Exhibition: Gilded Lilies - A Sparklewren Retrospective - Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: Falling Blossoms

‘Falling Blossoms’ was Sparklewren’s first ‘Curated Collection’. A capsule selection of designs based on a lusciously opulent technique of cascading and organic lace appliqué. The base cotton and lurex lace was hand painted before the motifs were individually clipped and texturally hand stitched to the corset surface. Clients were able to purchase one of only three initial designs, to be made in their colour preference and bespoke size.

Nevertheless, the technique proved immensely popular: an aesthetic that Jenni continued to explore beyond the initial Falling Blossoms collection, with a number of experimental samples and off-the-rack designs.

'Falling Blossoms' Overbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2015

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Silk and cotton lace

The ‘Falling Blossoms’ corset began life as the ‘Rose Gold’ corset, an unembellished style first stitched in 2014, inspired by early 20th c. historical corset styles. It is created from a single layer of silk/cotton satin, and is stitched with lapped seams that each encase a spiral steel bone. It fastens with a spoon busk, reminiscent of c. 1880s corsetry with dramatic abdominal curvature.

The corset was finally embellished and renamed ‘Falling Blossoms’ in 2015. The ‘base’ of the embellishment is a flat hand stitched, metallic French leavers lace. This has then been overlaid with textural, hand painted metallic English lace, with the motifs individually cut and stitched with 3-dimensional placement. Fraying threads and asymmetric composition give an organic and botanical effect.

'Rose Gold' corset by Sparklewren, modelled by Laurie Tavan. Photography by Jenni Hampshire

'Falling Blossoms' corset by Sparklewren, modelled by Helen Teiman, photography by Jenni Hampshire

'Rose Gold' corset by Sparklewren, modelled by Victoria Dagger. Photography by Jenni Hampshire

'Rose Gold' corset by Sparklewren, photography by InaGlo Photography

‘…How the Falling Blossoms corset happened: beginning life as the Rose Gold corset, it one day became very apparent to me that flaking, gilded lace, like tumbling cherry blossoms, was what this corset wanted. And so we embellished it this way, as a wedding gift for a good friend.
Having created this piece, I feel greatly compelled to create a few similar designs. Different shades of rich duchess satin. Differently hand-painted lace. Some with additional, glimmering goldwork. Underbusts and overbusts. Three unique, bespoke designs, based around this particular aesthetic.’

– Jenni Hampshire, September 2015

'Falling Blossoms' curated collection illustrations by Sparklewren

Tumble. I can picture this design in a richly coloured silk, perhaps cyclamen pink or rose red, though a range of colours are available.
Layered hand-painted lace would sweep across the surface to flatter the figure, whilst the flattened bust and scoop neck will enhance busts of every size.

Bloom. Perhaps you would like this design in a pale bridal or lingerie shade… Perhaps off-white with ecru lace, or the palest pink?
Flaking lace blossoms in a vaguely symmetric pattern will highlight an hourglass silhouette, excessively flattering.

Blossom. The baby of the three, this underbust might suit a delicate colour. Perhaps sea-green or gentle foxglove.
Heavily embellished, this design would function as both luxurious lingerie or a cinching belt as outerwear.

'Bloom' corset by Sparklewren, 2015. Photography by Jenni Hampshire

'Falling Blossoms' Underbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2015

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Silk and lace

An underbust corset in a single layer of silk duchesse, made in the signature Sparklewren ‘Bird’s Wing’ style, with lapped seams, numerous fine steel bones and single layer construction. It fastens with a front busk closure and eyelets and cotton lacing in the rear.

This corset began life in 2014 as an unembellished, longer line ’Phoenix’ corset, part of a small range of experimental ready-to-wear styles from the Sparklewren brand. In 2015 the sample was trimmed down at the underbust and then embellished with hand painted lace appliqué to join the ‘Falling Blossoms’ family of corsets.

Falling Blossoms Underbust Corset By Sparklewren, c. 2015, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

‘Rubies In Gold’ Cincher By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2015

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Silk

A delicate waist cincher in golden duchesse satin, structured with a mix of flat and spiral steel, fastening in the rear with metal eyelets and cotton lacing. It is embellished with hand stitched lace appliqué, using a mix of flat gold French leavers lace, and texturally stitched, hand painted, cotton English leavers lace with metallic accents. This cincher was inspired by the ‘Falling Blossoms’ curated collection, and was sold as a ready made sample.

Black Water Underbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2015

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Cotton coutil and lace

Brand: Sparklewren

A dramatically curvy underbust created from black cotton coutil, and profusely embellished with hand stitched lace appliqué. The corset is heavily structured with a mix of spiral and flat steel bones, with each lapped seam encasing a bone. It fastens with a steel busk at the centre front and eyelets and cotton lacing at the rear.

A base of hand painted French chantilly lace is hand stitched flat to the garment body, with organically asymmetric placement. This is then overlaid with a textural ‘falling blossom’ style of lace appliqué, where a metallic cotton English lace has been hand painted and stitched three dimensionally.