About Us

One of the things that makes Lace Embrace unique is our antique corset archive, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive private collections dedicated to corsetry and historical lingerie. The collection now includes over 550 antique corsets, along with original patterns, pattern books, antique advertisements, trade journals, bustles, bust pads, petticoats, bloomers, corset covers, garters, stockings, slippers, and other rare lingerie-related pieces. This archive was not built from casual research. It grew from Melanie’s lifelong devotion to understanding the hidden world of corset making. When she first tried drafting corset patterns from scratch, they did not feel as comfortable or balanced as she wanted. So she went directly to the source, collecting original garments and the rare printed materials that explained how they were made, fitted, marketed, and worn. Over the years, Melanie translated French corset journals, pattern books, and medical brace references into English to better understand historical fitting systems, support construction, and the relationship between corsetry and the body. These materials opened a window into a once-secretive trade where much of the knowledge was passed through workshops, patents, advertisements, and specialized technical publications rather than modern sewing manuals. Lace Embrace corsets originate from this archive. Our patterns are informed by original antique corsets and by decades of studying the shapes, proportions, materials, and construction methods used by historical corset makers. These garments were designed to support, shape, and move with real bodies, and they continue to guide the fit and feel of our corsets today. The result is corsetry rooted in authenticity, comfort, structure, and lived expertise rather than guesswork. Every Lace Embrace corset carries a piece of that history forward. You can learn more about the archive by clicking on the button below.