Why do people wear corsets, & what sets a Dark Garden corset apart?

Why Wear a Corset?

• Waist training
• Back support
• Bridal
• Boudoir
• Burlesque & drag
• Formal foundations
• Cocktail or evening attire
• Period & retro styling
• Carnivale or Mardi Gras
• Opera & theatrical costuming
• Cosplay
• Gender affirmation
• Gender play
• Scoliosis
• Hypermobility
• Tightlacing & body modification

Why Choose a Dark Garden Corset?

• Since 1989 – that’s 3 decades!
• Handmade in San Francisco
• “Godmother of Modern Corsetry
• Ready to wear from 18” - 45” fits 22 - 55” waists
• 12+ ready-to-wear styles to suit a range of figures
• Personalizations available
• Radically inclusive – size, age, queer, trans, & kink friendly!
• Standard fit developed from decades of bespoke work
• Fit & quality tested in-house by our own staff of avid corsetwearers
• Corsetiere to the stars
• Boutiques in San Francisco & New Orleans
• Easy online ordering
• Woman-owned business
• Ethical manufacturing
• Small batch production
• Built to last
• Consistent turnarounds
• High degree of customization

Every bespoke corset we make follows a rigorous prototyping process before we move into your selected final material. All production takes place on-site in our San Francisco flagship boutique.

First, we take a comprehensive set of your measurements, to which we apply a proprietary formula to draft your unique custom pattern. You’ll try on a series of mockups for the fitting phase - typically two for an underbust and three for an overbust; as many as are necessary to achieve a good fit!

An expert from our production team will cut your fabric, with meticulous attention to accuracy throughout. An equally fastidious stitcher will sew the cut pieces. We use the highest quality fabric and hardware, from our thread to the German steel busk closure and double faced silk satin.

This process takes about three months, after which your bespoke corset is complete and ready for you!

Our standard fit and made-to-order corsets follow the same process for final construction, after using our off-the-rack fit samples as a starting point to determine fit.