FREDERICK'S OF HOLLYWOOD

Frederick's of Hollywood was established in 1946 by Frederick Mellinger.  His first store was opened in 1947 on Hollywood Boulevard, and he also sold by mail order.  Mellinger intended to bring a sexier look to American lingerie, somewhat along the lines of what he had seen in Europe during the war.  His association with Hollywood boosted the image of the company, which in the 1940s was responsible for such lingerie innovations as the padded and push-up bras.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Fredericks placed ads in the backs of magazines, and mail order was a very large part of the business.  During the 1980s, a move was made to downplay the overt sexy look of the advertising and the lingerie itself, as Frederick's went mainstream and opened up in shopping malls across America.