Museum show takes peek under our clothes to examine world of underwear

The changes in underwear over the centuries are examined in an exhibition which opened Saturday at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London.

The exhibition "Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear", tells the story of underwear design from the 18th century to now, examining how it is practical and personal, sensory and fashionable and how it protects and enhances the look of the body.

Over hundreds of years, underwear has evolved, and the exhibition charts this change.

"There have been huge shifts in men's underwear. Until the beginning of the early 20th century a shirt was considered part of a man's underwear, so while you could have your cuffs and collar on show anything else would be untoward," exhibition researcher Susanna Cordner told Xinhua.

There has been a general move for both men's and women's underwear to get smaller, to become more scanty. This has been largely for practical reasons, to allow wearers to move more easily and to experience more comfort.

This led over the years to the development of the bra for women, and of easy-to-wear fabrics like spandex.

Cordner said: "We have looked at the reduction of underwear. The first items we display cover most of the body and also involve layer upon layer; so the man's shirt and breeches are fine for a man in the 18th century and for a woman a chemise, a pair of stays and then she has a hooped petticoat on top."

"So, you can contrast that with contemporary underwear which is about covering, or comforting or constructing or supporting very specific parts of the anatomy," she added.

And for women, some underwear has always been used to enhance the shape and the silhouette of women, changing with the fashions but always moulding and shaping, said Cordner.

There are more than 200 examples of underwear for men and women, highlighting the enduring themes of innovation and luxury, from the home-made, such as a rare pair of whalebone 'stays' worn by a working woman in England in the 18th century to pieces by modern designers such as Rigby and Peller, La Perla, Stella McCartney and Paul Smith.

Perhaps the most unusual exhibit is a wearable brass bra for a woman, made in 1970. The star exhibit is woman's corset from the 1890s, in an alluring fuschia pink.

Cordner said: "It looks brash and seductive. At that time a woman could wear a colored corset but could not wear colored underwear next to her skin, that was considered too risque. This corset is bold and bright, and looks from a much later date than you think. It makes you reconsider what historical underwear might have been like."

"Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear" runs until March 12 next year. Endit