Gossard Lingerie
Established in America in 1901, Gossard was a family business until H. W. Gossard travelled to Britain in 1921 and opened offices in London’s Regent Street. Gossard, an accomplished corsetiere, revolutionised English foundationwear in the 1920s by pioneering front-fastening corsets, an immediate hit which led to a production factory in Leighton Buzzard in 1926, and now the company’s headquarters for its worldwide business.
Throughout the social and fashion changes of the sixties, Gossard produced lingerie which appealed to all ages of women, identifying their diverse desires and launching suitable bras and corsets accordingly. For the younger generation who were demanding better choice in underwear and lingerie, Gossard reacted with inventive designs and patterns and established a vibrant range of lingerie. When, in the 1970s, the bare look became fashionable, Gossard recognized a gap in the market for a bra, which implied nudity, yet gave moderate cover and support. Its highly successful “Glossies” collection incorporated seamless bras and delicate, almost imperceptible briefs.