Exhibition: Gilded Lilies - A Sparklewren Retrospective - Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Gilding

Within just a couple of years, the Sparklewren brand had grown a significant fanbase; Jenni Hampshire’s sculptural approach to design was in high demand, and was beginning to outgrow her home workspace.

In late June 2012, following a successful crowdfunding campaign, Sparklewren opened a boutique in Birmingham’s historic Great Western Arcade, a perfect location to showcase the brand to the general public: the exquisite display space featured original Victorian architecture, with the shop space including an original curved glass display window.

The boutique interior was created as an exhibition space for the couture creations, with gilded panelling (created specially for the location by artist Emily Swift-Jones), translucent textile drapery and wooden display cabinets. Renowned burlesque artist and Sparklewren client Immodesty Blaize modelled in the window for the boutique’s opening party.

It was in this space that the concept of ‘gilding the lily’ truly came into fruition: from the literal gilding of the boutique interior to the decadent metallic laces that were painstakingly appliquéd onto the corset surfaces.

The Sparklewren Boutique window in 2013. Photography by P. J. Laskowski

Sheer Corset With Cups & Lace Appliqué By Sparklewren, c. 2012, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

Sheer Underbust Corset With Lace Appliqué & Feathers By Sparklewren, c. 2013, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

'Burning Coals' Silk & Lace Appliqué Overbust Corset By Sparklewren, 2012, United Kingdom. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

Preparations for the boutique launch all took place in designer Jenni Hampshire’s home in Birmingham. Jenni and a number of volunteers worked on a range of off-the-rack samples to be sold in the boutique and show pieces to be displayed within the space. These images provide a rare look at the reality of many new designer’s work spaces: a creative whirlwind, making the most out of limited space and resources.

Images of works in progress taken by Karolina Laskowska during her first internship with the brand.

Sheer Corset With Cups & Lace Appliqué By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2012

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Nylon crin, silk satin, lace

A cupped overbust corset incorporating pre-moulded PU foam cups into a body of nylon crin mesh, with cotton coutil bone channels and contrast silk satin binding. Metallic French leavers lace is appliquéd by hand across the body of the corset. The garment is structured with a wide steel bone at the centre front, underwires at the cups, and a mix of spiral and flat steel boning throughout the body. It fastens with cotton lacing and metal eyelets at the centre back.

Sheer Underbust Corset With Lace Appliqué & Feathers By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2012

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Nylon crin, cotton coutil, lace

An underbust corset in sheer nylon crin and cotton coutil bone channels, embellished with layered, hand stitched, metallic French lace appliqué and small sprays of peacock feathers. Grosgrain ribbon re-enforces the waist, and the corset is structured with a mix of spiral and flat steel boning. The garment opens at the centre back with metal eyelets and cotton lacing.

The Sparklewren boutique launch night, 27th June 2012. Photo by K. Laskowska

The Sparklewren boutique opened its doors to the public on June 27th 2012, with a glamorous opening party. Internationally renowned burlesque star Immodesty Blaize modelled a bespoke ensemble created for the occasion, and loaned one of her custom stage costumes (an ensemble powder blue satin, black lace and hundreds of Swarovski crystals) for display in the boutique.

‘Sparklewren’ film by Joe Murphy

Blue Silk & Lace Appliqué Underbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: c. 2012

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Silk, lace and cotton

An underbust corset with dramatic curves and a dipped sweetheart topline, originally a bespoke creation for corsetiere Lucy Emke. The outer raw silk fabric is intricately embellished with symmetrically placed, antique chantilly lace appliqué, entirely stitched by hand. This is further highlighted with jet Swarovski crystals throughout the lace and body of the corset.

The garment is heavily structured in the ‘fully boned’ style (with vertical bone channels stitched through the entirety of the waistline), with a mix of flat and spiral steel bones. It opens with a wide steel busk at the front, and fastens at the rear with cotton lacing and metal eyelets.

'Burning Coals' Silk & Lace Appliqué Overbust Corset By Sparklewren

Date: 2012

Origin: United Kingdom

Fabric: Silk duchesse, cotton coutil, French leavers lace

Brand: Sparklewren

A dramatically curvy overbust corset in black silk duchesse and cotton coutil, pattern cut in the signature Sparklewren Bird’s Wing style, inspired by the antique ‘Bird’s Wing’ corset from the Symington Collection held by Leicestershire County Council’s Museums Service. It is structured throughout with a mix of spiral and flat steel boning, opening at the front and back with a steel busk, cotton lacing and metal eyelets.

‘Burning Coals’ is embellished in a richly textural style. French leavers laces in black and metallic gold are layered and hand appliquéd in place. Black metal spikes are scattered throughout the lace overlay, interspersed with Swarovski crystals in jet and rich orange. This garment was originally created as an experimental sample.

Clients of Sparklewren wearing their corsets at a boutique party in 2012. Photo by K. Laskowska

I’m not interested in art that’s dead on the wall anymore. I used to paint and I used to draw, and all that happens is you make something lovely and it goes on a wall and no one looks at it… When you make a corset or a garment, that works with a person, it’s a kind of living artwork, it’s a functioning changing thing, which is much more interesting.
…People don’t really use my corsets for practical purposes, it’s because they want to wear something extraordinary and be extraordinary.

– Jenni Hampshire, May 2013.

'Refinemenets' Winter 2012 collection by Sparklewren. Photography by InaGlo Photography. Modelled by Samio & Ivory Flame

Lookbook: Refinements

“Refinements” was the first Sparklewren lookbook captured within the boutique space and was released in late 2012. The collection represented Jenni’s pursuit of “Constant refinement, of style, silhouette, construction, and beauty”. The images were captured by InaGlo Photography, who would become a longterm collaborator and close friend to the designer. The garments were modelled by Ivory Flame and Samio.