Date: 2018
Origin: Norway
Fabric: Silk duchesse, silk chiffon, French leavers lace
Brand: Karolina Laskowska
An elaborate corset based wedding gown, created by designer Karolina Laskowska for her own nuptial celebrations. The making of this ensemble took in excess of 100 hours.
The overbust corset base is made from a single layer of silk duchesse satin, with the high neckline and rounded bust inspired by early 20th c. ‘bust improver’ style corsetry. The garment is heavily structured, with each lapped seam forming a bone channel that encases a mix of synthetic baleen and flat steel bones. The corset fastens in the rear with metal eyelets and cotton lacing. The gown’s outer skirt and inner petticoat are made with in excess of 10m of silk chiffon. The outer skirt is entirely gathered and stitched in place by hand, with the selvedge used decoratively for textural interest.
The gown is profusely embellished, with the base satin corset embellished with hand stitched French lace appliqué. Two varieties are used: an ivory chantilly style, and an ecru/metallic silver style, with the two layered over one another with symmetrical placement. Silk chiffon and organza textural ‘blossoms’ are clustered at the neckline and across the body of the corset, further decorated with pale pink ostrich plumes.
Small opal beads and freshwater pearls in ivory and silver tones are stitched to the garment to highlight the lace patterns. Finally, in excess of 800 freshwater pearls have been hand strung and knotted on silk thread, forming detachable draped beading.
The ensemble was finished with an asymmetrically draped lace capelet in French chantilly lace, with a hand clipped him following the organic pattern of the lace.
Karolina Laskowska founded her eponymous, ready-to-wear lingerie brand in 2012, temporarily closing in 2017 to move to Norway. 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. Karolina now specialises in bespoke couture lingerie and corsetry.
From the collection of Karolina Laskowska
