Black Bobbinet Tulle Corselet & Integrated Silk Slip By Christian Dior

The corselet is crafted from layers of cotton bobbinet tulle. This type of tulle was a popular choice for shapewear, as it is both lightweight and flexible, but sturdy enough to reshape the body. It is manufactured on the same machines as Leavers lace, with the hexagonal pattern giving the fabric its strength. The corselet is structured with vertically placed, fine steel bones. The corselet fastens with a row of metal hooks and eyes through the centre back. The garment is well worn, with multiple hand-repairs throughout the bobbinet fabric of the corselet.

An integrated slip skirt is created from a silk crepe de chine, cut for a close fit. This is in contrast to the c. 1954 corselet in The Underpinnings Museum’s collection, which has a double-layered, crin braid trimmed petticoat, designed to support and give volume to a full skirt, indicative of the change in fashionable silhouettes during this time period. This corselet may not have been attached to an outer dress, but would have been custom made to be worn with a Christian Dior gown. Both were produced in the Christian Dior London based boutique.

Christian Dior was a trailblazer of post-World-War-Two fashion, launching his ‘Corolle’ and ‘Huit’ collections in 1947. These designs  were quickly dubbed by the press as the ‘New Look’. The previous war years took a very economical approach to fashion, with many restrictions on clothing. Initially the ‘New Look’ was criticised, as it centred around the image of a corseted figure with sloping shoulders, a small waist and long, voluminous skirts. It required specialist foundation garments to achieve, as well as a great deal of fabric at a time of economic shortages. The collection ended up defining an entire era of fashion, with Dior emphasising the importance of foundation-wear to achieve the appropriate silhouette for outerwear.

From the collection of Karolina Laskowska