Pinup Advertisements, 1950s
The pinup was a common motif in intimate apparel advertisements in the mid-twentieth century. The model on the poster would always have a suggestive pose, with hips and chest jutting out, submitting to the viewer's gaze and communicating loud and clear: You bought these corselets and bustiers to have them seen, not to hide them.
1954
Corset maker Ada Masotti founded La Perla in 1954, focusing on bright silks embellished with lace trim. Masotti would package the luxury pieces in velvet boxes, like pieces of jewelry—an apt choice given that perla means "pearl" in Italian. To this day, La Perla is still a prime example of how sophistication and sexiness aren't mutually exclusive.
Lingerie and undergarments grew up a bit in the '70s. Where a girlish, youthful look had ruled the previous decade, modern styles were sleeker and more streamlined, often in silk or lace fabrications.
1993