How Corsets Have Become An Unlikely Modern Day Symbol Of Empowerment
This controversial piece of clothing from 500 years ago is back
Kim KardashianĀ had the help of three assistants to strap her into her specially made corset by legendary corsetier Mr Pearl, so she could slip into her tiny-waisted Mugler mini dress for theĀ Met Gala in 2019. And with all the rage surrounding the Netflix Regency period dramaĀ BridgertonĀ earlier this year, itās no surprise that theĀ corsetĀ has made somewhat of a resurgence in the last few months.
This item of clothing had its fair share of controversies since its inception more than 500 years ago, before finally falling out of fashion when the womenās liberation movement started in the 1960s. It then made its way back into the fashion realm in the ā90s, thanks toĀ Jean Paul Gaultierās iconic cone bra corset, designed forĀ MadonnaāsĀ 1990 Blond Ambition Tour.
Fast forward to 2022 and the corset has evolved yet again, this time in a more unexpected fashion
Interestingly, the idea of the garment has progressed from its feminine trappings, as illustrated at Balmain and Dior. Balmainās creative director Olivier Rousteing reconstructed the corset to resemble metallic body armour, paired with loose-fitting cargo trousers, or worn over a masculine shirt dress.
Even when the corset was worn over a beautiful lace and tulle ensemble at Dior, the motocross-inspired corsetry was far from conventional or sexy. Just like at Balmain, it was rendered to look more like a protective gear ā an irony given the garmentās history.
Style tip: Think masculine pairings when styling corsets for a more current take on the trend.
Yesteryear corsets werenāt exactly āsafeā for women to wear, as they perpetuated unrealistic expectations of beauty, and impaired muscle development as well as caused respiratory problems.
In fact, Kim Kardashian confessed that she ānever felt pain like that in her lifeā after the Met Gala corset drama. So while the corset may have been revived, the reimagined Fall/Winter 2022 designs are meant to showcase a sense of empowerment and freedom ā a far cry from what is symbolised centuries ago.
Text: Lena Kamarudin/HerWorld