Our process
1. Find the corsets
First, we have to find the corsets. I research online, network with historians and archivists, or search in textbooks for interesting corsets. Once I know an institution has something I want to see, I reach out to them.
2. Visit
Next, I go in person to the museum to look at what they've got. I have never *not* been suprised by something that didn't show up in the museum's online search.
Sometimes, I bring our designer with me. Other times, I take photos and send them to her.
It can take up to two hours per corset to thoroughly document everything.
3. Research
After my visit I research all of the corsets I've seen. The first step is usually going through state-specific historical newspaper databases looking for contemporary advertisements. These old ads give insight into how the corsets were marketed, what consumers were looking for, and how manufacturers were converting sales.
The corset to the left is called "la rejane", was sold in New York City, and then shipped out west and sold in a high-end department store in Denver. We found newspaper ads substantiating all of this. The corset is named after French opera singer Gabrielle Rejane and was advertised as something a glamorous French woman would wear.
4. Recreate the Corset
Our designer is Amber Welch of Lovely Rat Corsetry. We collaborate as a brand to recreate the victorian designs for a modern American wearer.
Amber spends hours using the photos and measurements from the museum trips to create a fresh pattern for the corsets. She considers the springs of the bust and waist, as well as the waist reduction of the final corset. Boning and support are added to the pattern.
5. Manufacturing
We send the final pattern to the factory. The factory gives us feedback about which processes can be recreated industrially, and anything we need to change.
5. Final Product
When everything is done, we send a copy of the final pattern back to the museum so they can add it to the object records.