Category: Projects

1. Shoot at the Camden Working Men's College

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 12th Jun 2019

   I'm coming to the end of my Level 2 Fashion and Pattern Cutting course at the WMC and was lucky to be given the opportunity to photograph some of my garments in the studio last week. I managed to get a model (Lina Piprek) and a MUA (Nicole Bailey-Barker) at the last minute to shoot three looks that I've been madly working on these past few weeks.

   The theme we have been working to is London Mechanic and I have been reserching all things man-made above and below the river Thames - my title being 'The River Thames - Man Made River'.

   As a corset designer I am all about geometry and shape so it is this aspect that interested me the most with this project. I wanted to emulate the bold shape of the flood barrier domes in my corset (which was also quilted to mimic the steel cladding), and the swirling crescent shapes of the tunnel supporting structure that disappear into the distance getting progressively smaller with perspective. Colours used were silver for the barrier and gold/browns for the tunnel.

   Below are a few of the pics with the inspirational photo;

   1. The Thames flood barrier

   

    

   

   

   

   

   

   2. The first Thames tunnel 

   

   

   

   

   

   The garments based on the crescent shaping have formed the basis of a mini collection - an under-bust corset will complete the look;

   

   Thanks to Darren Corbin for the photography

2. Corset compendium on pre sale!

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 20th Jan 2019

   I have written a thing! Everything I know about corset construction plus 10 gorgeous patterns in a corset makers' compendium. The main document alone is 14000 words. I have put it on pre sale until the end of the month for £36 and then will list it on Etsy for more. There will also be fees and VAT to pay through Etsy so grab your copy whilst it is at the redcued rate - contact me via the web form for details!

   

    

3. Corset comfort survey

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 17th Aug 2018

   The subject of fit and comfort is central to corsetry and as a pattern maker it is imperative that my designs can be worn, with ease, by everyone who makes them. It would be great to have a set of rules to draft by, but one set of rules, whilst effective for one body, will not work for another, and so corset makers need to know how to design and tweak their patterns for optimal fit and comfort. This subject is often over-looked in pattern instructions and literature, with only sizing and construction techniques being covered.

   By creating this short survey I wanted to reach out to the corset wearing community and tap into their experience so I could expand on my own literature that I send out with my patterns, but also by sharing these findings it will hopefully help makers who are currently struggling with creating a truly comfortable corset.

   Here are the charts from the survey:

   

   Summary

   • Fit is key for comfort. There are no surprises here but it does illustrate that an off-the-rail corset is not going to be as comfortable as a made-to-measure, and all patterns will need to be ‘tweaked’. Even if a corset wearer conforms exactly to a standardised measuring system, there will be improvements that can be made to comfort by making a toile. Distribution of flesh has an effect on comfort and the look of the corset and making a toile is the only way to assess this.
   • The jury seems to be out with regards to number of panels. More panels to a corset do seem to be slightly more favourable however with fewer panels, less mistakes are made, so precision is better.
   • There seems to be a preference for lots of bones. I was surprised that there was little mention of bone placement as being a factor in comfort.
   • Over-busts are often sought as a replacement for bras – there is huge potential here, especially in the larger bust fraternity. More patterns concentrating on bust support are required!
   • More training and coaching would be good for those wanting to move to digital drafting.
   • Unusual body shapes are not catered for in the commercial pattern market – especially those with short waists and large hip springs.
   • Bust and hip gores get the thumbs up.
   • Room for the ribs was cited often as being a factor in comfort.