Joëlle of Atelier Sylphe (from Lyon, France) isn't an easy corsetiere to categorize; blending historical corsets with modern styling, and mixing with a touch of whimsy.  She sells patterns from antique corsets in her collection as well as making custom corsets. 

When did you get started in corsetry?

I became interested in corsetry twice. When I was a little girl, I always saw my grandmother (born in 1899) wearing those pink long corsets. She grew up wearing a corset as a child, it had buttons and was lightly boned. When she got older she wore a working class corset, but quickly turned to wearing a long girdle corset, as that was in fashion at the time. She would purchase one new corset per year, so that she would have 2 corsets to wear, one new and one from a previous year that she would wear in alternately. 

In 40's and 50's, the old and used corsets were sold for very little money to people would would remove the steel bones and busk, and recycle the metal. Later, those jobs didn't exist in France, so the old corset went into the trash can when it was old.

When I was young, I was very intrigued by these "technical" pieces of clothing. I opened, studied and (I'm afraid to say) destroyed some corsets to see the bones and technical construction. I was very interested to learn more about these strange pieces of women's secret underwear.  

When I became a teenager, I left corsets behind for a few years and became interested in sewing women's clothes. My mother taught me a few things and I decided to become a seamstress like her. At 17 or 18, I was very involved in the music scene, and went to a lot of gigs in France, Germany and Switzerland. I went to England seven times and was very impressed by street fashion. This style was not present in France, and I rediscovered waist cinchers and corsetry through the Gothic fashion scene.

I got a sewing machine and made my first belt, which became more underbust cincher like, but without a busk, as I couldn't find one in France at the time. My first full waist cincher with a busk was made in 2004.  The internet gave me the opportunity to learn more about corsetry, as there's no place here in France to learn about it seriously, only theater costumes and pseudo corsets for the stage. I also got access to more corsetry supplies and became more and more interested, becoming a professional corset maker in 2008.

Where do you look for inspiration and ideas?

I have a very open mind and "see" corsets everywhere. Haute couture is great inspiration and I try to transcribe with my material, also painting, fabric or supplies can also be transposed as a style. A car can remind you of the symmetry of lines that could be transposed into an arabesque design. I could do my regular shopping and come back with a table cloth that becomes a corset. A curtain drapery could become a hips drapery. Some customers just give me a few words, such as shiny or scenic, and I take feathers, straws or whatever comes to mind and do a custom design.

When did you begin collecting historical corsets?

In early 2002 I purchased an early 20th century corset on eBay. I immediately copied the pattern using the needle method and did a reproduction in soft coutil. My sister-in-law modeled it and I realized that some modern women are very much taller than in the old days. I made several other altered reproductions to fit actual bodies using various fabrics from satin to leather.

Time went by and I had the opportunity to buy more antique corsets, mostly on the internet. However, I was able to make some draperies for an elderly lady in my village in exchange for 6 antique corsets. I have drafted some patterns that I've offered for sale, and I'm happy when people want to make a corset from them.

Any tips on fitting your historical corset patterns for the modern woman?

Short ones are the easiest to do, a gusset to pinch on the test fitting and you get a cincher corset. The longer antique ones are originally midbust and bust, but on a modern body are too short. Apart from some very short people, you have to lengthen the pattern between the waist and the bust.

On the Victorian corsets, I cut it at the waistline and push the pieces apart by the amount I need to add. On Edwardian S-curve corsets, you do the same but need to redraw the edges with a curved ruler.

Your typical client, do they come in for measurements and fittings, or is it all done remotely?

I make about 43 corsets a year. Most are made to measure, custom orders, working in concert with the customers. Some come to the atelier for measurements or we meet up in Lyon, others are repeat customers, or send in measurements that they or a seamstress took. About half of my customers chose corsets off of my website, and are made to their measurements.

I also sell my sample prototypes. I am making new prototypes to offer some new designs and models. My samples are all in a medium size of 22" (56cm)waist and 1m70cm (5ft 6") height. They are made according to a friend's measurements, who is my "real life mannequin". She has a very medium size and length, plus she hasn't gained weight in 6 years! It was very important for me to be able to see my corsets on a real body.

What skill do you feel is most invaluable for corset making?

Rigorous technical skills must be crossed with free thinking for your own style to be liberated. Skills come with practice, I think I had to make 40 corsets before I put my name on a corset. I see many different people coming from so many different backgrounds, from self-made to haute couture seamstress, each one passionate and doing their own unique style. To me, experience comes with time, you learn how to sew, and feel it's not enough, so you learn about anatomy, and make more corsets, and discover that you need to learn more and more about different points.

Most invaluable skill: a good seamstress is the common idea crossed with pattern making and fitting skill to make your own corsets. To become professional, you must add a large amount of skills such as marketing, manager, psychologist, designer, if not graphic artist and webmaster. It's a very hard thing, I'm sure I'm not the best on all, but I try. I am still learning, and don't think the job will ever be boring as one always needs to be better.

What are you working on now?

I've always got 4 or 5 corsets in progress, some of them waiting for decorations, customer agreements and payments to be completed. I've got a red silk dupioni with black Chantilly lace overlay that needs to have the position confirmed. A sample corset with beads crossed with long black stems waiting for more beads (never enough beads on a stage corset!!). There's a crinoline waiting for some roses to be sewn on and another one with UV reaction laces and painted roses. I have an antique corset reproduction waiting for the right embroidery thread to arrive and an antique Royal Worcester corset is on my table waiting to be patterned.

What project is next on your list?

Another reproduction in ivory jacquard with an overbust for a repeat customer. A red underbust and garter for a burlesque performer, as long as I can find fabric to match the sequins. A renaissance see-through plastic corset with black bones. A classic ivory coutil overbust with antique lace on top, two Edwardian corsets in strong coutil and a secret corset!

I also plan to draft more antique corsets and make some more reproductions. I would like to make some more new samples, when I get the free time.

You can see more of Joelle's work on her website,  Facebook, and Deviant Art.