Tina Karakourtis, proprietor of Tina’s Closet, has been carrying corsets since she opened her lingerie store over 23 years ago, primarily for her bridal customers. Although they make up less than five percent of both her inventory and sales, she carries them because “I like to help my future brides find the ‘Perfect Fit’ for their special day. I can easily make the transition from fitting her into the right bra size to helping her find a perfectly fitted corset to wear underneath her gown.”
Since she primarily fits corsets for her ‘brides-to-be,’ Karakourtis insists that women bring their dress with them to the shop, which she says is key to her success in the market. “If you let a woman try on a corset without her dress, you are not doing her justice. You can’t see what part of the corset might peek out of the dress, and perform necessary modifications, and the bride can’t see how her perfectly-fitted corset will help her fit into her dress.”
She described the fit as the most important aspect of a corset, saying; “the only thing I wish I would see more of in the corset market is a larger cup size with a little bit of a lower cut, such as a demi-cup for G cups. When bustier women put on their dresses, you can see the lace on the cups peeking out of the top of the corsets. I’ve never had a problem with price. This is one day in a woman’s life when she doesn’t want to ‘pinch pennies.’
“This also depends on how you show the product to the customer. I emphasize that if she doesn’t spend the necessary money, she is not going to get that oomph she needs.” Her best-selling corsets range from about $50 to $100. Her top-selling brands (and favorites to sell) in the category are Elomi, Fantasie, Goddess and Carnival. “Today, a lot of manufacturers are trying to make fancy corsets, which is not the most important thing when they are being made to be worn underneath clothing.
“[Brands like my favorites to sell] did not try to fix what wasn’t a problem. They understand that without the proper boning to hold it up, a corset will not work.
“The only thing that I would like to see more of is fun colors. A Carnival corset, with the same structure and quality as it has now, in purple or red—now that would be hot! Women love color. If I get in a hot pink or red bra it sells out so fast. I am sure it would be the same for corsets.”
I want to receive more information from tina’s closet
written by Amanda Torres Price published 2009-11-04 09:01:29
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