ANNIVERSARY Back in 1957…

"The car is not a luxury but a means of transportation!”

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 didn't stop production until 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.

Rebellious Rock 'n' Roll and Lush Orchestrations

In 1957, Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock and All Shook Up topped the charts, while everyone danced to. Meanwhile, jazz, swing and big band melded into a new, sophisticated sound epitomized by Ella Fitzgerald's Great American Songbook recordings for Verve Records. At the same time, Frank Sinatra's fame was at its peak.

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. She 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 atTiffany's. Audrey Hepburn's hallmark style was thoroughly modern, defined by strippeddown minimalism, without ever sacrificing femininity.
Elizabeth Taylor The 1950s saw La Liz transition from child star to wide-eyed ingénue to full-blown to the 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, the famous Italian diva, was extremely popular during this period. She starred in classic films such as Pane, Amore e…, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, La Ciociara alongside the great actors of the time including Marcello Mastroianni, Cary Grant, Anthony Quinn and William Holden. With her Mediterranean curves and seductive accent, she brought a carnal, distinctly Italian, sexuality to her screen roles.
Brigitte Bardot, the French fashion icon, popularized many styles during this period such as, 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. Her breakout role in Roger Vadim's And God Created Woman catapulted her to international stardom.

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) from Belgium, 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 Playtex, 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 nylon, 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.

The guêpière taboo
While the guêpière, the sexy French corset, complete with suspender belt, was invented ten years before it was still popular in 1957. However, due to its expensive price tag and changing fashion trends which made it seem too erotic, it quickly fell out of favor and was exiled to the world of cinema. Worn on screen by famous actresses such as Sophia Loren, Anouk Aimée, Lana Turner, Marilyn Monroe and even Brigitte Bardot, this piece of lingerie is forever immortalized on film.