A corsetmaker is a specialist tailor who makes corsets. Corsetmakers are frequently known by the French equivalent terms corsetier (male) and corsetière (female). Staymaker is an obsolete name for a corsetmaker.
Design and distribution
Corsetmakers are tailors with knowledge of anatomy that enables them to construct well-fitting, corsets. Corsetmakers who reproduce historical styles must be familiar with historical fashions and costumes that span centuries of history. Individual corsetmakers often favour a certain style, and frequently have differing theories and opinions about the physical impact and benefits of various corsets, thereby influencing their corset design and creation1.
The main consideration of corset design is duration of use. For short-term use, e.g. used for a special event such as a wedding, a corset will be worn briefly and so is not subject to wear, therefore need not be of the highest quality of construction. For long-term use, e.g., by tightlacing or waist training, corsets must be made to exact standards and are best custom-fitted and designed for the individual wearer. Single weakness or flaws tend to be visible. Some custom-made gowns have corsets built into the design; a talented dressmaker may also be a skilled corset-maker2.
Several companies employed travelling saleswomen, known as corsetières, who took orders for tailored corsets. Well-known are Spirella (1904–1989), Barcley, and Spenser.
Notable corsetmakers
- Roxey Ann Caplin (1793–1888), British writer and inventor3
- Catherine Allsop Griswold (fl. 1870s), a Connecticut corsetmaker who held 30 patents, the most of any woman in America at the time.45
- Mr. Pearl (born 1962), South African corsetmaker to celebrities and collaborator with Vivienne Westwood6
- Michaela Stark (born 1994), Australian corsetière, artist, and plus-size model7
References
References
- "Corset History – Champagne Corsets & Designs". Champagne Corsets & Designs. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- "Historically Inspired Corset and Construction Techniques". The Staymaker. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- MADAME CAPLIN'S INVENTIONS FOR THE ADAPTATION OF THE DRESS TO THE BODY; THE PRESERVATION OF HEALTH; The Cure of Deformity, and the Display of Beauty.
- "AmericanHeritage.com / THE CHAMPION OF WOMEN INVENTORS". Archived from the original on 2008-01-13. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
- Most prolific women inventors - 1790-1895 Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
- Allwood, Emma Hope (15 April 2016). "Meeting Mr Pearl, the corset-maker who walked for McQueen". Dazed.
- Johnson-Wheeler, Lara (23 March 2023). "Cut To Size: Meet Michaela Stark, The Designer Reimagining Corsetry". Elle.
Books
- Doyle R. (1997)Waisted Efforts, An Illustrated Guide To Corset Making. Nova Scotia, Sartorial Press Publications, ISBN 0-9683039-0-0
- Tight Linings and Boning Mary Brooks Picken, 1920 Archive link
- The Practical Corsetiere Mme Ruth A. Rosenfeld 1933 Archive link
- The Basics Of Corset Building, A Handbook For Beginners by Linda Sparks (Author) ISBN 0-9737358-0-5
- Caplin - Health and Beauty (1864)