RARE! Vtg 60s / early 70s RUDI GERNREICH "NO" Style BRA Marbeled Sheer Nylon 36B

Description

RARE! Vtg 60s / early 70s RUDI GERNREICH "NO" Style BRA
Marbled
Brown/Beige Sheer Nylon 36 B
This bra is truly an amazing find! Designed by Rudi Gernreich for Lily of France sometime between 1965 and 1974, it is in the style of his "No Bra," but with a curious twist: it fastens in front, rather than back. Like the other bras in his "No" series, it is made of sheer nylon with no underwire so that the breast could look as bare as possible. Introduced when bras were often not worn for political purposes in addition to their confining discomfort, the "no bra" gave women the option to wear a transparent layer beneath her clothes that would feel liberating. A provocative and futuristic look then, the bra brought much attention to Gernreich who is largely considered one of the greatest American designers of the 20th century. His "No Bra" is in countless museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Take care of this special bra as it is a true collector's item.
We have been unable to find another Gernreich bra like this with a front clasp in our internet searches. Fortunately, we have TWO! The other is made of a black nylon fabric and is FANTASTIC, so check our other listings or message us if you would be interested in seeing it.
This particular amazing bra is in outstanding, mint condition -- such a rarity for a bra of this era. The elastic still has plenty of stretch and the front clasp is undamaged. The nylon / spandex fabric has no pulls or holes. It looks terrific!  The label attached to the bra has Lily of France branding with Gernreich's special stylized eagle icon with "Rudi" printed on it. It also bears the ILGWU union tag used on garments between 1963-1974. The use of marbled fabric in designing this bra indicates it may be from the 70s rather than 60s when Gernreich was offering his "No Bra" in basic colors. The straps are not adjustable, nor is the band. It is listed as a size 36 on the tag, but the cup size is not given. We believe our mannequin wears about a B cup size and it fits well. Because every figure is different, please...
**Check measurements for an accurate fit!
Measurements:
band - 23" - 29"
shoulder to band - 8" (unstretched)
chest - 28"
We do our best to point out known flaws in our clothing, but this bra is vintage and as such is being sold as is.