• Reproduction Embroidered Nylon Tulle 'Merry Widow' By Warner, by Mark Heah. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice.

    Reproduction Embroidered Nylon Tulle ‘Merry Widow’ By Warner, by Mark Heah

    Reproduction Embroidered Nylon Tulle 'Merry Widow' By Warner, by Mark Heah Date: 2017 Origin: United Kingdom Fabric: Cotton Made by Mark Heah, MA Pattern & Garment Technology, London College of Fashion   A reproduction of an original c. 1957 Warner's Merry Widow from The Underpinnings Museum’s collection.   Kindly loaned by London College of Fashion. Museum number: LC-2017-006 Adverts…
  • Short Green Brocade Girdle, c. 1920s, Russia. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Short Green Brocade Girdle

    Short Green Brocade Girdle Date: c. 1920s Origin: Russia Fabric: Rayon blend brocade satin, cotton lining Brand: Custom made   A short girdle with a button and loop side closure and back lacing. The girdle is in poor condition, with the cotton lining disintegrating and the few bones that would have originally given this garment…
  • Black Floral Mesh Corselet With Nylon Flounce By Mador, c. 1950s, France. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Black Floral Mesh Corselet With Nylon Flounce By Mador

    Black Floral Mesh Corselet With Nylon Flounce By Mador Date: c. 1950s Origin: France Fabric: Floral patterned stretch mesh, nylon Brand: Mador   This corselet or 'guêpière' in French (referring to the creation of a 'wasp' waist) is unusual in that it is made of almost entirely stretch fabrics: the main body of the garment…
  • Lace 'Merry Widow' With Swing Tags By Warner, c.1957, England. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Lace ‘Merry Widow’ With Swing Tags By Warner

    Lace 'Merry Widow' With Swing Tags By Warner Date: c. 1957 Origin: England Fabric: Nylon Brand: Warner   In the late nineteenth century, New York physician Dr Lucien Warner gave up his practice to begin a new career lecturing on women’s health issues, including the effects of the corset. In 1873, he designed a corset…
  • Sweetheart Victorian corset for Cathie Jung, Guinness world record by Dark Garden. The Underpinnings Musuem. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Sweetheart Victorian Corset For Cathie Jung By Dark Garden

    Sweetheart Victorian Corset For Cathie Jung By Dark Garden Date: 1996 Origin: San Francisco CA, United States Fabric: Black leather, red leather appliqué, poplin lining Brand: Dark Garden Designer: Autumn Adamme   Cathie Jung (the Guinness World Record holder for the smallest waist on a living person) wanted a red and black leather corset that accentuated the smallness of…
  • 'Babes In Joyland' Collaborative Wedding Corset By Pop Antique. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Babes In Joyland’ Collaborative Wedding Corset By Pop Antique

    'Babes In Joyland' Collaborative Wedding Corset By Pop Antique Date: 2015 Origin: United States & United Kingdom Fabric: Grey dot broché cotton coutil, silk and lace embellishment Brands: Directed by Pop Antique (Marianne Faulkner), fitting and silhouette under the advice of Dark Garden (Autumn Adamme), embellished by Sparklewren (Jenni Hampshire), Karolina Laskowska, Neon Duchess (Hannah Light)…
  • 'Burned Earth' Silk Overbust Corset By The Velvet Letter. The Underpinnings Museum Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Burned Earth’ Silk Overbust Corset By The Velvet Letter

    'Burned Earth' Silk Overbust Corset By The Velvet Letter Date: 2017 Origin: South Africa Fabric: Silk charmeuse fused to cotton coutil and steel boning. Brand: The Velvet Letter Designer: Anya Kovacs   This design was inspired both by the print of the silk charmeuse and its intended wearer. The print's texture reminded the designer of local rock…
  • Silk & Powernet Corset Girdle By Sian Hoffman. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    Silk & Powernet Corset Girdle By Sian Hoffman

    Silk & Powernet Corset Girdle By Sian Hoffman Date: 2011 Origin: United Kingdom Fabric: Silk, lace and powernet Brand: Sian Hoffman   This longline girdle fuses the techniques of 1950s foundationwear with contemporary materials and silhouette. The mix of stretch powernet panels and gussets with elastic trims, paired with rigid silk gives a dramatic nipped waistline…
  • Ink Bobbinet Tulle Cupped Corset By Karolina Laskowska. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Ink’ Bobbinet Tulle Cupped Corset By Karolina Laskowska

    'Ink' Bobbinet Cupped Corset By Karolina Laskowska 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…
  • 'Vixen' velvet ribbon corset by Pop Antique. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Vixen’ Velvet Ribbon Corset By Pop Antique

    'Vixen' Velvet Ribbon Corset By Pop Antique Date: 2017 Origin: San Francisco CA, United States Fabric: Cerise pink silk duchess, cerise pink antique silk velvet ribbon Brand: Pop Antique Designer: Marianne Faulkner   The first corset that Marianne Faulkner ever made was a faux ribbon corset, a style that was first popularised in the late 19th century. The…
  • 'Winter Sky' Satin & Lace Underbust Corset By Royal Black Couture & Corsetry. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Winter Sky’ Satin & Lace Underbust Corset By Royal Black Couture & Corsetry

    'Winter Sky' Satin & Lace Underbust Corset By Royal Black Couture & Corsetry Date: 2015 Origin: Austria Fabric: Duchesse satin, stretch satin, lace Brand: Royal Black Couture & Corsetry Designer: Barbara Pesendorfer   This corset was a sample for Royal Black's "Lace Dreams" collection, where the designer focused on purely satin and lace designs. It's an experiment with historical S bend…
  • Calliope corset by Tighter Corsets. The Underpinnings Museum. Photography by Tigz Rice

    ‘Calliope’ Embroidered Overbust Corset By Tighter Corsets

    'Calliope' Embroidered Overbust Corset By Tighter Corsets Date: 2016 Origin: Duvall WA, United States Fabric: Silk Satin, coutil, satin ribbon, silk floss, antique alenciennes lace, leavers lace. Linen/cotton blend lining.  Cotton twill waist tape.  A combination of flat steel and spiral steel. Brand: Tighter Corsets Designer: April Pullen   Calliope was commissioned as a bridal corset…