Founded in
1946 by Frederick Mellinger, who wanted to bring
European style lingerie to the
American market. Over the years, Fredericks often was the
exclusive supplier of
innovative underwear that would later become
mainstream, including the
push-up bra, the front-hook
bra, bras with
shoulder pads, padded
girdles, body-shapers, fashion
bustiers, and
thong panties. Its
flagship store at 6608 Hollywood Blvd in
Hollywood,
California, includes a Lingerie
Musuem with undergarments from celebrities like
Cher,
Madonna,
Milton Berle, and the cast of
Beverly Hills 90210.
Where once Frederick's dominated its market in both storefront and catalog sales, it has taken a financial beating in recent years from upstart Victoria's Secret. Look for Fredericks to remodel all of its retail outlets over the next three years to move from the naughty theme that has been their hallmark style.