who first designed shoulder pads?

For the corporate girlies, I KNOW you’re wondering…..

French designer, Elsa Schiaparelli for the win! In the 1930’s, she played with illusion in design while leaning into the surrealistic art movement. Shoulder pads did *officially* originate in mens football wear but only for true practicality sense, Schiaparelli used shoulder pads for aesthetic sake to play with shape and dimension.

We saw the construction highlighted with Joan Crawford in the film “Letty Lynton,” featuring the shape as a call to power as she navigated a role that portrays her as a woman in the workplace. Shoulder pads were used as clothing designs shifted to match women joining the workforce in WWII, allowing them to physically take up more space alongside their male counterparts. Cut to 80s and 90s fashion - think power suit! - where I think most of our minds go when we hear “shoulder pads.”

RABBIT HOLE-

https://coveteur.com/2019/04/04/empowering-history-shoulder-pads-trend/

https://crfashionbook.com/fashion-a25394199-history-shoulder-pads/