: “In lockdown, we found many of our kinkier styles were selling like hotcakes!”
Some will never return. “The world of bras is more than just the physical product, it’s a state of mind,” says Annette Azan, founder of Nuudii System, a 360-degree stretchy, strappy pullover she defines as a “body essential,” not a bra. A quarter of a century into the fashion industry, working with designers like Norma Kamali and Donna Karan, Azan knows the market. She doesn’t photoshop models, simplifies sizing, and says that her design “fits so well without having to physically try it on, we have only a 5% return rate versus the 35% industry average.” For Stephanie Montes, who self-funds her brand Nue, the perfect alt-bra doesn’t have a size. “The ultimate goal is to create a new category of adhesive shapewear,” Montes says of the multi-tonal support tape she offers by the roll.
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Arden Fanning Andrews
