Ashes to ashes, bust to bust: The most famous bras in fashion history

Last weekend, Kylie Jenner made global headlines at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, going viral for wearing the famous Fantasy Bra, worth $50 million dollars. (Jade’s 2024 track “Angel of My Dreams”, which was playing as Jenner took to the runway, has returned to the charts as a direct result.) Until recently, you couldn’t open social media without scrolling past endless videos of the glittering ensemble. 

During last month’s SS27 fashion shows, bras were the talk of the town. At both Miuccia Prada’s shows – Prada and Miu Miu – bras were worn as tops, not as a discreet underlayer. The same trend cropped up at Loewe, Valentino, Hermès and Jean Paul Gaultier too. 

Once upon a time, visible straps and peeking cups were considered tacky, but in recent years, celebrities and luxury houses have embraced the bra, even going as far as to incorporate bra straps into red carpet gowns (modelled by Scarlett Johansson, Sydney Sweeney, and Olivia Wilde). Designers have been experimenting with bras for the past century – ever since the garment’s inception in the late 1800s – but some reinterpretations have been significantly more outlandish than others. 

To mark a momentous moment in brassiere history, below, we take a trip back in time and revisit some of the most famous examples of the undergarment – from fire-throwing extravaganzas to robot bras made from Plexiglas. 

Adorned by legends like Gisele Bündchen and Candice Swanepoel, the Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra never fails to stir the pot, and this season was no different. Worn by Kylie Jenner and embellished by none other than Adam Selman and Jacob Arabo of Jacob & Co, VS’s multi-million-dollar pièce de résistance prompted an online debate, posing the question: is Kylie Jenner a worthy heir to the Fantasy Bra’s legacy? And while there’s something deeply unserious about debating the rightful owner of an undergarment, perhaps the real question should be: are we all being fooled by the Victoria’s Secret rebrand? 

You’d never expect the cone bra’s first fitting to have been on a teddy bear named Nana, but there’s more to the infamous eye-poker than meets the eye. Starting out as an outfit idea sketched on a teddy bear by a young Jean Paul Gaultier, the cone bra would go on to become one of the most iconic designs in fashion history. Rising to popularity following Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition tour, the cone bra has since been reimagined as everything from a bra to a dress to a bodysuit, chiselled and whittled into a sharp, armour-like breastplate. 

On the topic of ready-for-war brassieres, who can forget Lady Gaga’s pyrotechnic bra, designed by Matthew Williams under Haus of Gaga, in collaboration with Tom Talmon Studio? The garment’s creation was fuelled by a conversation she had with Williams in 2009, during which she famously declared, “Matty, we need to make my tits blow up!”. 

The concept, however, is far from new – just look at Austin Powers’ 1997 fembot bra, which shot bullets and even fired aphrodisiac gas. More recently, Doechii dabbled in explosive brassieres too, rocking a chrome-plated metal bra that shoots flames in the music video for her new single “BOMBS”. 

We all saw it during Zendaya’s viral archive-pull at the Dune: Part Two London premiere, but did you know that this 1995 Thierry Mugler look was built in collaboration with aircraft specialists? Part of a full-body metallic ensemble straight out of Terminator, the design was inspired by the character Futura from Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent film Metropolis, and took over six months to materialise. When it comes to Mugler, there are several cyborgian styles that could’ve made this list – many of which were modelled by Beyoncé during her I Am…Sasha Fierce era, including the famous motorcycle corset and AW95 gold bustier. 

Following its recent resurgence at Miu Miu AW25, this list couldn’t be complete without the bullet bra. The cone bra’s older sister was introduced in the late 1940s, reaching its peak in the 50s after being popularised by Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe. Adored by burlesque icons like Dita Von Teese, who used to DIY the bras herself, the appeal is obvious: its structured design is intended to highlight the female figure while keeping fabric free of any visible seams. We’re sold. 

For better or for worse, we can’t seem to shake shapewear. But when it comes to the genre’s most influential players, one thing is certain: the Wonderbra walked so Skims could run. In 2023, Skims launched its Ultimate Bra, complete with faux nipples and a campaign that sparked almost as much conversation as the Wonderbra’s infamous Hello Boys billboard, which reportedly distracted drivers and caused multiple traffic accidents. Yet beneath the cleavage and controversy there was a more meaningful story: the Skims’ nipple bra also received praise from women who had undergone mastectomies, proving that it might be more than just another marketing frenzy after all.

From high-low dressing to pairing lacy bras with power suits, there’s nothing fashion loves more than a little juxtaposition. And who else would think to pair the sharp tailoring of a classic Chanel bouclé jacket with a matching tweed bra, bare midriff and chains swinging from the hip, other than the house’s own disruptor, Karl Lagerfeld? Debuted on the SS94 runway, a parade of bras added a cheeky spin to Coco Chanel’s 1920s tweeds. An honourable mention also goes to Lagerfeld’s infamous SS96 micro-bikini, as modelled by Stella Tennant. 

Many might argue that the best bra to wear is no bra at all. Enter Rudi Gernreich’s 1965 ‘No Bra’, the closest thing to baring it all without actually bearing it all. Fresh from creating the jaw-dropping monokini – a topless swimsuit bottom held up by two slender straps that ran between the breasts – Gernreich was ready for his next mischief. The No Bra was made from sheer, skin-toned stretch nylon net and was completely unlined, wireless and soft – a complete 180 from the bulky, restrictive corsetry that had long dominated the bra market of the 60s. And unlike the monokini, which attracted widespread outrage and even condemnation from the Vatican, the No Bra was met with considerable commercial success, offering women a newfound sense of comfort. Clothes that make women feel comfortable and free, welcomed with open arms? Who would’ve thought!

Loewe’s AW22 balloon bra is an unmissable addition to the list. Designed during Jonathan Anderson’s tenure at the brand, the wearable art-inspired sculpture quickly became a hot commodity on the red carpet, worn by the likes of Emma Corrin and Gabrielle Union. We’re not popping this balloon anytime soon.

To top off our list: London’s very own Di Petsa, whose latest collection, Holy Milk, closed with none other than Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock. The singer bared her baby bump while wearing a bra that featured a built-in mechanism that sprayed a breast-milk-like liquid onto the runway, paying homage to maternal power. It was a poignant reminder of the breast’s biological purpose, so often forgotten in a culture that reduces it to an object of desire.