A Vancouver-based corsetiere who ships her handcrafted lingerie around the world will be in Coquitlam next week for a heritage society fundraiser.
Melanie Talkington of Lace Embrace Inc. will bring some undergarments from her 1920s collection for an event to coincide with the Mackin House Museum exhibit, Rising Hemlines: An Exploration of 1920s Fashion, which wraps up April 7.
The Coquitlam Heritage Society display includes clothing from fashion historian Ivan Sayers, who Talkington first met while at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 1995. The Calgary native later modelled his garments for various fashion shows and continues to do so today.
For her Feb. 13 lecture, Talkington will present vintage bras, panties, corsets, pyjamas and “bust binders” that, although may appear restricting today, “came out during a very liberating time for women,” she said, noting the lack of garter belts and other boudoir paraphernalia and pretties.
Some of her older collection pieces, dating back as far back as 1820, have been showcased at the Louvre in Paris and in New York City.
These days, Talkington’s shop on East 16th Avenue, which she opened in 2003, specializes in hand-stitched foundation garments from retro pin-up style clothing to back support outfits for people with medical conditions.
Last week, she was working on a 1970s Wonder Woman costume. “The orders never shock me anymore, and they are a lot of fun to create,” she said.
Among her clients are Burlesque star Dita von Teese and Cathe Jung, who has the world’s smallest waist.
• Tickets for Unmentionables of the 1920s with Melanie Talkington are $10. The event takes place at the Coquitlam Public Library (1169 Pinetree Way) on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Visit coquitlamheritage.ca.
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
