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Gossard
FormerlyH. W. Gossard Co.
Industrylingerie manufacturer
Founded1901
FounderHenry Williamson Gossard
HeadquartersNottingham
Key people
R. C. Stirton
Productswomen's undergarments
lingerie
Websitewww.gossard.com

Gossard is a Nottingham-based brand and manufacturer of women's undergarments and hosiery.[1] Founded in the early 20th century in Chicago as H. W. Gossard Co., it expanded quickly, flourishing in the 1920s. As Associated Apparel Industries, Inc. it held a central position in its market in the 1930s. Amalgamated eventually succumbed to the poor economy in the United States during the Great Depression,[2][3] but Gossard continues as a division of Courtaulds in Great Britain.[1]

History

[edit]

Gossard was established as H. W. Gossard Co. in Chicago in 1901, per company history, after its founder Henry Williamson Gossard was inspired by a corset worn at a Paris performance by the actress Sarah Bernhardt.[1] This performance, “L’Aiglon“, she played the role of a boy, and wore a made to measure corset which sculpted and refined the silhouette. Captivated by the look of this corset, H. W. Gossard decided to import the concept to America and market it. In the 1920s it introduced the then-revolutionary idea of putting corset ties on the front, allowing the wearer to untie them herself. The company advertised extensively under the slogan "The Gossard Line of Beauty."[4]

Image of Gossard Corselette Advertising in 1953
Gossard Corselette Advertising in 1953

In 1928 the company was reorganized as a division of Associated Apparel Industries, Inc.[5] The manufacturer became a conglomerate[6] after acquiring Venus Company and Lamode Garment Company, adding $3,000,000 in annual revenue.[7][8] Associated Apparel, Inc., planned to build a plant in Germany, and its president, R. C. Stirton, sailed for Europe in May 1929 to facilitate this.[9] When World War rages, Gossard produces parachutes, sails, and bras for women of the English navy.[10][11]

Stockholders of Nature's Rival Company, a firm previously acquired by Associated Apparel, Inc., brought a bankruptcy petition against Amalgamated in September 1933.[12] The suit was filed in the United States District Court in Chicago. It asked for a sum of $1,232,500.[3]

After the bankruptcy, the company reformed as H. W. Gossard but became a British company.[1] It continued to manufacture women's underwear and hosiery, and R. C. Stirton continued as its president until his death in 1945.[13]

Gossard was acquired by Courtaulds in 1959.[14] At some point it became a property of the French DBApparel, but was reacquired by Courtaulds in 2007.[15]

  • Gossard Advertisement
    Gossard Advertisement
  • Gossard Line of Beauty
    Gossard Line of Beauty

In the 1960s Gossard produced a wide range of bras and corsets and pioneered the pantie-girdle.[16] Women started to demand more choice in their underwear and Gossard responded with innovative designs in a wide range of colours.

In the 1970s Gossard introduced "Glossies", a brand designed for a transparent and iridescent appearance. Glossies became a preferred lingerie brand in a time of sexual revolution and women's liberation.[17] Gossard developed larger sizes of Glossies in DD to accommodate the changing figures of women of the time.[18]

Gossard led trends for "coordination" in the 1980s, introducing the Ritz collection with perfectly matched colours.[19]

Advertising Campaigns

[edit]

In 1994 the famous "Hello Boys" advertising campaign for Gossards Wonderbra[20] featuring model Eva Herzigová caused such a stir that, in 2011, it was voted "the greatest poster of all time."[21]

In 1996 Sophie Anderton appeared in the Gossard Glossies "Girl in the grass" national advertising campaign shot by Herb Ritts, which included the tag line "Who said a woman couldn't get pleasure from something soft?"[22] The campaign attracted a record number of complaints (321) to the Advertising Standards Authority, none of which were upheld.[23]

In 2002 Gossard introduced their G-String models, which immediately sold out.[23] The G-Strings with diamantes[24] and the signature "G" logo became very popular in the 2000s.[25] Emma Willis was announced as the face off Gossard, a "Gossard Girl" this year for the Showtime reimagining of Belle Epoque.

Following an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother 2013, Gossard girl Sophie Anderton recreated her iconic "bed of hay" Glossies campaign 17 years after the original.[26] Now aged 36 Anderton was quoted saying "I'm now a woman not a young girl. So I feel I embrace my body more and I am definitely more confident than I was at 19. I couldn't believe when Gossard booked me the first time, it was very surreal. But this time it was like returning home."[27]

In December 2014, Olympia Valance became the new face and body of Gossard. Of her role, she said "The last year has been a whirlwind and to work with such an established name as Gossard is a dream come true. I absolutely love working on Neighbours and the fact that I am able to come over to England and do an incredible campaign like this is a credit to the show's following, both here and down under."[28] Valance has appeared in photo shoots for the brand's swimwear and lingerie collections, including their 2015 spring/summer campaign.[29][30][28]

In 2022 Gossard released the "I am Enough" campaign, celebrating body positivity.[31] Gossard have developed the size range further to G.[32]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Our Heritage". H. W. Gossard Co. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  2. ^ "EXCHANGE MOVES TO SUSPEND STOCK; Associated Apparel Industries to Be Dropped From List for Failure to Report. TO REMOVE RAIL ISSUE Mexican Northern Not Traded for Five Years -- Other Changes Announced". The New York Times. 13 July 1934.
  3. ^ a b Associated Apparel, Wall Street Journal, September 16, 1933, pg. 5.
  4. ^ "Past Papers". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  5. ^ "H.W. GOSSARD REORGANIZED; Company Becomes Associated Apparel Industries--New Capitalization". The New York Times. 30 August 1928.
  6. ^ Farrell-Beck, Jane; Gau, Colleen (22 October 2002). Uplift: The Bra in America. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 52. ISBN 0812218353 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Associated Apparel Industries, The Wall Street Journal, November 24, 1928, pg. 2.
  8. ^ "CHICAGO STOCKS SOAR IN BIG DAY; BORG PAYS MORE". Chicago Tribune. November 24, 1928.
  9. ^ Associated Apparel Industries, Wall Street Journal, April 18, 1929, pg. 6.
  10. ^ "Knicker Blogger | Boob Positivity: Gossard Lingerie". www.knickerlocker.com. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  11. ^ "Vintage Fashion Guild : Label Resource : Gossard". vintagefashionguild.org. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  12. ^ "Hear Associated Apparel Bankruptcy Plea". Chicago Tribune. September 16, 1933.
  13. ^ "A.J. Trojan Promoted". The New York Times. 21 August 1945.
  14. ^ "Courtalds". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  15. ^ "DB Apparel sells lingerie labels to Courtaulds". Drapers. 10 February 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  16. ^ "New Page 1". www.corsetiere.net. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  17. ^ Lewis, Ellen (2017-06-06). "Glossies Goes Lace ~ Gossard Lingerie". Lingerie Briefs ~ by Ellen Lewis. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  18. ^ "New Page 1". www.corsetiere.net. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  19. ^ "Superbrands" (PDF). Superbrands. 7. UK.
  20. ^ "Advertising Archives". www.advertisingarchives.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  21. ^ "Best ads in 50 years: Wonderbra obeyed all the rules of a great poster". www.campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  22. ^ Johnson, Jane. "Selling points; Why bra ads have come full circle. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  23. ^ a b . 2008-02-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20080227210646/http://www.superbrands.uk.com/programmes/issues/9/sb09_gossard.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-13. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ "Advertising Archives". www.advertisingarchives.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  25. ^ Almassi, Hannah (12 June 2021). "G-Strings Are Back in Fashion But Not as You Once Knew Them". Who What Wear UK. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  26. ^ "Sophie Anderton remakes famous bed of hay advert for Gossard". The Drum. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  27. ^ "Sophie Anderton turns clock back with Gossard poster campaign". www.campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  28. ^ a b "Neighbours star lands lingerie deal". Digital Spy. 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  29. ^ Harris, Gerard (2015-05-25). "New Gossard lingerie ranges spring summer 2015 with Olympia Valance". Tuppence. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  30. ^ "Olympia strips limelight from big sis Holly". PerthNow. 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  31. ^ Bottomley, Tom (2022-07-22). "Gossard launches 'I Am Enough' body positive campaign". TheIndustry.fashion. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  32. ^ "Iconic Lingerie Brand Advocates Body Positivity With Their Stunning New Campaign – FROW Magazine". frowmagazine.com. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
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