We’ve been getting requests for information about good places to shop for corsets (which are all in fashion right now).
One of our favorite shops is Dark Garden, located in the heart of San Francisco in beautiful Hayes Valley – as well as online.
Should you be fortunate enough to be able to visit the shop, do so. You’ll be treated like a Queen while you are fitted by expert pattern makers for a custom corset that is unique in the world.
From black leather to white silk… corset, bridal gown, or special costume, Dark Garden is the place to make your fantasies come true!
Unique Corsetry
What makes Dark Garden distinctive is the care and attention to detail that go into the design and creation of every garment. Each customer selects the preferred style, fabric and color of their item. Personal measurements are taken and an individual, specific pattern is then drafted. Patterns and measurements are kept on file for future reference.
The Dark Garden Promise
Dark Garden offers a comfortable, safe, and nonjudgmental environment where imaginative vision can be translated into reality. Clients order corsets for many different reasons and occasions — for dress-up, as part of an elegant evening ensemble, as a foundation for a wedding gown, even historical costumes. Customers are offered experienced advice and assistance with their decisions. We at Dark Garden Unique Courtesy conduct an individual-oriented business. We do not wholesale our product nor do we have representatives. You can be assured that your outfit is genuinely unique.
Autumn Carey-Adamme and all of the Dark Garden staff are dedicated to creating well-made, individualized products that will shape the world into a curvier, lovelier place!
Variety and Style
Our retail prices range from $375 for an under-bust style corset in fabric to $650 for an over-bust style with straps in patent leather, and everything else in between. Fabric favorites include but are not limited to satin, brocade, silk jacquard, as well as a variety of leathers. In addition, Dark Garden creates one-of-a-kind wedding dresses and complex historical costumes.
- Source: About us, Dark Garden
Shop owner Autumn Carey-Adamme knows her stuff, and has been building her business since 1989. Incidentally, Autumn wrote the forword to the book, Fetish Fashion: Undressing The Corset.
Fetish Fashion: Undressing The Corset. offers fetish and fashion enthusiasts of all ages a treat for the eyes and mind. The book blends fashion and eroticism in 108 intimate portraits of corsets and the devotees who wear them. An introduction by renowned corset maker and owner of Dark Garden, Autumn Carey-Adamme, provides a history of the undergarment and insight into why it continues to fascinate.
Used to mold and alter the form, corsets seem to transform both the body, and mind. In Fetish Fashion: Undressing the Corset, the models exude a feeling of comfort and control, highlighting the provocative, sensual, and fun aspects of this undergarment. The book explores the power of the corset and effect on its wearers.
Photographer Larry Utley’s creative use of shape, shadow, light, and texture teases the eye. In addition, some of the photographs have been combined with digital media to create unique visually striking images. Readers will have fun exploring the “nonrestrictive” aspects of corsets by peering inside this curiously sensual world.
If you can not make it to the store, you can order corsets from the website:
If you are not able to come to our San Francisco location, we offer a mock-up or prototype of your personal pattern to be tried on at your convenience, for no additional cost. The mock-up is made of sturdy poly/cotton poplin, is boned, and laces up the back, just like your corset. We ask that you try this on, take photos and notes and send it back to us, so we can ensure a perfect fit every time.
Dark Garden is very experienced with international mail order. We ship via Federal Express rather than US Postal service to guarantee you the best, most timely delivery of your corset. We ask that you request a shipping estimate when placing your order, as overseas postage generally costs upwards of $75. In addition, please be prepared for your country’s import taxes and duties. We cannot be responsible for this additional cost.
Full instructions on how to measure yourself are available as well.
