What is ‘Where Angels…’?

It is our lapse of caution. It is your moment of wildness. It is a celebration.

Where Angels will bring us full circle from the mission we laid down at the beginning of 2015. The year was an absolute gift in many respects, kickstarted by a perhaps foolish desire to pursue the pure creation of couture level corsetry, regardless of consequences or risk. We went on to produce work that ranks amongst my proudest moments as a craftsperson, for customers who understood the work better than ever.

Where Angels therefore celebrates whim and caprice, alongside beauty and elegance. Sometimes we need to throw caution to the wind. Be a little foolhardy. Memories aren’t made of sensible stories…

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. And I don’t mind being slightly foolhardy occasionally…

The Where Angels curated collection will, in essence, follow the same format as the Falling Blossoms collection of last Summer. A limited number of designs pivoting around one beautiful and flattering aesthetic. Oopulent designs fit for queens and princesses, made bespoke to your preferences, colours, etc.

– Jenni Hampshire, December 2015

Fe. A delicate cincher-belt of silk duchess and lace appliqué, draped in hand-strung fool’s gold beading. We would recommend cut beads (squares, coins and spheres) to best catch the light, but a more rough approach could be taken with raw chips and stones used instead.

Little Fool. Inspired by the feeling that everyone should adopt a breezy and carefree approach to life, even if only for brief shining moments, this longline underbust is almost a miniature version of Pyrite. Heavily embellished in a symmetric fashion, we can picture Little Fool styled with pants and white shirt, or as the opulent centre-piece of a luscious party outfit.

Foolish. This is the piece most closely related to Pyrite, the muted green corset which started it all. Symmetric embellishment gives grandeur and opulence, whilst the fool’s gold beads and stones can be off-set by almost any colour. The wonderful thing about fool’s gold is how changeable it is… It is such a curious non-colour that one could create something very bridal and almost silvery simply by using an off-white or grey base silk. We can therefore see this piece as classic bridal, but look to the original Pyrite corset for inspiration on how to style it as either fantasy couture, high fashion, or casual party chic.

Luxe. Strands and strands of hand-knotted fool’s gold beads, cut in a variety of shapes to capture and scatter the light, wrap around a silk duchess bodice, almost entirely obscuring the silk base. The fabric beneath may additionally be beaded or embellished with lace appliqué depending upon the participant’s preference. We can picture the base silk in a richly surprising colour, perhaps tulip red or deep cyclamen pink… though a range of colours are of course available.

Queen. The fifth design of Where Angels is an opulent and heavily embellished gown, designed as either special occasion wear or bridal. With a focus on symmetry this is a regal piece. We could picture it within the context of a masquerade ball or some other grand affair. With a curving bust, impressive embellishment, sleek lines and adaptable drapes for shoulder coverage or a train dropping from the upper back, Queen is sure to be the gown of a lifetime.

Snowdrop. The final design of Where Angels is a showstopping bridal gown woven from dreams… Silk organza falls like a snowdrop, with lace appliqué and a partial lining for shape and modesty. Lace and stone encrusting covers the entire bodice, whilst a full silk organza veil completes the ensemble. We can also envisage a fool’s gold hair comb, as a finishing touch.