Design Development

This garment was drafted based on research done by Jess Fox, using resources in the corsetry industry such as the Smithsonian Archives, and Nora Waugh’s “Corsets and Crinolines”. Fox adapted a pair of 16th-century stays to fit her own form. The final garment is constructed almost entirely by hand. The boning channels are the only piece sewn by machine; all the seams, stay-stitching, edging, and eyelets are created by hand with heavy-duty needle and thread.

The corset uses 3 layers; a fashion layer consisting of reinforced black satin, a structural layer of heavy-duty cotton twill, and a layer of cotton lining. The closures are secured with silk cord.

This project took roughly 3 weeks to complete.

Final Design

Model – Tara F

Garment paired with a custom 70’s inspired cloak by Jess Fox, and a vintage velvet skirt.