Exploring the Origins of Women's Bras

The origin of the bra is shrouded in mystery. As early as 1859, a man named Henry from Brooklyn, New York, applied for a patent for his invention of a "symmetrical spherical bust cover," which was considered the prototype of the bra. In 1870, a tailor in Boston even placed an advertisement in the newspaper selling "breast supports" specifically designed for women with large breasts. By 1907, French designer Paul Poiret, who specialized in designing long gowns, declared: "In the name of freedom, I announce the decline of the corset and the rise of the brassiere." Although it's unclear exactly what he designed, he is thus regarded as the inventor of the bra. The same year, the term "brassiere" appeared in the American edition of *Vogue*.