There’s been a palpable shift in the lingerie conversation. Gone are the days of underpinnings never seeing the light of day. Now, your choice of bra or underwear can be as outfit-defining as your statement coat or choice of it bag. In fact, the more outlandish the undergarment, the more statement-making. That’s why pieces like Skims’ merkins and pierced-nipple bras have made their rounds on the Internet. No lingerie item, however, is as iconic as the cone bra.
The bullet brassiere was first popularized in the early ’40s by the brand Perma-Lift and, shortly after, Maidenform, as a bra that made one’s breasts appear more enhanced. Think of it as the olden-day push-up. Naturally, it was embraced by the boldest in Old Hollywood, including Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, until interest in the bra waned in the decades that followed.
It wasn’t until Jean Paul Gaultier sent Iman down his Fall 1984 runway in a pointy bra, a look later embraced by Madonna in the ’90s, that it was co-opted as a fashion item and turned on its head. No longer was it worn to appear more desirable to men; it was about empowerment and body positivity.
Sure, the pointed lingerie item would be reintroduced by stars on red carpets from time to time, mostly to pay homage to Madonna. The biggest catalyst of its recent resurgence, however, was Beyoncé, who rocked a slew of conical outfits for her Renaissance album visuals and world tour.
Since then, the cone bra has become a fixture on runways (see: Schiaparelli, Miu Miu, Vaquera, and iterations for Gaultier). It’s also been enjoying a renaissance on magazine covers, with stylists dressing stars in the pointy look, including Sydney Sweeney (WSJ September 2025), Dua Lipa (Vogue UK July 2025), and Sabrina Carpenter (Vogue March 2025).
Below, you’ll find a detailed list of cone-bra looks that made history, from the early ’40s to today.
Maidenform Ad: 1949
In 1941, Perma-Lift introduced the cone bra, more commonly referred to as the “torpedo bra,” and Maidenform quickly followed suit; both brands released ads throughout the ’40s and ’50s. Like its name, it’s a brassiere meant to be worn underneath clothes for a perky, pointy look.
Marilyn Monroe: 1950s
Among the many Hollywood starlets who embraced the look, Monroe wore the boudoir item with nearly everything.
Jean Paul Gaultier: 1983
For Gaultier’s Fall 1984 collection, the designer introduced a new take on the cone bra. Then referred to as “cornetti” cups, from the Italian pastry it resembles, Gaultier introduced decadent velvet bras (and dresses) with an exaggerated conical shape. Supermodel Iman famously wore one of the looks.
Madonna: 1990
It took a few more years before the look gained traction, and it’s all because Gaultier found a new muse: Madonna. For her Blond Ambition Tour, which kicked off in 1990, the “Crazy For You” songstress made the conical silhouette her signature look.
Dolly Parton: 1992
Two years later, Dolly Parton famously mimicked Madonna in a DIY cone bra look while performing in her own concert. (It’s become somewhat of a bit, with the country singer impersonating Madonna in different cone props.)
Rita Repulsa: 1993
The pointy style became so ubiquitous that it infiltrated TV shows. In the superhero show Power Rangers, Rita Repulsa, aka the main villain, featured the same built-in cones.
Cardi B: 2017
Though the style practically disappeared for nearly two decades, stars occasionally rocked it on red carpets. Cardi B did just that in 2017 when she attended the MTV VMAs and reinterpreted the daring silhouette in jumpsuit form.
Julia Fox: 2022
Yes, Julia Fox starred in Uncut Gems. But she didn’t achieve fashion-girl status until January 2022, when she was spotted in denim co-ords during Paris Fashion Week. Her look? A cropped denim jacket with pointed nips — her first of many bullet-bra looks — from Schiaparelli. (Daniel Roseberry, creative director for the Parisian label, would become one of the biggest cone-bra advocates, reinterpreting the jutting style over multiple seasons.)
Beyoncé: 2022
The cone bra’s recent renaissance can be attributed to one cultural phenomenon, coincidentally also named renaissance: Beyoncé’s album. To tease the July 2022 drop, the “Alien Superstar” songstress shared the accompanying album art, which included Bey wearing a latex bodysuit with a built-in gilded pointy bra. The look would foreshadow her corresponding tour uniform, which featured cone bras galore, from sparkly bodysuits to denim onesies.
Kendall Jenner: 2023
Even Kendall Jenner hopped on the pointy brassiere look when she channeled Monroe for Halloween 2023, wearing a mock neck sweater and the actor’s signature blond bob.
Kylie Jenner: 2024
A year later, it was a different KarJenner sib who rocked the protruding look — on the Met Gala steps no less. Behold, Kylie Jenner’s strapless Oscar de la Renta column gown with a billowing train. Ever the daring dresser, the Khy founder rocked the style again a year later for The Kardashians’ promotional Hulu materials.
Addison Rae: 2024
Proving her fashion-girl mettle, pop star Addison Rae cosigned the look at Variety‘s 2024 Power of Young Hollywood event, wearing a cropped velvet bustier with exaggerated built-in tapers and high-waist leggings.
Miu Miu: 2025
Last March, during Paris Fashion Week’s Fall/Winter 2025 season, a few designers showed bullet bras on the runway. None, however, became as buzzy as Miu Miu. If models weren’t exposing their sharp-edged satin bras, others wore them underneath their fully styled looks. The bra would later land multiple magazine covers.
Sydney Sweeney: 2025
One cover that said Miu Miu bra landed was WSJ Magazine’s September 2025 Issue, which starred Sydney Sweeney. The Euphoria star was but one in a series of A-listers who’ve rocked the conical shape in recent cover stories, including Lipa, Carpenter, Gigi Hadid, and Lola Tung.