Early Life and the Birth of an Invention

Caresse Crosby, born Mary Phelps Jacob in 1891 in New Rochelle, New York, led an innovative and unconventional life, much like her famous invention – the modern bra. She had a creative, rebellious, and art-passionate story that influenced the 20th century.

Mary, nicknamed Polly, had a privileged upbringing and descended from a line of distinguished New Englanders. She grew up in comfort and opportunity, but her creativity made her unique.

Polly, aged nineteen in 1910, was getting ready for a debutante ball when a thought occurred to her. Frustrated with the uncomfortable corset, she asked her maid for a few items (two handkerchiefs, some pink ribbon, cord, needle, and thread) to create a solution. With those simple materials, she made a garment that could revolutionize ladies’s undergarments – the first current brassiere.

Caresse Crosby – The Brassiere Business

Polly’s invention turned into an immediate hit amongst her buddies. Recognizing its potential, she filed for a patent on February 12, 1914. In November of that year, she was granted the patent for her “Backless Brassiere.”. Her design was praised for being light, soft, comfortable, and adjustable for women of all sizes. It clearly separated the breasts, unlike the corset’s “monobosom” effect, and was even suitable for active sports like tennis.

She founded the Fashion Form Brassiere Company in Boston, hiring women to make her wireless bras. Her business venture was brief. In 1915, she sold the patent to Warner Brothers Corset Company for $1,500. This decision could have earned Warner $15 million in the next 30 years.

A Life Beyond the Bra

Polly’s life changed dramatically when she met Harry Crosby, a soldier seven years younger. She divorced her first husband, Richard Peabody, due to her affair with Harry. In 1922, she married Harry and followed the name Caresse, starting a new chapter in her life. After relocating to Paris, the Crosbys became key players in the expatriate literary Caresse Crosby-community. They founded the Black Sun Press and published works by some of the most influential writers of the time, including James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, and Ernest Hemingway

Caresse Crosby – Legacy and Later Years

Caresse Crosby continued her publishing work even after the tragic death of Harry in 1929. She expanded the Black Sun Press and launched Crosby Continental Edition and offered affordable paperback editions of major authors to the American market.

Caresse’s lifestyles become marked by both her unconventional method to both art and relationships. She arranged fantastic parties, including the notorious Surrealist Ball in New York in 1935. Her personal life was just as colorful, involving multiple marriages and affairs, such as her relationship with black actor-boxer Canada Lee, defying the racial prejudices of her time.

In her later years, Caresse became involved in the world peace movement and purchased Roccasinibalda Castle in Italy to transform it into a center for international understanding.
Caresse Crosby died on January 24, 1970, in Rome, leaving behind a legacy that extended well beyond her initial invention. She became a woman who lived life on her personal terms, constantly pushing barriers in fashion, literature, and society.

From inventing the bra to promoting classic literature, Caresse Crosby’s life was a testament of creativity and the courage to challenge conventions. Her story keeps motivating individuals who have the courage to rethink their surroundings.