This one-of-a-kind artwork is part of the Corset Revival Project.
Corset Revival Project by Rebecca Hemans Found Thing Studio
Winning Bid: £20.00
Rebecca Hemans / Found Thing Studio
I’ve been working in the vintage clothing industry for a number of years, so have seen up close and personal how much waste is created- even within businesses which are infinitely more sustainable than fast fashion. Seeing this has directed my design practice towards repairing and reimagining second hand textiles and garments, rather than using new fabrics full of plastic.
The idea for my corset’s revival came from excess stock within my workplace. I saw a bale of second hand, unloved tote bags and thought it had potential. At one point, reusable totes seemed to be a must-have for a lower waste lifestyle. No more single use plastic for grocery shopping, an easy way to lower our single use consumption. How has something that was meant to be used for a lifetime ended up as excess?
I brought home hundreds of these totes, chopped them up and patched them together to make “new” fabric. Every inch of the fabric shouts about different brands, supermarkets and events, some were personalised by hand in a previous life where they held schoolbooks or laundry. It’s a mish-mash of sentimentality about things people once cared enough to get a tote bag about, but not enough to hold on to.
This patchwork fabric was then quilted with cotton padding from a previous project, and appliqued onto the corset in sections. Boning covers were added, then finally bound edges and some matching ties for lacing.
The model I used has been wearing corsets for a long time, training often, finding the 18″ waist piece I was given to work with not the least bit daunting. It was interesting to hear Katie’s comments on the base garment, a mass produced fast fashion corset. Plastic boning is more painful to wear than steel, no fastening at the front makes it tricky to get into, and the single tie is impractical for lacing. This solidified for me the fact that fashion brands will just produce to sell trends with no thought of the end consumer, which is how these items end up on their way to landfill.
I love the juxtaposition of something so banal as tote bags being used to embellish something as luxurious as a corset – even a fast fashion one. While this might not be the most practical garment for everyday wear, this piece is a nod to what I’d ideally love to see become commonplace in fashion. Consumers repairing what they have before buying new, and businesses using what already exists before new textile and garment production.
Item condition: New
Total Bids Placed:
Auction has expired
Highest bidder was: cleo_inform
| Bidder Name | Bidding Time | Bid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| cleo_inform | 07/13/2026 21:59 | £20.00 | |
| Auction started | 07/13/2026 20:53 | ||
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.