The resurgence of the iconic bullet bras from the '50s, as seen on celebrities and the runway
Taking a trip down memory lane, we speak to designers to explore how the bullet bra shaped fashion’s past and empowers style today.
The 1950s added plenty to fashion’s vocabulary — hourglass silhouettes, cinched waists, full skirts, cropped trousers, gloves, bold lips, polished hair, and bullet bra.
The iconic bullet bra is the latest to make a striking comeback, with celebrities like Janhvi Kapoor, Jenna Ortega, Kylie Jenner, and Ananya Panday rocking it both as part of their outfits and as a bra.
The bullet bra’s rise
Bullet bras were a defining feature of 1950s fashion, with cone-shaped cups that exaggerated the bust and enhanced the hourglass silhouette. Likely inspired by the military-influenced language of the era, the design originated with French couturier Jacques Fath in the 1940s and gained popularity in the ’50s when Frederick Mellinger of Frederick’s of Hollywood brought it into the American mainstream.
It celebrated curves, complemented form-fitting outfits like sheath dresses, A-line skirts, and tailored suits, and defined the iconic “sweater girl” look.
Pop stars boom
Brand Maidenform was instrumental in bringing the bullet bra to the market, with several other lingerie labels and designers fuelling its rise through the ’50s. Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner, and Jayne Mansfield helped cement its place in mainstream fashion. In India, actors Helen and Zeenat Aman carried it into the ’60s and ’70s.
Later, pop star Madonna sparked a bold revival during her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, sporting Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic cone bra. The conical silhouette remains closely associated with her to this day.
A modern resurgence
In March this year, labels like Miu Miu showcased this on the runway of Paris Fashion Week. The bullet bra’s resurgence proves fashion’s penchant for revival, reimagining the past with a modern twist.
Designer Rina Dhaka has taken a great deal of inspiration to incorporate this silhouette in her designs. “I was so inspired by Zeenat Aman’s look that I brought about a bra in an Indian sari,” she says, adding, “I took the pointy silhouette of the bra and subdued it a little just at the point where it takes a conical shape.”
Why the revival?
“As fashion becomes more nostalgic in an uncertain world, it brings comfort and attention in a novel way. It’s presented today in a modern and provocative way, rather than the romantic style of yore,” comments designer Nachiket Barve.
Designer Nishtha Bansal agrees: “The bullet bra’s resurgence is no coincidence; it reflects today’s appetite for bold, unapologetic fashion. With the revival of vintage aesthetics and the growing influence of celebrity styling, this once-sculptural piece of 1950s lingerie is being reinterpreted as modern couture.”
