Silhouette
Silhouette is a historic British lingerie and corsetry brand founded in 1887, known for control garments, swimwear, maternity and mastectomy lingerie, and distinctive mid-century designs.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Silhouette is a British lingerie and corsetry brand with origins in the German corset industry and a history extending back to 1887. It developed from Ski Corset, a company founded by Max Lobbenberg and Emil Blumenau. During the political upheaval of the 1930s, the Jewish owners were forced to sell the German business, while the London subsidiary continued under the leadership of family members Hans Lobbenberg and Hans Blumenau. Operating as Silhouette Corset, the company expanded into one of the United Kingdom's leading corsetry businesses before the Second World War. The brand became known for combining structured support with changing ideas about comfort, fit and fashion. One unusual pre-war product was the Silhouette Radiante, marketed in 1937 as a radioactive corset and promoted with claims concerning the supposed stimulating or rejuvenating effects of radiation. The product reflects the commercial enthusiasm for radiation-based consumer products that existed in that period, although such claims would be regarded as unacceptable by modern safety standards. During the Second World War, Silhouette manufactured bras and suspender belts for women's military services, including the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, the Auxiliary Territorial Service and the Women's Royal Naval Service. At the beginning of the Blitz, the company transferred production from London to Shrewsbury rather than moving to Coventry. The Shrewsbury operation became an important local employer. After the war, Silhouette also rebuilt its London production presence at King's Cross. The post-war business benefited from the transition away from rigid corsets toward more flexible elastic girdles. In 1958, Annemarie Lobbenberg designed the Little X girdle, which became particularly associated with younger consumers and later formed part of the brand's enduring product heritage. By 1969, the family-run company reportedly operated five factories, employed about 1,900 people and sold its products in 61 countries. It was also a significant supplier to Marks & Spencer and was described as Britain's largest swimwear manufacturer at the time. Its reputation rested heavily on fit and on the ability to serve customers whose needs were not fully addressed by standard lingerie ranges. During the following decade, Silhouette developed specialist offerings including maternity wear, mastectomy wear, strapless bras and larger-cup garments. Ownership and production arrangements changed repeatedly in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In 1981, Silhouette was sold to M.T.M., the owner of Spencer's, a company associated with made-to-measure corsetry, and production moved to Spencer's factory in Banbury. In 1989, Silhouette was acquired by Remploy and incorporated into its newly formed Textile Group. After Remploy withdrew from lingerie manufacturing, private investors continued the business as Silhouette Ltd. That company entered liquidation in December 2003 amid rising UK manufacturing costs. In January 2004, Silhouette Lingerie Ltd acquired the designs, machinery and intellectual-property rights from the administrators and continued producing several established styles, including the Madame X and Little X control garments. The available reference material does not establish the brand's current ownership, headquarters or operating status.
History
Silhouette's history begins with Ski Corset, a German corsetry company established in 1887 by Max Lobbenberg and Emil Blumenau. The business later developed a London subsidiary led by their sons, Hans Lobbenberg and Hans Blumenau. Because the founders were Jewish, the rise of Nazism forced the sale of the German operation to a Bavarian company. The London business survived and expanded under the Silhouette Corset name. During the 1930s, Silhouette became an important British corsetry manufacturer. In 1937 it introduced the Silhouette Radiante, promoted as a radioactive corset and associated with contemporary claims that radiation could have stimulating or rejuvenating effects. The product is now principally remembered as an example of the period's poorly understood radiation marketing. During the Second World War, the company supplied bras and suspender belts for the W.A.A.F., A.T.S. and W.R.N.S. It also moved manufacturing from London to Shrewsbury at the beginning of the Blitz. The decision avoided a proposed Coventry location and made Silhouette one of Shrewsbury's significant employers. After the war, Hans Blumenau returned to London to rebuild the company's London production activities at King's Cross. The post-war lingerie market increasingly moved away from rigid corsets toward elastic girdles and more comfortable control garments. Silhouette was an early British promoter of that transition. The Little X girdle, designed by Annemarie Lobbenberg in 1958, was particularly successful with younger customers. By 1969, the business reportedly had five factories and 1,900 employees, sold products in 61 countries, supplied Marks & Spencer and held a leading position in British swimwear manufacturing. Its competitive reputation was closely linked to fit. In the 1970s and 1980s, Silhouette broadened its specialist focus. It developed products for maternity, post-mastectomy use, strapless styling and larger cup sizes, allowing it to serve customers whose requirements were not well met by mass-market lingerie. In 1981, M.T.M. acquired the business. M.T.M. owned Spencer's, a more traditional made-to-measure corsetry company, and moved Silhouette production to Spencer's Banbury factory. In 1989, Remploy acquired Silhouette and incorporated it into its Textile Group. Remploy later withdrew from lingerie manufacturing. Private investors then continued the business as Silhouette Ltd, but the company entered liquidation in December 2003 as UK manufacturing costs escalated. In January 2004, Silhouette Lingerie Ltd purchased the designs, machinery and intellectual-property rights from the administrators. It continued to produce several familiar styles, including the Madame X and Little X control garments. The supplied reference does not provide enough information to confirm the present corporate owner, headquarters, website or active trading status.
- 2004
Silhouette Lingerie Ltd acquires assets
[1]Designs, machinery and intellectual-property rights are acquired from the administrators, enabling continuation of selected Silhouette styles.
- 2003
Silhouette Ltd enters liquidation
[1]The company enters liquidation amid increasing UK manufacturing costs.
- 1989
Remploy acquisition
[1]Silhouette becomes part of Remploy's newly formed Textile Group.
- 1981
M.T.M. acquires Silhouette
[1]Ownership passes to M.T.M., and production is transferred to the Spencer's factory in Banbury.
- 1969
Business reaches reported international scale
[1]Silhouette is reported to operate five factories, employ 1,900 people and sell in 61 countries.
- 1958
Little X girdle is designed
[1]Annemarie Lobbenberg designs the Little X girdle, later one of the brand's best-known legacy styles.
- 1940
Production moves to Shrewsbury
[1]Silhouette relocates production from London at the beginning of the Blitz and establishes a major Shrewsbury operation.
- 1937
Silhouette Radiante is marketed
[1]The company markets the Radiante corset with radiation-related health and rejuvenation claims.
- 1887
Ski Corset is founded
[1]Max Lobbenberg and Emil Blumenau establish the German corsetry company from which Silhouette later develops.
Products and positioning
Historically positioned around reliable fit, figure support and practical specialist lingerie, with a product range spanning traditional corsetry, elastic control garments, swimwear and needs-based lingerie such as maternity and mastectomy products.
Corset · 1937
Silhouette Radiante
A 1937 corset promoted with radiation-related claims about stimulation and rejuvenation. It is a historically notable product because it illustrates the era's enthusiasm for applying radiation concepts to consumer goods. The available reference does not establish its long-term commercial performance or safety record.
Elastic girdle and control garment · 1958
Little X
Designed by Annemarie Lobbenberg in 1958, the Little X girdle represented Silhouette's move toward elastic and more flexible foundation wear. It became particularly popular among younger women and remained one of the brand's recognizable legacy designs after later ownership changes.
Control garment
Madame X
A Silhouette control-garment style that continued to be produced after Silhouette Lingerie Ltd acquired the former company's designs and intellectual-property rights in 2004. The supplied reference identifies it as one of the established styles retained by the successor business but provides no further technical specifications.
Maternity, mastectomy and extended-fit lingerie
Specialist lingerie ranges
During the late twentieth century, Silhouette increasingly served specialist and underserved fit requirements. Its range included maternity wear, mastectomy lingerie, strapless bras and garments for larger cup sizes, reinforcing the brand's historical emphasis on fit and functional support.
Swimwear
Swimwear
Silhouette was described as Britain's largest swimwear manufacturer in 1969 and sold swimwear alongside its corsetry and lingerie lines. The available material does not identify individual swimwear collections or current availability.
Brand decisions
2004
Asset and intellectual-property acquisition by Silhouette Lingerie LtdM&ABackground
The liquidation of Silhouette Ltd left its designs, machinery and intellectual-property rights with the administrators.
Action taken
Silhouette Lingerie Ltd acquired those assets and continued producing selected established styles.
Aftermath
The successor business retained products including Madame X and Little X, although the available material does not confirm its current ownership or status.
2003
Liquidation of Silhouette LtdOtherBackground
The company faced escalating costs associated with manufacturing in the United Kingdom.
Action taken
Silhouette Ltd entered liquidation in December 2003.
Aftermath
The brand's designs, machinery and intellectual-property rights were subsequently acquired by Silhouette Lingerie Ltd.
1989
Acquisition by RemployM&ABackground
Silhouette was operating in a period of changing ownership and manufacturing structures within the British textile sector.
Action taken
Remploy acquired Silhouette and placed it in its Textile Group.
Aftermath
Remploy later withdrew from lingerie manufacturing, leading to another change in the brand's ownership structure.
1981
Sale to M.T.M.M&ABackground
M.T.M. owned Spencer's, a company associated with traditional made-to-measure corsetry.
Action taken
M.T.M. acquired Silhouette and transferred production to Spencer's factory in Banbury.
Aftermath
The acquisition combined Silhouette's more fashionable brand positioning with Spencer's established corsetry operation.
1940
Relocation of wartime production to ShrewsburyStrategyBackground
The beginning of the Blitz created risks for London manufacturing, while Coventry was also considered as a possible production location.
Action taken
Silhouette moved production from London to Shrewsbury instead of Coventry, and the Shrewsbury site became a major company operation.
Aftermath
The move allowed manufacturing to continue during the war and made the company an important employer in Shrewsbury.
Sources1 sources
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