Period Corsets® Vintage Corset Collection

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A small selection of some of our historic corset collection.


Shop: Period Corsets
Period Corsets on Etsy

Period Corsets on the cover of Fergie's Milf$ and Life Goes On

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Period Corsets collaborated with photography team Mert and Marcus, and the talented fashion maven Carine Roitfeld to outfit Fergie for the cover of her long awaited new album. Set to be photographed in Paris in late Winter of 2016, Ben Perreira, Carine's assistant and part of the CR Fashionbook team, contacted us requesting corsets.  "Can we have them in Paris on Friday?"
It was Thursday. "Why YES of course!"

photography by Mert & Marcus

Have been waiting a long time for this (and others not out yet) to come out. @Fergie by @mertalas and @carineroitfeld with @gb65 

• periodcorsets@benperreira gorgeous look! @periodcorsets is so excited you styled our corset into this divinely feminine image of @fergie
• carineroitfeldExciting😘

A photo posted by @benperreira on Jun 30, 2016 at 1:14 pm PDT

In late January, during a bustling Friday at Period Corsets, we received an email with that familiar plea, "We're doing a shoot, we need something quick, send us what you can ASAP!". This has been, and will continue to be our favorite kind of emergency. Every week we get phone calls and emails with a nervous voice on the other end in hopes of finding a solution for their costume and fashion dilemma. "I need it tomorrow and it needs to be custom fit and it has to look gorgeous!" We're on it!

Fergie's corset collection, we sent various styles and fabric choices.

At Period Corsets we work hands on with stylists and designers.  When we're contacted  they explain the scope and concept of  the project. Then we work with them to create a small collection of pieces to choose from so they have multiple options at the ready. For Fergie, the concept was simple:  "extremely feminine and beautiful," colors - black, and white or light pink.  We sent an extensive variety of colors and fabrics in several  Corset styles. Then we wait with bated breath to hear how it goes.  It's always exciting to see which corset is the lucky winner.  And then if our corset makes the final editorial cut!

The lucky winner! Our c. 1905 Mae in Lilac Pink brocade was the choice for Fergie

Sometimes we have no idea which corset the stylists chose until the final photos are released. Luckily for us this time, we had word that our c. 1905 Mae in Lilac Pink Brocade was the corset of choice. It provided the perfect shaping.  Hilary, the owner  of Period Corsets was sure it was ours.  As soon as she saw the photo pop up on Instagram, she can spot a Period Corsets a dècolletage a mile away!

Period Corsets Undercover On the Cover 

 This time literally our corset is "under the cover". It's hidden there under the cropped edge of the image creating that fabulous pop-star cleavage. As Maxim magazine puts it, .... Fergie looks great, topless..."  

ahh! the magic of illusion. 

Congratulations Fergie on your new album! Undressed by me, photo Mert and Marcus @mertalas @olivierschawalder @benperreira @isamayaffrench @gb65 @fergie

A photo posted by Carine Roitfeld (@carineroitfeld) on Jun 27, 2016 at 3:53am PDT

Bespoke with Speed AND Quality

At Period Corsets, we have three standing rules- make it quick, make it the highest quality, make it custom.  Time and again we have come through for our high-profile clients, whether our pieces are on stage the next day underneath a costume on Broadway, sent across country for immediate filming or flown across seas to appear in the pages of a fashion magazine. Our quick turnaround, precision stitching, and bespoke service is what sets us apart. The competition is fierce in the costuming world, with so many larger companies turning to overseas help. Period Corsets has persevered for almost 20 years,  continuing to handcraft all of our pieces in our Seattle studio with highly trained professionals. We strive to be the best for ALL of our clients whether it's an individual like you an me or a celebrity. We have a passion for our art and it shows in every stitch.

photography by Mert & Marcus

un-edited version, you can see our Mae corset
photography by Mert & Marcus

Period Corsets®: "Famous Corsets from a Shop in Seattle" a TV interview with Evening King 5

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The Period Corsets® studio was summed up perfectly in 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Everything from  "This Corset!, it's so comfortable!",  (the quote we hear most frequently from our clients), to our ethic of   "Corsets for Every Body", and the launch of  our newest retail line:  Palatine Bridal, Exquisite Plus-Size Gowns, was discussed.   Period Corsets® was honored to be featured on TV again on Evening  King 5.  We opened up our studio for a full tour of our work space to provide an inside look at how Period Corsets® works and what we've been working on.
take a look--
Period Corsets interview for King 5 Evening Magazine from Hilary Specht on Vimeo.

And if you prefer to read it, here is the transcript from our interview:

SEATTLE, WA -- This salon in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood makes custom corsets:  Both silhouettes from the past...and shapes that are pop-culture present:

"So this one was actually worn by Fergie," explained Period Corsets' owner Hilary Specht Coffey. Madonna, and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show models also wear their work.

 "It's pretty fun to see the things coming down the aisle that we made," said Specht Coffey.

Bespoke corset construction has its challenges:

"This year (for 2010) in the show a designer said 'I wanna make a corset out of straw, and maybe another corset out of barbed wire.," she explained, showing the mockup of the straw corset. The barbed wire corset didn't make it beyond idea stage. 

Corsets they're currently making for WGN'S 'Salem' present another challenge: Deadlines are  tight in the custom corset world.

 Sara Lanzillotta, the office manager, explains:  "People call up from all manner of backgrounds, either it's an individual that has a wedding coming up, or a designer working on a Broadway show, or a film company,  they usually need it last week. And so, we do it."

These pieces aren't just for costumes and models -- anyone can order.

Model Deana volunteered to undergo a transformation to a corseted wedding gown from their plus-size  bridal line called Palatine Bridal.

"I just feel kind of like a goddess or a queen," she said after Specht Coffey helped her into the gown.

Everyone here thinks that's what the corset has always been about.

"We got into this business because we like to create beautiful things," Specht Coffey said.

"Some people, when they think of corsets think 'Oh that's oppressive, it's keeping the woman down," said Lanzillotta. "But it's not. It's about the completely opposite thing. You feel powerful when you have that corset on. You feel strong."

See our previous post about our first interview with king 5 from 2003 here:
http://periodcorsets.blogspot.com/2010/09/period-corsets-is-interviewed-on.html

The Ballet Petticoat

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Introducing our newest addition to the Period Corsets® petticoat line, the Ballet Petticoat. Designed with musical theatre in mind, this shorter, flirty petticoat offers dancers a full range of movement, showcasing the twirls and high kicks of any choreography.

Ballet Petticoat in a twirl

Here at Period Corsets® we develop all of our products in house based directly on the needs of our clients. The Ballet Petticoat is no exception. We created these garments for Broadway productions of Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, International Tour, photo by Joan Marcus

The Ballet Petticoat is a great pick for musical theater with it's frilly ruffle and it's more-than-a-circle skirt fullness at the hem. It has a 25" waist to hem length with four 1/2" tucks, for length alterability, and a circumference of 240" at the hem.  The petticoat is created with 5 bias-cut circular gores gathered into a yoke with an adjustable drawstring waistband, to fit your waist perfectly. It fits well under a corset or bodice for a nice, smooth look from waist to hip.

adjustable waistband works great on top or underneath a corset or bodice

The Ballet Petticoat is crafted from one hundred percent cotton so that it can be dyed and allows for breathable comfort. We make it in our five sizes with options for custom sizing. As with all of our retail garments, the Ballet Petticoat is alterable to your specifications. We can make it longer or out of different fabrics, giving you many usable options from a fluffy underskirt to a full skirt for outerwear.

Ballet Petticoat in action

 When we add a product to our retail line we take our clients  needs into account. We choose the silhouette and attributes that are the most commonly requested for productions. We make a high-quality garment with our customary petticoat finishing details. Give us your ideas and we're happy to customize our products to create your garment dreams.

 John Kristiansen New York Inc added their own layer of net with eyelet trim.
 photo courtesy of JoJo Johnson

Whether we're creating your finished garment or something you'll be adding the final touches to in your shop, Period Corsets® goal is to save you time and money. We create the underwear so you can focus on outerwear!

Let's take 'er for a spin! Watch the Ballet Petticoat in action!

Ballet Petticoat in motion from Hilary Specht on Vimeo.

Period Corsets® Undercover in Turn on AMC

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Period Corsets® went undercover again, this time for the Revolutionary War drama "Turn" on AMC.

The series is based on the Culper Ring, a group of spies who eventually helped turn the tide during the American Revolutionary War.

Part of what Period Corsets® offers is a period silhouette for every era. We provide the proper undergarments to be used underneath a costume. You can choose your era within a time span that covers 500 years. The undergarments give the costume an accurate portrayal of the silhouette of that era. They also affect and can direct an actors movement, posture and poise. What you don't see underneath the costume is as important as what you do.

Actress Heather Lind wears Period Corsets undergarments

For actress Heather Lind, who plays Anna Strong, we created two custom 18th century corsets, one in a roughly woven, corded silk, the other in a pale pink sheer net. Worn beneath her costumes, these corsets aided to create the restrictive silhouette of the era.

18th c. in corded silk

18th c. in sheer quilted
 net

Constructing the corsets

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012 Corsets made by Period Corsets ® -- a dynamic collaboration of design

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Period Corsets® made corsets again for the Victoria's Secret Fashion show this year. Here is a behind the scenes look at the corsets before we sent them to the Victoria's Secret Fashion show team for final fittings and details. We've combined our photos of  each of our custom corsets with the design sketches by Todd Thomas and final looks as seen on the runway.

  This yellow corset was made in faille; a variation on our c. 1660 Kristina corset. 

Dangerous Liaisons

dangerous liaisons theme

dangerous liaisons theme

Pink theme

Circus theme

Angels in Bloom theme

 More details about each corset to follow....

c. 1790 Salon: Vive la France! Behind the Scenes: Period Corsets® Salon Series

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At Period Corsets® every year we design in house a few of what we call our Salon Ensembles.   We style our garments in sumptuous fabrics using a design theme to inspire and show you how our products can be used in new and creative ways. Our fans and clients are familiar with our basic white cotton coutil corsets and plain petticoats which undercover provide the Period Silhouette of the historic era they need to build their costumes over.  Add a rich dupioni silk in red shot with green to one of our petticoat shapes and you have a skirt.  Add a coordinating green silk brocade to one of our corsets, put them together and you have achieved a colorful ensemble that will need to be showcased; no longer behind the scenes!

Period Corsets® : "Viva la Revolución"
c. 1790 Salon Ensemble

The Vive la France Salon Ensemble was designed in mind of the rise of patriotism in Revolutionary France at the time this corset style was worn. It was inspired by research cartoons and fashion prints from the era. See the costume design sketch by Doris Black and research images below.



Our finished  ensemble is pictured on the left.   Our c. 1790  Marie corset is made in a wine red linen with blue lacing ribbons front and back. We combined the corset with our simple shift made in a  cream linen, accented with 2" wide cotton tatted lace trim at the neckline, hem and sleeve cuffs.  Thus the French tricolor is achieved! Red, White( natural) and Blue !  To top it off we made a feathered rosette headdress which you can see from the research was quite popular in the day.   By using our stock corset and shift shapes in fashion fabrics the whole ensemble turns out quite fancier than our plain stock products and is well suited to be seen on stage to great effect. This French partisan is patriotic down to her underwear.

Designer: Doris Black's costume sketch
for Period Corsets® "Viva la Revolución" c. 1790 Salon Ensemble

Patriotic dress

"Origin of the Cockade and Tricolore. The Marquis de Lafayette was probably responsible for inventing the red, white and blue cockade which soon became compulsory for revolutionaries in 1789."-- sited from: credit.

round gown link

1780' vs 1770s round vs wide

c. 1790 Marie Corset
too be worn under a Round Gown

Teaser: Question of the day: What are those cute duck tails at the back of this corset for? stay tuned for the answer.

The Making of Dita von Teese's All-in-One Cone bra Corset

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To see stills from Dita von Teese's video click here.
To see the video on the Period Corsets Youtube channel click here.
To vote on adding a cone bra to our Period Corsets retail line of corsets click here.

Period Corsets® making the c.1880's undergarments for Santa Fe Opera's "Tales of Hoffmann"

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Take a look at this slide show, scroll through or just press play to see behind the scenes: Period Corsets® making custom short petticoats, c.1880 Alice corsets in brocade silks, Bustles in striped silk, bloomers,chemises and bustle pettiocoats.





Thanks for watching!

To see Ms. Wall singing in the Opera click here.

Period Corsets® Interviewed by Madonnalicious about making a corset for Madonna

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 madonnalicious meets....Period Corsets®

Welcome to the first madonnalicious meets....in this interview we speak to Hilary Specht, the Production Coordinator at Period Corsets®, the company behind the cinch-waist corset that Madonna wore in the Sorry video.

The interview will cover how the company staff did not believe it was for Madonna at first, and how they made the corset to the sounds of Madonna and what it feels like to see a corset you have produced being worn by one of the most famous women in the world:

Welcome to madonnalicious Hilary, when did her assistant call you and what was the brief you were given and did they tell you exactly when the corset would be worn?

Early in January one of Madonna's assistants called looking for a corset. She said only that it was for Madonna, and did not say when or if it would be worn. Late in January she called to say that Madonna had worn our Lilly corset in her Sorry video and that Madonna wanted to wear it for the Grammys. (She did not say that it was for her entrance as an animated character with Gorillaz.) I asked how Madonna picked our Lilly for the video, they said that Madonna liked ours best out of the couture selection she had to choose from.



Did you liase with Arianne Phillips (her stylist) or another member of her team on the exact requirements for the corset?

I spoke only with an assistant on Madonna's team. The requirements for the corset: the assistant wasn't sure what she wanted but we looked through the products on our website and she decided on the Lilly corset in white satin, which they later ended up dyeing a fabulous shade of purple. They requested we customize our regular corset; Madonna preferred the opening in the front to be a specific length. So we altered our Lilly corset to her requirements. She needed it sent overnight.

Hilary with the Madonna corset in the workshop.



How did you feel when you realised you would be making a corset for Madonna which would be seen worldwide by millions of viewers during the Grammys and in her video (and now featured worldwide on her tour posters)?


The funny part of this story is that I did not believe that it was for Madonna. The whole first order was normal except that this new client was claiming it was for Madonna. She didn't ask for anything unusual; she just picked her style, ordered it and paid for it.


When the assistant called and said Madonna wanted to wear our corset to the Grammys, I took the order to make another Lilly this time in pre-dyed lavender silk satin. After the call, I put the phone down, paused and told my co-workers. 'If there were one person in the world that you would choose to wear our corset, who would it be?' I think nine out of ten people said Madonna.

She transcends any other performer who we've seen wearing corsets. Our company is used to making corsets and undergarments for renowned performers in the entertainment industry. Madonna wearing our work in front of the world is cause for celebration! I bought the 'Confessions' CD and took out all my old Madonna cassette tapes. We had a Madonna retrospective hour for a few weeks and the shop was sewing to the tune of Madonna.

Anticipating the Grammys on February 7th, we were unsure if and how she would wear our garment. The Grammys opened with the Gorillaz and Madonna. When she came up out of the stage and I saw our Lilly corset emerge from the darkness on Madonna, I took in a deep breath....I felt like I was at one of those early Beatles concerts where all the girls in the audience are screaming and crying. Except I was watching Madonna dancing in the corset we just made. She was just wearing our corset, jewels and a leotard; the curves of our Lilly corset balancing in harmony with Madonna's perfectly toned body.

Period Corsets® has been enjoying a wave of publicity after Madonna wore our corset. After the Grammy performance, websites picked up our press release. Madonna released the Sorry video which features our corset as one of her main looks and can be seen on many billboards. Our local NBC station called us for an interview, and W magazine called. Madonna seems to be everywhere in our corset; in magazines, talk shows, and on tour posters throughout the streets of New York City. I went to the east coast and her Confessions album was a listening choice on the flight!

It was an honor for Period Corsets® to be singled out by the discerning eye of Madonna, an icon of global fashion especially in the realm of corsetry.

How many people were involved in the production of the corset, and how long did it take to produce? Did you produce more than one corset?


It was a team effort. The project had a tight turnaround so everyone in the studio had their hand in one aspect or another of the construction. The bulk of the work involved the usual team consisting of the pattern maker, the cutter, stitchers, and the shopper. We made two corsets, one for the video and one for the Grammys.

Hilary with the Confessions Tour posters in New York City.


You say you had fun making the corset, can you tell me why?

Having a Madonna corset on order was fun. It's not everyday you make a corset for the Grammys for an audience of millions. We had a short deadline which required pressing, prepping the fabric and sewing the garment then shipping it out the same day. It's always fun when everyone in the workroom works together for an exciting project. Madonna was flying in to LA for her fitting. It couldn't be late.

For anyone who desires to dress like Madonna (maybe during the Confessions Tour!)    Here is a direct link to the Madonna Lilly corset

Madonna's "Sorry" Video on the Period Corsets® Youtube Channel

Interview © 2006 Clare Parmenter/madonnalicious.com

Period Corsets® thanks Madonnalicious.com  for this interview