For over a century and a half French lingerie - with its corsets, bras, girdles and thousands of other items - has shaped the female form. This innovative world shares a common border with the world of intimacy. It is both an actor in and witness to the evolution of social mores and women’s liberation.

Constantly seeking to improve comfort, quality and aesthetics, French lingerie has witnessed many technological revolutions: elastic knit at the end of the nineteenth century, then nylon after World War II, and then elastane in 1960.French lingerie has always been at the forefront of the latest technological advances in all areas of industry specialization, from spinners and mesh makers to lace makers, embroiderers and dyers . Today, French lingerie shapes women bodies while constantly evolving to respond to women’s changing needs.

To bear witness to this rich history, eleven French corsetry brands have opened the doors to their patrimony. They include Aubade, Barbara, Chantelle, Empreinte, Implicite, Maison Lejaby, Lise Charmel, Lou, Passionata, Louisa Bracq, Simone Pérèle. The French Lingerie exhibition was held in Paris, London, Shanghai and Dubai in 2012; in Berlin, New York, Toronto and Moscow in 2013; in Tokyo and Barcelona in 2014; and in Milan in 2015 in the Pavilion France for the World Expo. It will soon be held in Miami at the famous Art Basel trade show.

We now offer a virtual tour of this exhibition that reveals the intimate world of women to better understand their history.