Chapter Four: Ready-To-Wear

Although the brand’s greatest successes were always extravagant bespoke creations, it also created a small number of ready-to-wear ranges. These small collections were intended to make Sparklewren products more accessible, and to provide a regular income that could be used to fund more extravagant passion projects.

The ready-to-wear ranges could be split into two distinct categories: sheer cinchers, and variations on the Bird’s Wing. Sheer corsetry was a major trend in the field throughout the mid-2010s, with strong nylon mesh lending a lingerie inspired twist to designs. The label regularly produced (relatively) minimalist off-the-rack cinchers using these sheer nylon meshes, occasionally finishing them with ‘Sparklewren’ flourishes of lace appliqué and scattered Swarovski crystals.

The ready-to-wear Bird’s Wing corsets were all pared down underbust styles, left plain or only sparsely embellished. These styles were made exclusively as single layers of either coutil or satin. The ranges included the ‘Phoenix’, a longline underbust with a dramatically scooped front, the ‘Little Bird’ shorter line underbust, and the ‘Goldcrest’ cincher.

Even these ‘simplified’ corsets required a huge amount of skill and time to stitch, making them challenging products to scale for a ready-to-wear market. Eventually Jenni decided to  drop these ranges to focus on the thing that made Sparklewren such an exceptional brand: fantastical couture.

Corset: Sparklewren Photography: Catherine Alexandra Model: Emma Summer Hair and Makeup: Shell Crosswell
Corset: Sparklewren Photography: Catherine Alexandra Model: Emma Summer Hair and Makeup: Shell Crosswell
Corset: Sparklewren Photography: Catherine Alexandra Model: Emma Summer Hair and Makeup: Shell Crosswell
Corset: Sparklewren Photography: Catherine Alexandra Model: Emma Summer Hair and Makeup: Shell Crosswell
Photography: Catherine Alexandra
Model: Emma Summer
Hair and Makeup: Shell Crosswell

These sheer cinchers made their debut in 2012 alongside the opening of the Sparklewren boutique, with a small selection of off-the-rack pieces sold at the location. The cinchers featured signature sweetheart shaping, with dusty pink and gold layered lace appliqué over a sheer nylon crin base.

The 'Phoenix' underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photo by Jenni Hampshire.
The 'Phoenix' underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photo by Jenni Hampshire.

Thumbnail images: Behind-the-scenes photos taken by Jenni Hampshire of various ‘Phoenix’ corset styles in Summer 2013.

'Ashes Phoenix' underbust corset by Sparklewren. Lingerie by Karolina Laskowska. Photography by InaGlo Photography.
The 'Phoenix' underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photo by Jenni Hampshire.
The 'Phoenix' underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photo by Jenni Hampshire.

Main image: The ‘Ashes Phoenix’ underbust corset in a single layer of silk duchesse satin, worn with a lingerie set by Karolina Laskowska. Photography by InaGlo Photography.

The ‘Phoenix’ was an underbust style that extended long over the hip, with a dramatically scopped front top edge. It was made of a single layer of either coutil or satin, and used 14 panels per side with a steel bone at each seam. It was made to order in a limited standard size range.

I was rambling on with my guest today about why I love the Birds Wing corsets… The particular way I pattern and construct them creates a very flexible corset, one that eases and flexes around the body in an interesting way…

Essentially, your unique body works with the corset to a greater degree than in most corsetry. If the swell of your hip is towards the front or very much broad sideways… if your ribs protrude or are sleek and narrow… if your natural cross-section is a flattened oval or rounded shape… the Bird’s Wing flexes to accommodate it. The silhouette is essentially one of a conical hourglass, but this subtlety of interaction between corset and body means that these standard-sizes are surprisingly versatile.

– Jenni Hampshire,  July 2013

Little Bird Underbust Corset By Sparklewren, c. 2014, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

Little Bird Underbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: 2014

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Cotton coutil

 

‘Little Bird’ is a member of the ‘Bird’s Wing’ corset family, inspired by the antique ‘Bird’s Wing’ corset from the Symington Collection held by Leicestershire County Council’s Museums Service. The original used 21 panels per side, but this contemporary corset has been pared down to just 13 panels per side.

This underbust corset was created to test the possibility of a ready-to-wear version of the style, with a minimalist design that focused on the smoothness and technical excellence and visual simplicity of the multi-panelled construction, rather than the decadent embellishment for which Sparklewren was also renowned. It is created in a single layer of mink herringbone coutil and a lapped seam construction, with each seam enclosing a fine spiral steel bone. The corset opens in the front with a steel busk, and closes at the rear with cotton lacing and metal eyelets.

'Little Bird' corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
'Little Bird' corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
'Little Bird' corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam
'Little Bird' underbust corset with lace appliqué by Sparklewren. Photography by Coco Lam

Gold & Mink Sheer Waist Cincher By Sparklewren

Date: 2014

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Nylon crin, cotton herringbone coutil

 

This waist cincher was created as part of a small production run of ready-to-wear corsets, all of which combined minimalist cuts with sheer nylon crin mesh fabric. This design uses a fine sheer mesh with a gold sheen, with mink toned herringbone coutil forming the bone channels, binding and lacing panels. The garment is supported with a mix of flat and spiral steel bones, and opens at the rear with cotton lacing and metal eyelets.

Gold & Mink Sheer Waist Cincher By Sparklewren, 2014, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.
Sheer cincher by Sparklewren, Spring 2014, photography by Jenni Wren.
Sheer cinchers in the studio by Sparklewren, Spring 2014, photography by Jenni Wren.
Sheer cinchers in the studio by Sparklewren, Spring 2014, photography by Jenni Wren.
Sheer cincher by Sparklewren, Spring 2014, photography by Jenni Wren.
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire

The ‘Goldcrest’ was a cincher style using the Bird’s Wing technique, pared down to just 10 panels per side. It still achieved the refined and rounded curves of the more complex Bird’s Wing shapes. This cincher was mostly made to order, with some clients opting for small flourishes of embellishment, such as delicate lace appliqué and beading. This was the final ready-to-wear range that Sparklewren experimented.

Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire

The pattern features 10 panels per side and is a single-layer of coutil as this gives a strong but flexible garment. Each seam acts as a hinge, allowing the corset to flex to accommodate your unique shape. If your hips are full side-to-side or front-to-back, the Goldcrest (and my Birds Wing corsets) will move to suit more than any other corset design. The biscuit and dove, in particular, have a softer hand than the mink and so mold to your shape swiftly.

Likewise, the use of spirals rather than flats allows the seams to flex laterally as needed. Such a system accommodates weight fluctuations with greater ease than most corsetry and helps reduce potential pressure points. The corsets are put together with a strong antique-inspired construction, using specially made equipment and an industrial sewing machine, which creates such a solid seam that the 4mm spirals are more than adequate for the style’s intended use (ordinary wear as fashion or lingerie, but not 24hr waist-training). The Goldcrest is a deceptively technical design, which is perhaps why I have many corsetmaker clients for it.

 

– Jenni Hampshire, July 2017

Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
Goldcrest underbust corset by Sparklewren. Photography by Jenni Hampshire
'In Every Cloud, In Every Tree' Spring/Summer 2014 collection by Sparklewren, Photography by InaGlo Photography. Hair & Makeup by Samantha Gardner. Modelled by Leah Axl.
"Seafoam", worn over the "Pigeon" corset. Angelic. Inspired by a line from "The Last Unicorn", in which the unicorn is described as having once been "the careless colour of seafoam"... now that is a perfect combination of words" - Jenni Hampshire, 2013. 'In Every Cloud, In Every Tree' Spring/Summer 2014 collection by Sparklewren, Photography by InaGlo Photography. Hair & Makeup by Samantha Gardner. Modelled by Leah Axl.

Lookbook: In Every Cloud, In Every Tree

This lookbook took its inspiration from a line within Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights’:

“In every cloud, in every tree – filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day – I am surrounded with her image!”

It was the final collection captured before the move from the Sparklewren boutique to the Jewellery Quarter workshop premises. The collection introduced non-corsetted bridal and eveningwear options to the brand’s oeuvre.

Photography by InaGlo photography, hair and makeup by Samantha Gardner, modelled by Leah Axl.

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