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American Morning

Soviet-Era Bras Bring Back Memories

Aired May 15, 2001 - 09:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: There is an adage that goes "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," right?

DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In Moscow, a museum exhibit takes that saying to the edge.

CNN's Steve Harrigan has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE HARRIGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a museum exhibit some women said they were afraid to come to: On display is underwear from the Soviet era.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): On one hand, it is sad to realize just how terribly we lived. On the other hand, it is like a pleasant return to my childhood.

HARRIGAN: The snaps and buckles of brassieres and bloomers that once dug into the flesh of the proletariat are now preserved as works of art, and remembered with a smile.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My first Soviet bra was covered with all kinds of acrylic lace. After I wore it once, my God, I could hardly walk home.

HARRIGAN: Scarcity in the Soviet Union meant nothing was thrown away. T-shirts became dust rags. Stockings turned into doormats. Tights became a basket to gather apples.

For some modern Russian women, the hidden view of Soviet life comes as a shock.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It says they changed their underwear once a week. That's hard to understand.

HARRIGAN: Those who grew up after perestroika may never know the pain or the joy of the past.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It was so hard to find anything nice. I remember the thrill of finding imported lingerie from Eastern Europe.

HARRIGAN: It was a time when, for most Russians, if you wanted something beautiful, you had to make it yourself.

Steve Harrigan, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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