Date: 2025
Origin: Vienna, Austria
Fabric: Linen, synthetic baleen
Brand: Royal Black Couture & Corsetry
This stomacher was commissioned by The Underpinnings Museum for the mounting of these stays, which are missing their original stomacher. Designer Barbara Pesendorfer studied extant examples of stomachers and consulted historical dress experts to create a piece that was as historically accurate in shape and construction techniques as possible, within the budget and material constraints. It is constructed from hand woven linen, and structured with synthetic baleen bones. The bone channels are machine stitched for economic purposes, as hand stitching the piece would have been incredibly time consuming.
A stomacher is an (usually) triangular shaped panel, occasionally boned for structure, that would have been commonly worn with stays in the through the 15th to 18th centuries. Some stomachers were designed as a decorative part of outer clothing, with lavish embellishment, and would be pinned over the stays and into the outer bodice. Others could be more functional, intended to offer additional bust and stomach support, with the stays either laced over or pinned to them.
From the collection of The Underpinnings Museum
