The Tulip Corset is a nod to the mimicry of modern-day corsetières towards the historicity of corsetry. Replacing the linen with cement, and ditching the whalebone and the wood, 16 rigid pieces with zero seam allowance are drawn together to the brim of completion. The stiffness of the original garment is exaggerated, the support becomes confinement, and the regionally selective shaping of the body freezes in time, instantly immortalizing the wearer’s physique and movement. Ranging from the device of modesty to an utterer of devilish morals, the version of the corset as a wearable sculpture claims its own space in the realm of things whose wearability in the physical, sociopolitical, and ethical sense is debatable. Conceived as a living ruin, the piece evolves through wear; over time, subtle fragments of its cement layer may chip away, while raw edges soften as they come into contact with the body. Constructed from durable cement-coated panels, the piece maintains a fixed, solid form. The design is secured at the back through drilled eyeholes with ribbon lacing. This piece is 1/1 and handmade in our studio in Athens.
