Novelty Bras Show Japanese Flair
When is a bra more than just … well, a bra? When it does more than just lift, separate and support!
Creative manufacturers are producing an ever-growing assortment of undergarments that cater to special interests or have applications that most of us would never have imagined. Leading the pack is Japanese fashion house Triumph International, which has come up with a hilarious assortment of multi-purpose pieces. These bras-with-jobs are all unique and well-conceived … although they might not go well with a little black dress!
Eco Bra
Who says eco-friendly fashion can’t be functional? Triumph’s Eco Bra is made of corn, hemp and paper, and is 100% recyclable. Unfortunately, the Eco Bra is not available for sale to the general public, as it was designed only for display at Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan.
Chopstick Bra
Triumph has found other ways to create bra fashions that help the planet while giving you cleavage! In a bid to encourage women to reuse chopsticks, the company came up with the Chopstick Bra – complete with rice bowls for cups and a handy pouch for storing your utensils. This admittedly gimmicky creation does make a point, though –
the company is trying to help save the 25 billion wooden chopsticks that are thrown out each year.
Triumph spokeswoman Hiromi Shinta says: “It’s a small step, but because many Japanese chopsticks are disposable, big chucks of forests are being cut down.”
Heated Bra
Japan constantly struggles with its high fuel use. To combat the issue, Triumph International designed a bra that contains special packets that can be heated in a microwave or with a hot water bottle. Good idea, since keeping our breasts warm tends to keep our entire upper bodies warm.
The heated bra is is designed to be seen, not hidden under clothing. It even comes with a boa top that can double as a scarf. Just the thing for a night of apres-ski!
Shopping Bag Bra
In an attempt reduce the volume of plastic shopping bags used in Japan, Triumph has come up with a way women can use their bras to carry their goods! The straps on this shopping bag bra do double duty as handles, while the cup fabric can be easily reconfigured to create a stylish handbag.
Leave it to Triumph to create a novelty bra that draws attention to social issues as well as raising the company’s own profile. Turns out the Japanese use an estimated 30 billion plastic bags each year, a third of which are thrown away without being reused. No excuse for that now – so long as it doesn’t mean we have to disrobe in the grocery checkout line!
The World Cups
Are you a fan of the FIFA World Cup series? To mark the latest edition of the football classic, Triumph designed a bra that women can wear to literally show their support for their teams!
The company released only 100 of these limited-production bras, each one selling for around $185 US in department stores in Tokyo. Bras like this, as well as the baseball bras that Triumph released last year, bring a new meaning to showing team support!
These are only some of the fun and functional bras available. As I find new pieces, I’ll definitely draw write about them. In the meantime, if you come across any other great novelty bras, let me know!