Simone C. Williams, owner and designer of nine-year-old web-based corset producer, Exquisite Restraint Corsets, says her recipe for success is; “marketing my company as DIY fashion […] I have used the Internet and MySpace to create a fanbase, which helps [generate] word-of-mouth.
“I have also strategically created relationships with photographers who work within the fetish milieu. I offer true corsets, made with corset coutil, all steel boning, a busc and proper lacing. My corsets fit well in high-end lingerie and adult stores that already sell corsets [since] the salespeople there are already knowledgeable and know how to help customers fit and try on corsets.” She named fit as the most important aspect of a corset.
William was attracted to corsets through her artistic background. “I am a theatrical designer with an art degree, working sometimes as a film/TV costume maker. Corsets became my outlet since they are the thing I create on my own, with my name and branding on it […] My corsets are product but also art.”
Although Exquisite Restraint Corsets’ customer base originally consisted solely of people in the goth scene, her base has since expanded to include people --wearing corsets as streetwear, afficinionados of Victorian “tight lacing,” plus-sized clients, brides, and transgender and cross-dressing clients. As a maker of these “true corsets,” Williams admits that the economy has affected her designing and sales. “I’m definitely willing to create less intricate, custom corsets, and help customers decide if they want to buy ‘off the rack,’ which is less costly. I definitely feel the sting of customers buying less high-priced corsets, but I have remained flexible and tried to create things that customers will feel good about purchasing.”
I want to receive more information from exquisite restraint corsets
written by Amanda Torres Price published 2009-11-04 09:01:29
« Back to Trend Reports