Lingerie Trends

Of all the countless trendy pieces that have come and gone through my closets over the years, there’s one item I’ve always coveted that I’ve never managed to score: a genuine corset.

I’m talking an authentic, lace-it-up, boned number that would hold me up in all the right places — the kind of Old World fashion staple that has been celebrated by everyone from the infamous Madame X to Madonna.

And with the current Marie Antoinette vibe going on in fashion, thanks to Sofia Coppola’s upcoming film, structure has come back with a vengeance.

Finding a proper-fitting corset, however, is no easy feat when you’re big-busted.

A couple of years ago, I visited Poupie Cadolle, a Parisian couturiere whose great-great-grandmother is said to have invented the first bra in 1889.

The house of Cadolle, located on the swank rue Cambon, does custom corsets for some of the world’s most celebrated women, royalty included.

Canada’s Izzy Camilleri is a jewel of a talent who has been catering to Toronto’s film scene for more than two decades with her brilliant custom work.

Camilleri, who took off for Paris for the first time this week in an attempt to gain international recognition, kindly offered to design an outfit for me to wear to last weekend’s Fashion Cares gala.

When she suggested a long, bias-cut black skirt and corset I immediately said yes.

We decided on an exquisite French beaded black lace for the corset, replete with satin ribbons to be laced up the back.

By the time I went for my muslin fitting a couple of days later, I could see this corset would be divine: No need to wear an uncomfortable strapless bra.

I took one look at the corset and melted: Camilleri had applied even more beads across the bust — lovely ruby red ones that swirled into the pre-existing mix.When it came time to try the exquisite piece on, I panicked.

How would I ever tie up those laces without the help of a dresser?

"We can still have the laces up the back," Camilleri said.

"But since it would be impossible to do up without someone to help you, we’ll have to open up the side seam and install a zipper."

Oh for the olden days, when ladies-in-waiting were at one’s disposal.

The glorious corset was delivered, and it was a thing of beauty, the zipper installed almost invisibly, the laces perfectly done up the back.
- Source: The Globe and Mail, June 10, 2006

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