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The Corset King
Peter Soronen began his corset career with whatever patterns he could lay his hands on, and through trial and error came up with a modern style
women could incorporate into a contemporary wardrobe. And don't think only waifish types need apply.
"I have clients in their 50s who look incredible in my corsets. They are not wearing them with denims and miniskirts but with a ball skirt, tuxedo pants and perhaps a shawl. A corset will enhance any figure and smooth out any silhouette," said Soronen at New York's luxury showroom/store Seedhouse.
Soronen founded his label in Chicago in 1994 creating corsets, eveningwear and wedding dresses.
"I did lots of wedding dresses," he laughs. "When you are green and cold-calling, it's something that you have to be do. I once did a pink and silver baroque style five-piece dress complete with pleated sleeves and wired hoops -- it was crazy."
Another decadent moment for Soronen was seeing a Barneys window with his name on it. "It was fantastic my name was there in big gold lettering, spelled right (apparently many confuse him as Soronon) and a couple of my pieces. I almost cried.
10/13
Move over Victoria...
ST. LOUIS -
Creating a spa-like environment with soft music, calming colors and complimentary hand massages, a new lingerie chain is offering women sanctuary from the super-model imagery of Victoria's Secret and the free-for-all atmosphere at major department stores.
Sara Lee Corp. the company best known for cheesecakes and hot dogs, is taking its latest plunge into the retail world with a chain of stores called Inner Self. The New Age-inspired concept is designed to make the average woman feel more comfortable about her body while buying bras and underwear.
The venture comes as the Chicago company, which is also the largest U.S. underwear maker, finds a key distribution network languishing.
"It's probably an answer to the fact that one of their most important
channels,
department stores, is having a lot of difficulty attracting traffic," said Deutsche Banc Securities analyst Eric Katzman.
Higher-margin department store business, which accounts for roughly 10 percent of Sara Lee's $6.5-billion in yearly apparel sales, has been under pressure. The stores have faced a tough economy that forced them to trim staff amid heightened competition from discounters like Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Meanwhile, Victoria's Secret has managed to keep up heady expansion, growing to more than 1,000 stores in 2002 from about 670 in 1995.
Sara Lee, which aims to have 10 Inner Self stores open through June, sees the chain filling a niche that will serve women ages 25 to 55, with an average dress size of 12. The stores provide an alternative to the often-unattainable, sexy ideal promoted by Victoria's Secret, and declining service at department stores.
The new Inner Self store in St. Louis, Missouri's Westfield
Shopping town West County mall in St. Louis, Missouri, December 20, 2002.
Creating a spa-like environment with soft music, calming colors and
complimentary hand massages, the new lingerie chain is offering women
sanctuary from the super-model imagery of Victoria's Secret and the
free-for-all atmosphere at major department stores.
11/24
La Perla go's Masculine
Following quickly on the appointment of Italian designer Alessandro dell'Acqua to head up its women's ready-to-wear, Italian lingerie label La Perla has tapped Daniel Faret as head designer for its fledgling men's line.
The 42-year-old French designer, who signed the deal on January 2, was first approached three months ago by La Perla management to design the Touch Grigio Perla line. According to Faret, it will be his responsibility to orient the style direction for the line, whose name may be subject to change in the future. From its current incarnation as a selection of intimates and swimwear, the developed men's line will feature both casual and formal wear and accessories.
Faret describes the La Perla management team at the family-run business, headed by president Alberto Masotti, as "very nice people," and is currently signed on "for a minimum of three seasons with the possibility of two more years." He explains that, "After hiring Alessandro they thought it was interesting to have someone French with a different point of view."
12/12
See us at the Following
Show
Jan.19-21 Orlando Lingerie Show
Twiggy goes Fur-less
Yet another famous Brit has joined the anti-fur crusade. Sixties icon Twiggy is the latest name to join PETA's camp.
According to PETA spokesman Michael McGraw, the former supermodel contacted the group to offer her support after she heard about its recent disruption at the Victoria's Secret fashion show, in which protestors brandishing "Fur Scum" posters surrounded Gisele Bundchen on the runway. The Brazilian beauty recently signed on as fur company Blackglama's spokesmodel.
Twiggy has issued a statement for PETA, which will appear on its website, furisdead.com, and the group says it hopes to work with her more this year.
"In this day and age there is absolutely no excuse to wear fur," she says. "It's up to women not to buy fur - if there is no demand, there is no market. So please join me in the boycott of fur in the marketplace and hopefully save a lot of suffering for creatures without a voice."
53-year-old Twiggy, most famed in her heyday for her slight 90-pound frame, returned to the runway for the first time in 30 years in October to walk for Gattinoni during Milan Fashion Week.
There is no word yet on whether she will hit the catwalks again this season, but this new alliance will surely keep any potential appearances free from disruption.
Twiggy is just the latest in a string of animal-loving Brits to pledge support to PETA. British songstress Sophie Ellis-Bextor recently posed for a new campaign holding up a skinned fox with the words, "Here's the rest of your fur coat." That image can be found on furisdead.com and will also run as a billboard in London this winter.
Left: Australian model Imogen Bailey has her make-up applied as she
poses naked in shackles while holding a banner during a photo-shoot for
the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) organization in
Sydney, December 12, 2002. The photographs will be part of an advertising
campaign aimed at drawing attention to the abuse of elephants in Thailand
for the tourist trade
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I remember that the Elle McPherson line had a similar product as well. Please let me know as soon as possible where I may locate this product Thanks.
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