This little cincher is all about contrast: contrast in materials and contrast in design.

The theme of geometry directly inspired the grid-like appearance of this sheer cincher. The main material is natural sheer corsetry mesh which almost disappears when worn against either pale skin or ivory coloured clothing. The external boning channels in loomstate ivory satin give an almost skeletal appearance. The pale blush velvet waist tape is also designed to fade into the background, allowing the satin grid to appear to float on the body.

This corset shape is a new design I developed to take to the Oxford Conference of Corsetry in summer 2013. I have made versions in silver sheer mesh and in black satin coutil before and I really like how the angular, high cut hip sits on top of  a rounded natural hip shape.

The embellishment is designed to contrast with the structured grid of the base corset. It is inspired by my own visual interpretation of a geological phenomenon called igneous intrusions, where magma solidifies into rock before it reaches the earth's surface. I am taken with the idea of this mass of molten rock forcing its way through the earth. The fact that it cools slowly allows large crystals to form, and the embellishment choices of salmon leather, pearls and Swarovski crystals hint at the composition of an intruded igneous rock such as granite. The salmon leather in particular has a similar appearance to large feldspar crystals. The embellishments are attached with neon orange thread, which gives a strong but not overbearing contrast to the natural shades of the salmon leather and pearls.

I have made a number of sheer corsets and have finally found a construction technique I am happy with. It provides strength through double stitching the seams that are then reinforced with velvet ribbon to the inside and bone casing tubes to the outside. The velvet ribbon really helps to make the corset feel comfortable next to the skin.

Hannah's in progress pictures can be found here, on Instagram.