Date: 2015
Origin: United Kingdom
Fabric: Cotton bobbinet tulle, nylon tulle, French leavers lace, PU foam.
Brand: Karolina Laskowska
The ‘Ink’ corset is a hybrid of contemporary lingerie techniques with antique-influenced corsetry. Foam-lined and underwired cups incorporate adjustable elastic bra wings which close with hook and eye tape. The body of the corset is made of cotton bobbinet tulle with bone channels created from cotton twill tape. 5mm spiral steel boning vertically support the corset, with flat steel bones at the centre back framing silver toned eyelets. An original c. 1900s busk is used for the front closure. The centre front and back panels have layers of nylon tulle as re-enforcement. The top and bottom edges are bound with charcoal silk satin, and an ivory leavers lace overlays the cups. The completed garment was hand-painted with drawing ink, giving a textured and chaotic feel to an otherwise carefully considered garment. The creation of this garment is documented here.
Karolina Laskowska founded her eponymous, ready-to-wear lingerie brand in 2012, and closed in 2017 to focus on other creative ventures. After achieving a First Class Honours degree in Contour Fashion at De Montfort University and showing at Graduate Fashion Week, Karolina’s brand won multiple awards, including Best New Designer at the 2014 UK Lingerie Awards. The designs centered around exquisite textiles and craftsmanship, with the majority of products hand sewn in the UK. This corset was one of many one-of-a-kind designs that Karolina created, with no intention for it to ever be sold.
Photographed at the Oxford Conference of Corsetry 2017, garment loaned by Karolina Laskowska. Karolina is the director of The Underpinnings Museum.
