Two silk handkerchiefs, a length of pink ribbon, and a needle provided the materials for the first patent of the modern brassiere in 1914. Filed by Mary Phelps Jacob, the device replaced the rigid, whalebone-stiffened corsets of the era with a lightweight, flexible design that allowed for natural movement while remaining suitable for evening wear.
Early Development and Invention
Born in 1892 in New York City, Mary Phelps Jacob navigated an affluent upbringing, attending Rosemary Hall before her 1910 graduation. During a period of frequent debutante balls, she found standard undergarments restrictive and incompatible with sheer evening gowns. Her improvised solution garnered immediate interest among peers, leading her to formalize the design. On February 12, 1914, she filed for a patent, which was granted later that year by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as the Backless Brassiere. The design featured shoulder straps and wrap-around laces, emphasizing comfort and separation over the monobosom effect of the corset.
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In 1920, she registered as a married woman conducting independent business in Massachusetts. By 1922, she established the Fashion Form Brassière Company on Washington Street in Boston. Operating a small shop, she produced her wireless undergarments and secured initial orders from department stores. Despite the functionality of the product, the company did not achieve long-term commercial dominance. She eventually shuttered the venture under the influence of her second husband, Harry Crosby, who held a disregard for conventional trade.
Literary Patronage and The Lost Generation
Beyond her industrial efforts, she became a central figure in the literary circles of Paris alongside Harry Crosby. Together, they founded the Black Sun Press. This publishing house served as an essential conduit for the Lost Generation, issuing early works by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Anaïs Nin, Kay Boyle, Henry Miller, and Charles Bukowski. Her role as an arts patron expanded her professional footprint into publishing, journalism, and writing, defining her career as much as her earlier mechanical inventions.
Fast facts
- Born: 1892, New York City
- Died: 1970, Rome
- Patent granted: November 1914
- Education: Choate Rosemary Hall
- Company founded: Fashion Form Brassière Company
- Publishing venture: Black Sun Press
- Notable authors published: Ernest Hemingway, Anaïs Nin
Questions readers ask
Did she invent the very first bra?
She received the first U.S. patent for a modern-style brassiere, though other breast supporters had been patented and marketed in the U.S. and Europe starting in the late 19th century.
What was her primary occupation?
She held multiple roles throughout her life, including inventor, publisher, poet, journalist, and fashion designer.
Achievements
- Educated at Choate Rosemary Hall
