Rudi Gernreich
Encyclopedia
Rudi Gernreich was a Austrian-born American fashion designer and gay activist.
at age 16 due to Nazism
, and later migrated to the United States
, settling in Los Angeles
, California
. A dancer, he performed with the Lester Horton
company around 1945.
Gernreich moved into fashion design via fabric design, and then worked closely with model Peggy Moffitt
and photographer William Claxton
, pushing the boundaries of "the futuristic look" in clothing over three decades. An exhibition of his work at the Phoenix Art Museum
in 2003 hailed him as one of the most original, prophetic and controversial American designers of the 1950s through the 1970s.
Gernreich is perhaps most noted for his design of the first topless swimsuit, or monokini
, as well as the pubikini—a bikini with a window in front to reveal the woman's pubic hair
—and later the thong
swimsuit. He was a strong advocate of unisex clothing, dressing male and female models in identical clothing and shaving their heads and bodies completely bald. He was known as the first designer to use vinyl and plastic in clothes, and he designed the Moonbase Alpha uniforms on the television series Space: 1999
.
In the 1960s Gernreich created the "No-Bra", which was manufactured by Lily of France. It was made of sheer stretch fabric without underwires or lining of any kind; its one metal clip fastened the bra in front. He also designed Warners' 1972 "No-Bra Bra", which was made of sheer, stretchy fabric; had no metal wires or clips, and was pulled on over the head. It gave trendy women something they could buy from the bra manufacturers, but it was designed for women who had already stopped buying the industry's products. Like most of Gernreich's creations, it created a brief stir and then quietly disappeared.
In the United States, Gernreich was a co-founder of the Mattachine Society
, the United States's first sustained homophile
organization. Gernreich supported the organization financially but did not lend his name to the group, preferring to be known by the initial "R". Another co-founder, Harry Hay
, was Gernreich's lover from 1950 until 1952, when Gernreich ended the relationship.
Later in life, Gernreich chose to devote himself to gourmet soups. He is credited with inventing red pepper soup, a cold soup served in red pepper cases and garnished with caviar and lemon.
by Jon Maran. After workshop performances in 2009, the play opened Off Broadway at New World Stages
in February 2010. Actor Michael Urie
, who played Gernreich, received a Lucille Lortel Award
for Outstanding Lead Actor.
Biography
Born in Vienna, Gernreich fled AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
at age 16 due to Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, and later migrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, settling in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. A dancer, he performed with the Lester Horton
Lester Horton
Lester Horton was an American dancer, choreographer, and teacher.-Early years:Lester Iradell Horton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 23, 1906. His parents were Iradell Horton and Pollyanna Horton....
company around 1945.
Gernreich moved into fashion design via fabric design, and then worked closely with model Peggy Moffitt
Peggy Moffitt
Peggy Moffitt , is best known as the premier model and muse for the late fashion designer Rudi Gernreich. Though her unique look has now become iconic of the 60s fashion scene, Peggy started out pursuing a career in film, debuting in the 1955's You're Never Too Young.-Biography:Her first credited...
and photographer William Claxton
William Claxton (photographer)
William Claxton was an American photographer and author.-Biography:Born in Pasadena, California, Claxton's works included a book of photographs of Steve McQueen, and Jazz Life, a book of photographs depicting jazz artists in the 1960s. He was most noted for his photography of jazz musicians...
, pushing the boundaries of "the futuristic look" in clothing over three decades. An exhibition of his work at the Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix art museum
The Phoenix Art Museum is the Southwest United States' largest art museum for visual art. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the museum is . It displays international exhibitions alongside its comprehensive collection of more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western...
in 2003 hailed him as one of the most original, prophetic and controversial American designers of the 1950s through the 1970s.
Monokini
A monokini, sometimes referred to as a unikini, is a woman's one-piece garment comprising only the lower half of a bikini, leaving the breasts uncovered...
, as well as the pubikini—a bikini with a window in front to reveal the woman's pubic hair
Pubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region....
—and later the thong
Thong (clothing)
The thong is a garment generally worn as either underwear or as a swimsuit in many industrialized societies around the world. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions such as sumo wrestling...
swimsuit. He was a strong advocate of unisex clothing, dressing male and female models in identical clothing and shaving their heads and bodies completely bald. He was known as the first designer to use vinyl and plastic in clothes, and he designed the Moonbase Alpha uniforms on the television series Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
.
In the 1960s Gernreich created the "No-Bra", which was manufactured by Lily of France. It was made of sheer stretch fabric without underwires or lining of any kind; its one metal clip fastened the bra in front. He also designed Warners' 1972 "No-Bra Bra", which was made of sheer, stretchy fabric; had no metal wires or clips, and was pulled on over the head. It gave trendy women something they could buy from the bra manufacturers, but it was designed for women who had already stopped buying the industry's products. Like most of Gernreich's creations, it created a brief stir and then quietly disappeared.
In the United States, Gernreich was a co-founder of the Mattachine Society
Mattachine Society
The Mattachine Society, founded in 1950, was one of the earliest homophile organizations in the United States, probably second only to Chicago’s Society for Human Rights . Harry Hay and a group of Los Angeles male friends formed the group to protect and improve the rights of homosexuals...
, the United States's first sustained homophile
Homophile
The word homophile is an alternative to the word for homosexual or gay. The homophile movement also refers to the gay rights movement of the 1950s and '60s....
organization. Gernreich supported the organization financially but did not lend his name to the group, preferring to be known by the initial "R". Another co-founder, Harry Hay
Harry Hay
Henry "Harry" Hay, Jr. was a labor advocate, teacher and early leader in the American LGBT rights movement. He is known for his roles in helping to found several gay organizations, including the Mattachine Society, the first sustained gay rights group in the United States.Hay was exposed early in...
, was Gernreich's lover from 1950 until 1952, when Gernreich ended the relationship.
Later in life, Gernreich chose to devote himself to gourmet soups. He is credited with inventing red pepper soup, a cold soup served in red pepper cases and garnished with caviar and lemon.
The Temperamentals
In 2009, Gernreich and the Mattachine Society became the subjects of the play The TemperamentalsThe Temperamentals
The Temperamentals is a 2009 play by Jon Marans. It chronicles the founding of the Mattachine Society, the first sustained LGBT rights organization in the United States, and the love affair of two of its founding members, Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich...
by Jon Maran. After workshop performances in 2009, the play opened Off Broadway at New World Stages
New World Stages
New World Stages, originally Dodger Stages, is an Off-Broadway venue. The architects were Beyer, Blinder, and Belle. The theatre designers were Sachs Morgan, and the interior designer was Klara Zieglerova.It is currently home to 6 shows:* Rent...
in February 2010. Actor Michael Urie
Michael Urie
Michael Lorenzo Urie is an American actor, television producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Marc St. James on the ABC dramedy series Ugly Betty.-Personal life:...
, who played Gernreich, received a Lucille Lortel Award
Lucille Lortel Awards
The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986...
for Outstanding Lead Actor.