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Breastplates have dotted the battlefield since the 1300s, but it took until 1969 for them to appear on the runway. Yves Saint Laurent—who took inspiration from fine arts throughout his 40-year career—tapped sculptor Claude Lalanne to combine sculpture and fashion. In his fall 1969 couture collection, two models walked down the runway, moulds of their bodies worn on their dresses.
From then on, designers have offered their own renderings of the breastplate: armor-esque replicas, chiselled abs and perky breasts, and smooth, hard bodices among them.
In the decades after Saint Laurent, the breastplate has remained ever-popular: Thierry Mugler, a notable fan of the look, sent Jerry Hall down his 1980 runway in a moulded corset with a flowing skirt; in 2022, Jonathan Anderson offered multiple interpretations, from muscleman abs to gold-plated organic sculptures at Loewe. But there was perhaps no bigger enthusiast than Alexander McQueen, who worked a wide variety of breastplates into his many collections across Givenchy and his namesake brand.
Although breastplates aren’t de rigueuer in street style, fashion-forward celebrities are also on board. Zendaya arrived at the 2020 Critics Choice Awards in a magenta Tom Ford body cast, while Rihanna hit the Super Bowl stage in another Loewe by Jonathan Anderson molded creation. And just this past weekend, Greta Lee attended the opening night of the 2026 SFFILM Festival in a glossy mahogany Issey Miyake. They’ve also retained their popularity on the runway, from longtime proponents like Miyake to newer talents like Grace Ling.
This year, the 2026 Met Gala, “Costume Art,” places fashion on the same lofty pedestal as fine art media. The breastplate, with its history as a hybrid of fashion and sculpture, serves as a reminder that the two are more connected than we often think. Below, revisit some of the breastplates that have walked the runways, from 1969 through 2026.
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