'Boucher' corset
Westwood's reworking of the corset for outerwear has become one of her most recognisable trademarks. Romantic and historically accurate, the corsets are also surprisingly practical. Stretch fabrics allow ease of movement, and removable sleeves convert a daytime garment to evening wear. Once a symbol of constraint, corsets are now an expression of female sexuality and empowerment. This one is photographically printed with a detail from Boucher's Daphnis and Chloë (1743-5) in the Wallace Collection, London.
